The Presidential Traverse
The Southern Presidential Traverse — from Valley Way trailhead to Crawford Notch — covers 20 miles of above-treeline ridge over six named peaks, including Mount Washington at 6,288ft, the highest summit in the Northeast. The ridge is fully exposed above 4,000ft for most of its length, and the weather on Mount Washington is legitimately the worst recorded at any surface weather station in North America: highest measured wind speed (231 mph in 1934), temperature records in every season, and conditions that can turn from sunny to life-threatening within an hour.
Three days using the AMC hut system makes the traverse manageable and genuinely comfortable — hot meals, bunk beds, and a full breakfast included in the hut fee ($170–210/person/night). Reserve huts at outdoors.org, up to 6 months in advance for summer dates.
Day 1 — Valley Way to Madison Spring Hut (4.5 miles, 3,100ft gain)
Start at the Appalachia trailhead on US Route 2 near Randolph, NH. Follow the Valley Way through boreal forest — mostly shaded, good footing — climbing steadily toward treeline. The trees shrink and thin above 4,000ft and the ridge opens dramatically. Madison Spring Hut (4,800ft) sits in the col between Mount Madison and Mount Adams, the highest-elevation AMC hut in the range. Arrive before 6pm for dinner service. Drop your pack and day-hike the 0.5-mile summit trail to Mount Madison (5,366ft) for sunset.
Day 2 — Madison to Lakes of the Clouds Hut (8 miles, 2,200ft cumulative gain)
The long ridge day. Leave Madison Hut after breakfast and climb to Mount Adams (5,774ft, second highest peak in the Northeast) via the Air Line — steep and rocky above treeline, hands required on the final scramble. Views from Adams on a clear day extend to Canada and the Atlantic Ocean.
Continue along the ridge to Mount Jefferson (5,716ft), dropping into the Sphinx Col and back up. Cross the Clay-Washington col — this broad rocky plateau is where weather deteriorates fastest; if clouds are building, move fast. Summit Mount Washington (6,288ft). The summit has a weather observatory, gift shop, and cafeteria. Check the summit forecast at mountwashington.org the night before — if winds exceed 50mph or the summit is in cloud, decide then whether to wait or modify your route.
Descend to Lakes of the Clouds Hut (5,050ft) — largest AMC hut, dramatic setting between two tarns directly below Washington's summit cone. This is the most popular hut on the range; book early.
Day 3 — Lakes of the Clouds to Crawford Notch (7 miles)
From the hut, the ridge continues south over Mount Monroe (5,384ft) and Mount Eisenhower (4,760ft) — both spectacular, Monroe with a short side trip to the true summit. Below Eisenhower, the Crawford Path (the oldest continuously maintained hiking trail in the US, established 1819) drops through krummholz and forest to Crawford Notch. Arrange a car shuttle or use the AMC Highland Center shuttle back to your starting trailhead.
Practical Notes
- AMC huts: reserve 4–6 months ahead for July and August; September is slightly easier. Hut prices include dinner and breakfast. Bring a sleeping bag liner for the bunk beds.
- Weather: check mountwashington.org summit forecast, not a general weather app. The summit is regularly in cloud when the valleys are sunny.
- Gear: wind shell and insulating layer mandatory even in summer. Full waterproofs. Trekking poles for the rocky ridge descents.
- Rescue: the White Mountain rescue team responds to dozens of calls per year, many from hikers caught in bad weather without adequate gear. The exposure on this traverse is real.
What r/hiking Says
The Presidential Traverse gets regular mention on r/hiking and r/ultralight as the benchmark East Coast alpine hike — "the most serious above-treeline hiking east of the Rockies" is the frequent framing. The consistent advice: don't underestimate the weather and don't skip the hut system for a first attempt.
