3,910 ft | Presidential | 1 route
As of October 16, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Webster are currently rated Difficult. At 1:20 PM ET it was 41°F at the summit (3,910 ft), feeling like 34°F, with ESE winds at 11 mph. The listed route, Jackson and Webster Loop, is a 6.1-mile loop with 2,367 ft of elevation gain, taking about 3-6 hours. See the hour-by-hour Mount Webster weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Webster Cliff Trail (6.3 mi)
Feels like 34°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.54" (24h) · 0.57" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 16, 2026
Fall conditions are deteriorating quickly: moderate rain with fog is in place now, followed by a sharp cold snap with heavy snow forecast Saturday and lows in the teens into Sunday. Saturday is not a good day to be on the mountain, and Sunday will bring snow-covered, icy trails; the best window is a cautious, early-start hike Sunday once skies clear, with winter-style preparation.
The trailhead (~2,000 ft) runs milder, around 41-61°F, while the summit (~3,910 ft) is colder at 35-55°F with much stronger winds near 43 mph; the freezing level near 2,690 ft is a key transition where wet rock and mud can turn icy. Start with a moisture-wicking base, add an insulating midlayer, and carry a windproof waterproof shell, plus warm hat and gloves, to put on before climbing above roughly 2,700 ft.
Best Hiking Window
Avoid Saturday due to heavy snow. Sunday morning, starting early after skies clear, is the better option, but only with microspikes and winter-weather preparation and a firm turnaround time well before dark.
Last synthesized Oct 16, 1:20 PM ET
Planning a hike here this week?
Trailblazer adds the full 7-day summit forecast, the best day to go for every peak, and conditions for each route up.
Trail: Wachipauka Pond Trail, Webster Slide Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail
“Mellow trail, Webster Side trail indeed eroded in one section. Did an out and back having only one car.”
Trail: Crawford-Ridgepole Trail, bushwhack, Cotton Mountain Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail
“Finally did this route after learning about it 20 years ago. We saw a dozen people between Morgan and Percival, otherwise we saw no one else along the rest of the Traverse. Along the way we popped in two bushwhacks to Webster and Northeast Peak of Doublehead. Birds were relatively quiet today but the views were spectacular of the Lakes Region.”
Trail: Webster Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Morning hike for Cody's 52WAV and 4K hikes. Lower trail was fairly dry with occasional soft mud/wet spots. But at higher elevations the trails were pretty wet. The potentially slippery wet rocks and some mud made for slower going. Multiple muddy stretches along the ridge. Slabs on the ridge and on Jackson were mostly dry. Views were OK today, some cloudy haze.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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19°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 19°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
59 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 59 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
-1°F
Wind chill
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth.
Standing at the southern end of the Presidential Range, this 3,910-foot summit offers hikers an accessible entry point into one of New Hampshire's most celebrated mountain corridors. The Webster-Jackson Trail provides the primary route to the top, winding through classic White Mountain hardwood and boreal forest before opening onto rocky, above-treeline terrain near the summit. Views from the exposed ridgeline are exceptional, encompassing Crawford Notch directly below, the Willey Range to the west, and the higher Presidential peaks stretching northward toward Mount Washington. The summit itself features open ledges that reward hikers with panoramic scenery disproportionate to the relatively modest elevation gain. As part of the 52 With A View list, it earns its inclusion through consistently impressive vistas rather than sheer altitude. The moderate rating makes it a popular choice for hikers building toward more demanding Presidential objectives.
Elevation
3,910 ft
Range
Presidential
Difficulty
Moderate
Coordinates
44.1946, -71.3885
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
2 incidents on file · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
Three brothers, ages 27, 25, and 21, from Falmouth MA, Davis CA, and Santa Fe NM respectively
On February 15, 2026, three brothers reached the Mt. Webster ridge and had difficulty descending the trail in winter conditions, calling for help around 8:00 p.m. when approximately 2.5 miles from the nearest trailhead. Friends who had been climbing elsewhere in Crawford Notch saw their headlamps and hiked up to assist them. The group self-rescued and were met by a Conservation Officer at the trailhead shortly after 10:30 p.m.
Victor Pascarelli of Holderness
On September 7, 2025, Victor Pascarelli slipped on wet soil while descending the Brooks Fisher Trail on Mt. Webster, sustaining a lower leg injury approximately 0.8 miles from the trailhead. He was treated on scene and carried out by litter, then transported to Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth.