4,260 ft | Zealand | 3 routes
As of October 17, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Zealand are currently rated Difficult. At 3:20 AM ET it was 26°F at the summit (4,260 ft), feeling like 11°F, with NW winds at 25 mph. The shortest of 3 listed routes is Mount Zealand via Zealand Trail: 10.8 miles round trip with 2,364 ft of elevation gain, taking about 5-8 hours. Mount Zealand (4,260 ft) is #31 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Zealand weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Feels like 11°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.06" (24h) · 0.70" (48h)
Snow: 0.4" (24h) · 0.4" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
Early-season winter conditions are in place on Zealand, with fresh snow and likely verglas over wet rock and mud, subfreezing temperatures, and gusty NW winds with wind chill near -6°F at the summit. The summit sits just below the strongest winds but is fully in the clouds with limited visibility. Sunday offers a much better window as skies clear, winds ease, and temperatures climb above freezing.
Temperatures fall roughly 2\u00b0F per 1,000 ft, from the upper 20s\u201330s at the trailhead to the teens\u201330 at the summit, with the freezing level shifting between roughly 500 and 3,700 ft, so expect a transition from wet or frozen mud to verglas and fresh snow on the climb. Start with moderate layers and add insulation and a windproof shell before the higher ridge sections, where wind chill drops sharply to around -2\u00b0F or lower.
Best Hiking Window
Sunday is the better window, with clearing skies, lighter winds, and temperatures rising above freezing by midday; start early in daylight. Saturday is not recommended for most hikers because of the ice, wind chill, and fog.
Last synthesized Oct 17, 3:20 AM 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: Zealand Trail, Zeacliff Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“ZBonds out and back is 19.5 miles with 4,000 feet of elevation gain and it took us a little more than 10 hours. Weather and foliage was peak for fall. Trails were pretty crowded and hut looked full.”
Trail: Zealand Road, Zealand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, Guyot Shelter Spur, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Went up for a shelter stay with some friends. It was rainy and walking in a cloud was nuts as it was suppose to be nice weather. Saw a decent amount of people coming down from the hut but also shocked with the amount of people heading to Guyot on Wednesday! After Zeacliff I was able to get over the clouds and get some inversion weather too! Love when this happens. Only 8 of us that were in the shelter with 0 people who snored which was amazing. We caught sunset and had dinner on West Bond with about 10 others. Not the best I have seen but not terrible!!”
Trail: Zealand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Good day for hiking Zealand, mostly cloudy on the trail, there was some sun when I hit Zealcliff viewpoint. Completely cloudy at the Zealand summit. Even with the light rain the night before the Zealand trail was mostly dry. The Twinway was still wet and muddy, but rock hoppable. Was able to keep my toes dry the whole day.”
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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.
-3°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.
Remote peak near Zealand Falls Hut. Often combined with the Bonds or as part of a traverse.
Elevation
4,260 ft
Range
Zealand
Rank
#31 of 48
Difficulty
Moderate
Coordinates
44.1800, -71.5216
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.