As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET
Stairs Mountain (3,463 ft) is currently 49°F (feels like 41°F) with clear sky and NW winds at 10 mph, gusting to 25 mph. Today's freezing level is 4,659–11,614 ft. Expect the summit to run about 5°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Moderate.
Bring microspikes (29°F summit low), a waterproof shell (53 mph summit gusts) and a headlamp (only 10h 37m of daylight). Why these · Paid links, Backcountry.com pays me if you buy.
One email when the first widespread ice reports come in from the Whites, with what to bring. Then the Thursday conditions outlook each week.
Valley forecasts don't apply up high — temperatures drop about 1.4°F per 1,000 ft on Stairs Mountain.
| Elevation | Temp Range | Max Wind | Wind Chill (Low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit 3,463 ft | 33° – 46°F | 33 mph | 18°F |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 39° – 51°F | 17 mph | 30°F |
Freezing level today: 4,659–11,614 ft
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| Elevation | Today Oct 22 | Tomorrow Oct 23 | Saturday Oct 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 3,463 ft | 45/46° 26 | 29/31° 26 | 38/41° 11 |
| 3,300 ft | 45/46° 26 | 29/31° 25 | 38/41° 11 |
| 2,500 ft | 45/47° 18 | 30/33° 18 | 38/43° 7 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 46/49° 13 | 32/35° 14 | 37/45° 5 |
4 more days of forecast: plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
Winter hiker? The Winter Pass is $24 once for the whole week, every week, until April 30, 2027. Nothing renews.
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth.
As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET: Stairs Mountain (3,463 ft) is currently 49°F (feels like 41°F) with clear sky and NW winds at 10 mph, gusting to 25 mph. Today's freezing level is 4,659–11,614 ft. Expect the summit to run about 5°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Moderate.
Temperatures drop roughly 1.4°F per 1,000 ft of elevation on Stairs Mountain. Today the trailhead (2,000 ft) tops out around 51°F while the summit (3,463 ft) reaches about 46°F, with a wind chill as low as 18°F.
Winds at the summit of Stairs Mountain are forecast to reach 33 mph today. Above treeline there is no shelter from wind — plan layers around wind chill, not air temperature.
Today's freezing level (4,659–11,614 ft) is above the 3,463 ft summit of Stairs Mountain, so the full route should stay above freezing.
Stairs Mountain Trail Conditions
AI conditions, hazards, gear & trail reports
Routes up Stairs Mountain
Distance, elevation gain & book time
White Mountains trail reports
Ice, mud and the traction hikers carried this week
Trailhead parking
When the lots fill, from hikers' reports
Paid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day.
29°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 29°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
53 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 53 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
10h 37m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 5:48 PM, so a late start or a slow descent ends in the dark.
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
Summit forecast for 3,463 ft · Montalban Ridge · Updated 3x daily
3,463 ft | Montalban Ridge | 0 routes