Best seasons for the "Whites"??

[Mike P.]

Winter would avoid rock hopping & some twisting, extra gear an issue.

Summer or fall, summer should allow you to carry less so less weight to carry, heat & exertion to get up higher may be another issue.

That said, as others eluded to Fall, besides colors, temps are cooler & occasionally see some snow & that's exciting.

Most people here I think like snow but then again we are on the web discussing hiking not surfing myspace or some (perhaps) more provocative site.

 

[bryan]

i dig the spring. in particular the month of april. the conditions can be challenging, but if you are looking for isolation i find that is when the least number of folks are on the trail (probably due to the potentially tricky conditions). company is nice, but i'll take a mid-week day in april in a high traffic area like franconia ridge over any day of the summer or fall. in some cases it is a lot like winter only not as cold.
mind you, every season in the whites is a great one.

bryan

 

[slowandsteady]

i dig the spring. in particular the month of april. the conditions can be challenging, but if you are looking for isolation i find that is when the least number of folks are on the trail (probably due to the potentially tricky conditions). company is nice, but i'll take a mid-week day in april in a high traffic area like franconia ridge over any day of the summer or fall. in some cases it is a lot like winter only not as cold.
mind you, every season in the whites is a great one.

bryan

me too; we were in NH this past weekend - did a warm up hike over the Doubleheads - saw a couple of cars parked at the TH but only two other hikers - enjoyed all that can be great about April - the quiet, open woods, isolation, and not to mention the longer days. On the way back to Mass we stopped in Sandwich and enjoyed a leisurely walk along the Bearcamp River - had Beede Falls to ourselves - no one around except a moose.

In other years we've canoed the Saco from Bartlett into Maine during April school vacation - no one else on the water - a welcome change from the summer insanity.

 

[jjo]

One common thread I'm seeing is "there really is no bad time to be hiking in the Whites" AND I fully agree. The envious former Mass resident. Seems many of you like fall after Winter...I really miss those mountains

 

[mtnpa]

If you told me I could only hike in 1 month a year, it would be September

If you told me I could only hike one month a year, I might kill you.

 

[KayakDan]

I love the Whites in Winter,Spring and Fall,although my favorite is Winter. I have only done one summer backpack trip,and man,I don't get it! Carrying a heavy pack uphill in humid 80o weather just doesn't seem like fun to me. I would much rather do my warm weather "backpacking" on the water.
In the end,though,any time of year is a great time to be in the Whites!

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Living now in Illinois (used to live in Mass), I only get to the "whites" now a couple times a year. My hiking excursions are somewhat limited due my age (6th decade) and these sometimes troubling knees.Yes, I have poles and do the exercises So i want to optimize my times in the Whites. What do you guys think are the best time/seasons to hike in the whites and why?? Pls exclude Winter (used to be my favorite)as its not practical w the knee condition. Thanks.
Maybe this would be a good poll?!

I feel your pain (pardon the pun) when it comes to the knee. I'll have to submit to poles soon and I'm "only" in my 4th decade.

Best season to hike in the WMNF? I vote for fall. The temperature is perfect, the scenary is beautiful and if you go during the week (which I always do) the trails are usually uncrowded.