| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Piper Mountain, Whiteface Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Whiteface Mountain Trail, bushwhack, Piper-Whiteface Link |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, November 23, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Just one other vehicle at the parking area at the end of Belknap Mountain Road when I got there around 10:50. Only my vehicle when I got back just before 2. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Breakable Crust, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Just the tiny one halfway up Whiteface Mountain Trail, which was easy. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No current blowdowns, and evidence of a few having been cut recently. Trails are in good shape. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a woman with two dogs, both on leashes. These were the only other people or dogs I saw all day. No issues. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None - temps right around freezing will do that. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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|
 | Comments: |
I recently discovered that Piper and Whiteface were the only peaks of the Belknap 12 that I hadn't yet summitted in 2025, so today I remedied that. The trail started off with no ice or snow, just a thick cover of fallen leaves that were slippery by themselves and also hid loose rocks underneath. Just before the minor water crossing halfway up Whiteface Mountain Trail, the trail bends to the right while the old road the trail had been following continues straight. I was curious where that old road went, so I followed it uphill. Unfortunately, it soon bends to the left - away from where the trail goes and not at all in the direction I wanted to go. I was able to briefly follow what may have been a spur road to the right, which was the direction I wanted to go, but it petered out quickly, and I decided that these old roads weren't helping me at all and just bushwhacked back to the trail, meeting it about 140 vertical feet above where I had left it. The rest of the climb up to Piper-Whiteface Link was straightforward.
Piper-Whiteface Link initially had no ice, but as I climbed up Piper, some fairly small ice flows appeared. They were all easily avoidable, though, and while I carried my spikes I never considered putting them on. Most of the open rock ledges were just dry rock. Along the summit ridge of Piper, there was a dusting of a snow/ice combo in the woods, but the trail was dry and easy. I met the only other person I saw on the hike here, along the ridge of Piper.
When heading over to Whiteface, the trail follows an ATV road with a bunch of large, deep, permanent puddles. The Whiteface Lakes (as I call them) are a good set of reference points - there are at least seven of them, and today they were covered by a thin layer of ice, while the ground was otherwise dry and solid. Several short sections of the trail diverge and rejoin at a few points, but either way will lead to the summit of Whiteface. And the summit, as usual, had excellent views. I could see a snow squall coming in from the west as I ate my lunch there, but I only experienced a few flurries during my descent and they weren't sticking.
This was a fun hike as always in the Belknaps! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-11-23 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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