4,020 ft | Sandwich | 1 route
As of October 16, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Whiteface are currently rated Difficult. At 1:20 PM ET it was 38°F at the summit (4,020 ft), feeling like 32°F, with SSW winds at 7 mph. The listed route, Mount Whiteface via Blueberry Ledge, is 7.5 miles round trip with 2,907 ft of elevation gain, taking about 4-7 hours. Mount Whiteface (4,020 ft) is #45 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Whiteface weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Rollins Trail (2.3 mi)
Feels like 32°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.80" (24h) · 0.80" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 16, 2026
A deepening low brings wet, windy weather through Friday, with the freezing line dropping Friday night into Saturday and leaving snow and ice on trails. Saturday looks cold and slick with lingering upslope snow showers and strong winds. Sunday is clear but still cold, with leftover ice in shaded spots.
Temperatures are roughly 5°F colder at the summit than the trailhead, with winds stronger and wind chill near 19°F up high versus 29°F at the trailhead. Dress in layers: start with a moisture-wicking base and add insulation and a windproof shell as you climb, since the freezing line drops to trailhead level by Saturday.
Best Hiking Window
Sunday morning through midday offers the best window, with clear skies and no precipitation, though expect leftover ice and snow in shaded spots. Avoid Friday's rain, wind, and storm risk, and Saturday's icy trails, snow showers, and strong winds.
Last synthesized Oct 16, 1:20 PM ET
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Trailblazer adds the full 7-day summit forecast, the best day to go for every peak, and conditions for each route up.
Trail: Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail
“This was a pivot due to needing a shorter day and it worked out perfectly! The conditions were wonderful. Dry trails, dry slab, no tricky ledges. What a winner of a day. Down low there is some leaf litter but it doesn't obscure the ankle biters so you can still move pretty fast. I didn't see anyone until I was ascending Passaconaway but hadn't cleared a single spider web. Hmmmm. That mystery was solved when I bumped into Alex, Steve, and Stephen who reported that Josh was the first one up and they saw him on his descent. Thanks Josh! This was a treat to not have to clear them today. I had the honor of meeting White Mountains royalty today. I met both grid finishers #172 and #8. Guy is working on his THIRD grid now and is at 96%. I am in awe. I floated out and down Dicey's Mill trail (which has the best footing for a wicked fast descent) feeling super inspired. Such humble and kind people out there. What a DAY!”
Trail: Dicey's Mill Trail, Tom Wiggins Trail, Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Walden Trail, Wonalancet Range Trail, Old Mast Road
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Tom Wiggins is not as challenging as advertised, but I would not be anxious to descend it. In addition to loose gravel, many of the rocks are moss covered and could be quite slippery. There appear to be several options where to cross the river, but all are easy at this time. It is a little muddy there. Great views from Whiteface south ledges! Circled all the viewpoints on Passaconaway. Unfortunately, Presidentials and Franconias were in the clouds when I arrived at the north outlook, but views were otherwise excellent. No fall colors yet. The path to the north outlook is fairly muddy in spots. Walden alternates pleasant ridge walking with steep and rough up and downs. Hibbard view is essentially totally obscured, but nearby viewpoint is a nice alternate. As noted above, finding the Wonalancet Range trail below the ledge area is tricky. If I were to do this hike again, I would go down the shortcut instead and save the ascent to the ledges for another day.”
Trail: Flat Mountain Pond Trail, McCrillis Trail, Rollins Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“The only time I hiked on the McCrillis Trail was 15 years ago. I didn't remember much from that far back, so it was like hiking a new trail. This approach is a nice alternative when the water levels are not high on Whiteface River. The ledges are mild compared to the Blueberry Ledge Trail approach to Mt Whiteface. The surfaces were dry. The lower section of the McCrillis Trail may be somewhat difficult to follow when the leaves drop. It wasn't difficult today because I could easily see the crushed leaves indicative of foot traffic. The slope is gentle and sometimes level for quite some distance on the McCrillis Trail but it steepens markedly at about 2,600'. The McCrillis Trail is entirely in the Sandwich Range Wilderness so there are very few blazes. Nevertheless, most of the way is obvious. A few piles of moose droppings up high on the McCrillis Trail. There are a couple of good outlook ledges up high on the McCrillis Trail. There is also a nice granite bench just off the Flat Mountain Pond Trail near the metal bridge that looks over wetland towards Flat Mountain and Sandwich Dome. Saw only one other hiker using the McCrillis Trail to get to Mt Whiteface. There was another local hiker going a short ways up the McCrillis Trail. Met many hikers on the South Peal ledge and on the Rollins Trail. The open south ledge is not the summit. The summit of Mt Whiteface is 0.3 miles up the Rollins Trail from the ledges. The summit is maked by a small cairn and has no views.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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61 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 61 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
18°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 18°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
-2°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.
Sandwich Range peak with ledge views. Often combined with Passaconaway for a longer day.
Elevation
4,020 ft
Range
Sandwich
Rank
#45 of 48
Difficulty
Easy
Coordinates
43.9365, -71.4076
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
3.3 mi away
2 incidents on file · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
Renee Cushman, 45, from Windham, NH
On September 4, 2025, Renee Cushman, 45, called 911 at approximately 4:30 p.m. after suffering a medical condition on the Dicey's Mill Trail on Mt. Whiteface, approximately 2.2 miles from the trailhead. She had started hiking around 10:00 a.m. and had already summited. Rescuers from Fish and Game, Sandwich and Tamworth Fire Departments, and LRSAR assisted her back to the trailhead, arriving at 6:28 p.m.
Elizabeth Wilson (Laconia, NH) and Kathleen Hall (Newmarket, NH)
On Sunday, October 21, 2012, Elizabeth Wilson of Laconia and Kathleen Hall of Newmarket, NH, hiked to the summit of Mount Whiteface in Tamworth after a late start and were overcome by darkness while descending the Blueberry Ledge Trail. They called for assistance at 7:00 p.m. Conservation Officers determined their location from the call and hiked about a mile in to reach the pair, who had no lights, bringing them out to the trailhead by 9:30 p.m.