The Mount Waumbek via Starr King is a 6.8-mile out-and-back with 2,662 ft of elevation gain.
6.8 mi • 2,662 ft gain • 3-6 hours • Starr King Trailhead (Jefferson)
Feels like 41°F
AI-synthesized trail conditions require a subscription.
Upgrade to UnlockSummit-level conditions by time of day at 4,006' elevation
Tap a day header to expand to 3hr or hourly detail
Today Sep 22 | Tomorrow Sep 23 | Thursday Sep 24 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | |
| Temperature & Wind | |||||||||
| Weather | cloudy | sunny | clear | sunny | sunny | clear | sunny | sunny | clear |
| Temp °F hi / lo | 39° 38° | 43° 39° | 42° 40° | 41° 40° | 43° 40° | 43° 42° | 43° 42° | 48° 43° | 48° 46° |
| Chill °F | 33° | 32° | 31° | 31° | 32° | 34° | 35° | 37° | 40° |
| Wind mph | 6 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 14 |
| Gust mph est. | 10 | 15 | 28 | 27 | 22 | 26 | 19 | — | — |
| Precipitation | |||||||||
| Precip in (rain/snow) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Freezing ft | 9,628 ft | 10,091 ft | 11,680 ft | ||||||
| Conditions | |||||||||
| Cloud cover | 100% | 4% | - | 2% | 2% | - | - | - | - |
| Vis mi | 9 | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear |
| UV | 4 | 5 | — | 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 4,006 ft | 38/39° 6 | 40/41° 17 | 42/43° 12 |
| 3,300 ft | 40/41° 9 | 41/43° 18 | 44/44° 11 |
| 2,500 ft | 42/44° 10 | 43/44° 18 | 45/48° 10 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 42/46° 9 | 44/46° 15 | 45/50° 8 |
4 more days of forecast — plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
Full hourly summit forecasts: Mount Waumbek weather
Climbs the Starr King Trail from Route 2 in Jefferson over Mount Starr King, then along a short ridge to Waumbek's wooded summit. A steady, moderate climb; the best views are from Starr King's outlook toward the Presidentials.
Distance
6.8 mi
Elevation Gain
2,662 ft
Duration
3-6 hours
Trailhead
Starr King Trailhead (Jefferson)
The Mount Waumbek via Starr King is 6.8 miles round trip, starting at Starr King Trailhead (Jefferson). At AMC book time — half the distance in hours plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing — that works out to roughly 3-6 hours. Most parties take longer than book time on rough or above-treeline terrain, in winter, or with a heavy pack.
The Mount Waumbek via Starr King climbs about 2,662 ft over 6.8 miles — an average of roughly 389 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 Waumbek via Starr King Moderate, scored with the Shenandoah difficulty formula — √(elevation gain × 2 × distance) — applied to its 6.8 miles and 2,662 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 Waumbek via Starr King summits 1 named peak: Mount Waumbek.
The Mount Waumbek via Starr King starts at Starr King Trailhead (Jefferson). Check the trail alerts on this page before you drive — trailhead access and parking in the White Mountains change with closures and construction.
Been to Mount Waumbek via Starr King?
Be the first to share your experience!