Wildcat Mountain (A Peak)
#20 of 48Moderate
4,422 ft | Carter | 1 route
25°F / Feels 11°F
23 mph NW
ConditionsDifficult
At the summit, Oct 17, 3:20 AM ETAs of October 17, 2026
Trail conditions on Wildcat Mountain (A Peak) are currently rated Difficult. At 3:20 AM ET it was 25°F at the summit (4,422 ft), feeling like 11°F, with NW winds at 23 mph. The listed route, Wildcat A via Carter Notch, is 8.6 miles round trip with 2,912 ft of elevation gain, taking about 4-7 hours. Wildcat Mountain (A Peak) (4,422 ft) is #20 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Wildcat Mountain (A Peak) weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Routes
Trails that reach the summit
Wildcat Ridge Trail (4.0 mi)
Trail Map
Today's Conditions
Updated Oct 17, 3:20 AM ETCurrent Weather
25°F
Feels like 11°F
23 mph NW · Gusts 44 mph
97% humidity
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.04" (24h) · 0.39" (48h)
Snow: 0.2" (24h) · 0.2" (48h)
AI Trail Conditions
Difficult
AI Synthesized
medium confidence
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
A fresh cold front has dropped the freezing line to near trailhead elevations, so expect snow-glazed rock, possible thin ice, and slick trails at all elevations. Strong NW winds with gusts to the mid-40s mph, fog, and wind chills near or below 0°F near the summit make this a demanding mid-October day, with short-ish daylight and little margin for error. Conditions improve markedly on Sunday with lighter winds and breaking clouds.
Freezing level sits from trailhead to roughly 3,700 ft, so expect icy, snow-dusted footing nearly from the start, with temperatures near 30°F at the base dropping to the low 20s or below near the summit. Wind increases sharply above treeline, so wear the shell and insulating layers before leaving the trees, and carry a dry spare layer for the descent.
Best Hiking Window
Saturday is the harsher day, so if hiking then, start at first light and aim to be off the summit by early afternoon. Sunday morning through midday is the better window, with winds easing, clouds breaking, and temperatures climbing toward or above freezing.
Hazards
Snow and verglas on rock and roots at all elevations, especially on steep ledges of the Wildcat Ridge Trail and ski trails
Strong NW winds (gusts to ~44 mph at summit, higher on exposed ridge sections) driving wind chill to around -5°F
Fog and upslope snow reducing visibility and making route-finding harder
Hypothermia and frostbite risk for underprepared hikers, especially after sweating on the climb
Fresh snow and leaves hiding wet rock, mud, and ice underneath
Mid-October daylight is limited (about 11 hours), so a delay or slow footing on icy ground cuts into the margin
Summit is only slightly above treeline, but ridge sections and open ski-trail terrain are exposed to wind
Recommended Gear
Microspikes (essential)
Insulated waterproof shell and warm midlayer
Warm hat, balaclava or buff, and insulated gloves with spares
Goggles or eye protection for blowing snow
Trekking poles
Extra insulating layer and hot drink
Headlamp with spare batteries
Map, compass, or offline GPS for low-visibility navigation
Hand and toe warmers
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.
Recent Trail Reports
10Oct. 6, 2026by Uki
Trail: Ski trails, Wildcat Ridge Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“With the blustery winds this was a perfect choice. The winds were blowing on the ski trails but it sure made the clouds beautiful. The ski trails were pretty dry and with the cold temps, where there was mud, it was pretty frozen. Some of the run off was actually ice which was just a gentle reminder that winter is around the corner. There was a lovely dusting of snow once I got up higher and still more ice here and there on the WRT. The dusting of snow on the bog bridges made them slick and I didn't trust any of them for good footing. The rocks were wet here and there and anytime anything looked wet, I just checked it to be sure it was wet and not ice. I got some views all along the way which was really nice. I bumped into Capt Chris and Ken the Flight Engineer which was great. I did and OAB today since I was solo and by the time I was headed back the sun was warming things nicely and some of the mud was less frozen. I only saw 3 people all day and just enjoyed puttering around and admiring the beautiful views and weather. This was just a gift of a day!”
Oct. 4, 2026by Heat Lightning
Trail: Ski trails, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Nineteen Mile Brook Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery
“Ski area very dry, ridge was mostly dry, some mud and puddles. The steep down descending A was dry. Lotsa leaves on the 19 mile brook trail descent made it tedious for wanting to stop thinking about where I was placing my feet at the end of the day. Wobby legged from Saturday made it feel longer”
Oct. 4, 2026by Scott
Trail: Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, ski trails, NH 16
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Nice loop route this morning. A bit chilly to start but that’s what fall morning hikes are all about! Leaves are starting to accumulate on trail but didn’t really impact travel as quite a bit of foot traffic have ground them down. Trails were dry for the most part. The trail from Carter notch intersection to Wildcat Mountain was dry, which made that section more enjoyable. Saw very few people on this route of travel and I didn’t get hit by leaf peepers filming while they were driving or yanking the car off in the ditch to get a shot of the presidential range on my run back to trailhead so I’ll take that as a sign it was a great day!”
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
What to bring
From the summit forecast, Sat to MonPaid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
18°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 18°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
58 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 58 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
-4°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.
Get condition updates for Wildcat Mountain (A Peak)
About Wildcat Mountain (A Peak)
Highest of the Wildcat peaks with ski area on slopes. Great views of Tuckerman Ravine and Mount Washington.
Elevation
4,422 ft
Range
Carter
Rank
#20 of 48
Difficulty
Moderate
Coordinates
44.2590, -71.2015
Nearby Peaks
Trip Reports
5.0 (1 trip report)
mike
Jan 17, 2026
Hiked on August 1, 1965
Hiked it when I was 17 with friend Gibby McIlvain after taking buses up from Washington DC and spending a night at the AMC Carter Notch Hut. Remember the smell of pine trees.