2,734 ft | Welch-Dickey | 1 route
As of October 9, 2026
Trail conditions on Welch-Dickey are currently rated Moderate. At 3:20 AM ET it was 41°F at the summit (2,734 ft), feeling like 34°F, with W winds at 8 mph. The listed route, Welch-Dickey Loop, is a 4.2-mile loop with 1,638 ft of elevation gain, taking about 2-4 hours. See the hour-by-hour Welch-Dickey weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Welch-Dickey weather forecast
Hourly summit temps, wind chill & freezing level, trailhead to summit
Best time to hike Welch-Dickey
Month-by-month conditions from our daily records
Feels like 34°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.03" (24h) · 0.13" (48h)
~3.6°F drop per 1,000ft
Conditions summary as of October 9, 2026
Cool, mostly dry fall conditions with no exposure above treeline, but the elevation profile shows notably stronger winds on open ledges than the summit reading suggests. Friday and Saturday look dry and overcast, while drizzle with a high chance of precipitation arrives Sunday and will make the granite slabs slick. Plan a full loop within the roughly 11 hours of daylight.
Expect about 10°F cooler and noticeably windier (roughly 34 mph vs 27 mph) on the open ledges and summits than at the trailhead, with wind chill dropping from about 28°F to 22°F; start in a light layer, then add a warm mid-layer and windproof shell once you reach the exposed ledges. The freezing level is well above the summit, so ice is only a concern on shaded patches after a cold night.
Best Hiking Window
Friday midday through early afternoon, after morning frost and dew have lifted, or Saturday late morning to early afternoon; finish well before sunset. Avoid Sunday when drizzle moves in.
Last synthesized Oct 9, 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: Welch-Dickey Loop Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail
“Saw the search-and-rescue team hiking up and want to express a huge thanks for their efforts that day and thoughts and prayers with family of the man who died hiking up. No comments otherwise, beautiful weather and great trail conditions.”
Trail: Welch-Dickey Loop Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock
“Wet slabs were a little slippery, but overall the trail was in great shape. I started hiking around 9am and the heat was not a factor.”
Trail: Welch-Dickey Loop Trail, herd path
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Trails were wet from the overnight rain. Many areas were more like streams as the water drained off the ledges. Some areas of open ledge were beginning to dry out but were primarily wet the whole way. Luckily the ledge offers good grip so I never felt like I was going to slip. Excellent views as always from both peaks. Made the short trek out to the North view ledge on Dickey. Franconia Ridge was in the clouds. Partly cloudy and windy with temps in the 60s. Glad the humidity broke!”
Planning a hike here? Add it to your hikes and, with Trailblazer, we'll email you new trail reports before you go.
Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
Tap a day header to expand to 3hr or hourly detail
Today Oct 9 | Tomorrow Oct 10 | Sunday Oct 11 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | |
| Temperature & Wind | |||||||||
| Weather | sunny | cloudy | cloudy | sunny | sunny | cloudy | cloudy | cloudy | rain |
| Temp °F hi / lo | 44° 42° | 46° 45° | 41° 32° | 35° 32° | 43° 36° | 47° 43° | 50° 48° | 52° 49° | 50° 44° |
| Chill °F | 32° | 35° | 17° | 18° | 26° | 38° | 44° | 45° | 39° |
| Wind mph | 27 | 29 | 34 | 27 | 18 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Gust mph est. | 41 | 43 | 54 | 43 | 28 | — | — | — | — |
| Precipitation | |||||||||
| Precip in (rain/snow) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.3 |
| Chance of precip | 2% | 11% | 14% | - | - | - | - | 13% | 68% |
| Freezing ft | 5,109 ft | 8,993 ft | 12,181 ft | ||||||
| Conditions | |||||||||
| Cloud cover | 42% | 100% | 100% | - | 50% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Vis mi | clear | clear | 9 | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | 5 |
| UV | 3 | 4 | — | 4 | 5 | — | 3 | 4 | — |
Tap a day header to expand AM/PM/Night detail
| Elevation | Today Oct 9 | Tomorrow Oct 10 | Sunday Oct 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 2,734 ft | 42/44° 27 | 32/35° 27 | 48/50° 9 |
| 2,500 ft | 43/45° 25 | 33/36° 24 | 47/49° 8 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 45/47° 22 | 34/38° 19 | 44/51° 6 |
4 more days of forecast: plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
Paid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day.
32°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 32°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
11h 16m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 6:10 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
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth, Mt. Washington Avalanche Center, USGS Stream Levels, OpenWeather Air Quality.
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
Welch-Dickey Loop Trail (4.0 mi)
Rising above the Waterville Valley region in the White Mountain National Forest, this satisfying summit sits within the Sandwich Range and rewards hikers with sweeping, open views despite its modest elevation. The popular Welch-Dickey Loop Trail traverses both this peak and neighboring Dickey Mountain, making a scenic 4.4-mile circuit that punches well above its weight. The route features extensive exposed ledge walking with dramatic panoramas of surrounding peaks, including Mounts Tecumseh and Osceola. The open slabs provide an above-treeline feel that is relatively rare on shorter hikes in the region, making this an excellent introduction to ridge walking for newer hikers. The trail's combination of forested approaches and airy granite ledges gives it a varied, engaging character. As a **52 With A View (52 WAV)** list peak, it attracts peak baggers seeking New Hampshire summits with exceptional scenic payoffs.
Elevation
2,734 ft
Range
Welch-Dickey
Difficulty
Moderate
Coordinates
43.9210, -71.5774
Welch Mountain
2,605 ft
43.9190, -71.5760
Dickey Mountain
2,734 ft
43.9230, -71.5787
Been to Welch-Dickey?
Be the first to share your experience!
6 incidents on file · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
47-year-old male from Thornton, NH
On October 7, 2025, William Rose, 47, suffered a leg injury on the Dickey Mountain Trail approximately 1.2 miles from the trailhead. Rescuers from Campton/Thornton Fire Department, NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers, and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team responded. He was carried out via rescue wheel litter and transported to Speare Memorial Hospital.
Sharon Christianson, 61, of Texas
Christianson fell and suffered a leg injury about 2.2 miles from the trailhead while hiking the Welch-Dickey Loop with her husband. Rescuers carried her by litter to the trailhead, and she was transported to Littleton Regional Hospital.
Calee Merenda, 25, of Salisbury, MA
Merenda injured her leg and could not continue; over 20 rescuers carried her by litter 1.5 miles down to the Welch-Dickey trailhead.
Nicolasa Kuster, 53, of Stockton, California
Kuster, a solo hiker, fell on slippery rock near the summit of Dickey Mountain and could not walk out. Two Good Samaritans stayed with her and called 911; Campton-Thornton Fire stabilized her and rescuers carried her out.
Elisabeth Campbell, 26, of Somerville, MA
Campbell suffered a serious lower-leg injury descending Welch Mountain and could not finish the hike. Rescuers reached her about 1.3 miles from the trailhead, secured her in a litter, and belayed the litter with rope on steep, icy portions of the trail.
Nick Swertlow, 45, of Long Beach, California
Swertlow suffered a possible lower-leg injury while descending the Dickey Mountain Trail and was carried off the trail by rescuers.