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Most hiking guidebooks to New Hampshire base their descriptions on the primary hiking season from Fourth of July to Labor Day, which may apply to the lower peaks through Columbus Day. The end of the year brings shorter days, cooler temperatures, and the probability of snow and ice on the ground. This article will attempt to describe some of the general effects of these conditions.
While weather conditions including snowfall vary dramatically from year to year and region to region, the following are presented as rough guidelines for advance planning. They are not a substitute for calling a local person, listening to the weather forecast, or just looking out the window. Some web sites such as Views from the Top allow users to read and report trail conditions.
In the high peaks of the White Mountains, there is often snow in September and usually snow on the ground by the end of October. Check whether snowshoes are needed by November and plan to have them December through April. Snow conditions in May are more variable, but expect snowfields in ravines and at higher elevations into June. July and August may offer freak sleet and snow storms, and there may still be patches of snow hidden deep in talus piles. One common mistake is to falsely assume that because there isn't snow at the trailhead at 1000 feet, there isn't snow at the summit at 5000 feet.
Due to a combination of lower elevations and higher latitudes, the snow season in the Great North Woods is similar to that in the White Mountains.
South of the White Mountains, the first significant snowfall is often in November with a last snowstorm in April. Thaws may provide intervals of bare ground between these dates, and a White Christmas is more traditional than likely in the more populous areas. Along the immediate Seacoast, it may be wise to snowshoe right after a storm or you could be walking on ice or mush.
A snow depth map of the Northeast is probably more useful for judging snow depth at trailheads than on summits with no snow gauges.
In the summer, your hiking trip often begins by leaving your home or place of lodging in daylight and getting home by dark. In winter, shorter daylight and longer hiking times means you will probably be driving in the dark, increasing driving times. One good reason to drive more slowly after dark is that reduced visibility will make it harder to see animals that walk along the plowed road in preference to deep snow in the woods, or that want to feed on the bare ground or lick salt on the shoulder. Another is that melt water running across the road during the day may refreeze into ice after dark. And if you happen to travel during a snow or ice storm, you will have to drive even more slowly.
Next, you may discover that you can't even get to the summer trailhead. Many state park roads are gated at the end of the park season, and National Forest and private roads may be gated for the snow and mud seasons. Minor town roads and some private roads may not be gated but may not be plowed either, and you will have to decide whether you want to drive on them or park further away and walk a greater distance. The White Mountain National Forest now has a web page for seasonal closures of Forest Service roads, which doesn't list quite the same roads as once appeared on the New England Peakbagging web site.
Even if you can get to the parking lot, it may not be plowed, particularly right after a storm as highway crews will do the roads first. Cars parked on a highway shoulder during snow cleanup may be towed away while you are off hiking. For the many trails where summer parking is on the side of the road, the road may not be plowed wide enough for safe parking. It may take upwards of an hour to shovel your own space if you are cutting into a large drift - bring a real shovel for each passenger so all can dig at once, not just one folding emergency shovel.
It is no secret that snow and ice can be slippery, wet, and cold. Snow also can add friction if you are slogging through it, and hide obstacles in the trail that you may suddenly stumble over. You will probably be wearing heavier boots and maybe snowshoes or crampons in addition so walking will be more tiring. Unless you practiced at home, you may be surprised at how long it takes to put on or take off snowshoes or crampons. You probably have a heavier pack with more extra clothing and emergency gear than you carry in the summer.
Even if you are using a packed trail you will probably walk more slowly than without snow, while if you stumble over obstacles or have to hunt for the route your hiking time can increase drastically. Darkness comes early, so either keep an eye on your watch and be prepared to turn around if you are running late, or else bring plenty of headlamps and batteries - oops, more weight, walk slower, get out even later, etc.
Experienced winter hikers from more arid regions should note that in New Hampshire your clothes and equipment tend to get wet, so you should plan to change mittens at least. Trails have more of a tendency to get icy (ask your downhill skiing friends about this!) so crampons or ice creepers may be more necessary than in the Rockies for instance.
Streams that appear to be solidly frozen may have weak spots hidden by snow that you may not discover until you fall through. If a stream is running open, watch out when stepping on rocks just above the surface - they may have a coating of black ice and getting wet all over in the winter can be very serious. On a warm day, the water may rise several inches due to snowmelt and a crossing that looked OK on the way in may be too high going out.
It is often desirable to select a route without stream crossings or with bridged crossings. Remember that a plank bridge 18 inches wide may be fine in summer but less appealing with a rounded hump of snow and ice on it and water flowing below.
One related issue - in extremely cold weather all the normal water sources may be frozen over and inaccessible unless you have the tools to chop them open. Day hikers may want to bring all the necessary water instead of relying on treating water, and backpackers may want a large pot to melt snow in.
While hundreds of people climb the major White Mountain summits each winter and the average non-hiker probably overestimates the difficulty of climbing them, there are also overambitious people killed or injured every year in the attempt. There are certainly times you can walk around the summit of Mount Washington in shorts and sneakers in January, but you should do this only if you are a member of the Observatory staff and can pop inside 5 minutes later when a storm blows in.
Winter hiking above treeline is a serious undertaking that requires specialized equipment - stand outside Pinkham Notch Camp on a winter weekend and watch the $1000-dollar bills walk by. Fortunately, there are many people who know how to climb the 5000-footers safely in winter and you should plan to go with one of them until you gain this experience. If none of your friends is among them, join an outing club or employ one of the guide services.
There are people who look for a particularly bad forecast so they can test their equipment for next summer's trip to Denali or the Himalayas. Don't follow them unless your gear is also suitable for Mt. Everest.
One easy way to kill yourself is to pick a date months in advance and insist on going then regardless of conditions. It is far better to be flexible and pick an easier trip or even stay home if the weather is not top-notch. From experience, it is more fun to climb Mount Washington on a winter day when you can eat lunch with your mittens off rather than on a day that you need 4-wheel-drive to get into the parking lot at Pinkham Notch.
Franconia Ridge Trail in January, no cairns visible
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