The Mount Adams via Air Line is a 8.2-mile out-and-back with 4,422 ft of elevation gain.
8.2 mi • 4,422 ft gain • 5-8 hours • Appalachia Trailhead (Route 2)
Feels like 34°F
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Upgrade to UnlockSummit-level conditions by time of day at 5,774' elevation
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Today Sep 22 | Tomorrow Sep 23 | Thursday Sep 24 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | |
| Temperature & Wind | |||||||||
| Weather | cloudy | cloudy | clear | sunny | sunny | clear | sunny | sunny | clear |
| Temp °F hi / lo | 36° 34° | 35° 34° | 36° 35° | 37° 36° | 40° 36° | 42° 39° | 42° 42° | 42° 39° | 46° 43° |
| Chill °F | 27° | 27° | 26° | 26° | 27° | 31° | 35° | 32° | 36° |
| Wind mph | 8 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 13 |
| Gust mph est. | 13 | 14 | 21 | 26 | 22 | 24 | 21 | — | — |
| Precipitation | |||||||||
| Precip in (rain/snow) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Freezing ft | 9,766 ft | 10,370 ft | 11,629 ft | ||||||
| Conditions | |||||||||
| Cloud cover | 100% | 100% | - | - | 1% | - | - | - | - |
| Vis mi | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear |
| UV | 4 | 6 | — | 4 | 5 | — | 4 | 5 | — |
Tap a day header to expand AM/PM/Night detail
| Elevation | Today Sep 22 | Tomorrow Sep 23 | Thursday Sep 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 5,774 ft | 34/36° 8 | 36/37° 16 | 42/42° 13 |
| 5,000 ft | 35/37° 6 | 37/38° 17 | 40/42° 14 |
| 4,100 ft | 37/39° 7 | 38/40° 18 | 41/43° 12 |
| 3,300 ft | 40/41° 9 | 40/41° 17 | 43/47° 11 |
| 2,500 ft | 41/45° 8 | 42/44° 14 | 45/51° 8 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 42/47° 6 | 43/46° 12 | 44/53° 6 |
4 more days of forecast — plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
Full hourly summit forecasts: Mount Adams weather
The most direct route to New Hampshire's second-highest summit. The Air Line climbs from Appalachia on Route 2 up Durand Ridge, a steep, rocky crest above King Ravine. The upper mile is above treeline with little shelter from the wind, and the summit is a jumble of large boulders.
Distance
8.2 mi
Elevation Gain
4,422 ft
Duration
5-8 hours
Trailhead
Appalachia Trailhead (Route 2)
The Mount Adams via Air Line is 8.2 miles round trip, starting at Appalachia Trailhead (Route 2). At AMC book time — half the distance in hours plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing — that works out to roughly 5-8 hours. Most parties take longer than book time on rough or above-treeline terrain, in winter, or with a heavy pack.
The Mount Adams via Air Line climbs about 4,422 ft over 8.2 miles — an average of roughly 542 ft of gain per mile. That figure is cumulative ascent across the whole out-and-back, not the difference between the trailhead and the high point.
HikerNerd rates the Mount Adams via Air Line Difficult, scored with the Shenandoah difficulty formula — √(elevation gain × 2 × distance) — applied to its 8.2 miles and 4,422 ft of gain. The score measures physical effort only. Above-treeline exposure, water crossings, and winter conditions can make a moderate-rated route the hardest day of your year, so check current conditions before committing.
The Mount Adams via Air Line summits 1 named peak: Mount Adams.
The Mount Adams via Air Line starts at Appalachia Trailhead (Route 2). Check the trail alerts on this page before you drive — trailhead access and parking in the White Mountains change with closures and construction.
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