| Mount Whiteface | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,019 ft (1,225 m) |
| Prominence | 590 ft (180 m) |
| Listing | White Mountain 4000-Footers |
| Coordinates | 43°56′02″N71°24′21″W / 43.9339596°N 71.4059074°W /43.9339596; -71.4059074[1] |
| Geography | |
  Mount Whiteface Location of Whiteface | |
| Location | Grafton County,New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Parent range | Sandwich Range |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Tripyramid |
Mount Whiteface is a 4,019 ft (1,225 m)mountain located inGrafton County,New Hampshire. The mountain is part of theSandwich Range of theWhite Mountains. Whiteface is flanked to the northwest byMount Tripyramid, and to the northeast byMount Passaconaway. Whiteface is on the eastern border of the Sandwich Range Wilderness. To the east, between Whiteface, Passaconaway, andMt. Wonalancet, lies The Bowl natural area, an unloggedcirque.
Mt. Whiteface lies within thewatershed of theSaco River, which reaches theGulf of Maine atSaco, Maine. The south side of Whiteface is drained by theWhiteface River, thence into theCold River,Bearcamp River,Ossipee River, and the Saco River. The east side is drained by theWonalancet River, thence intoSwift River, and Bearcamp River. The north side is drained by Downes Brook, thence into anotherSwift River, and the Saco River.
The summit of Mt. Whiteface is in a wooded area along the Rollins Trail, approximately .3 miles (0.5 km) north of the top of the massive granite cliff for which the mountain is named. Many hikers reach the open area at the top of the cliff and do not realize the true summit is farther to the north.[2]
The summit is popular among winter climbers, favoring the Blueberry Ledge trail for ascent.
In the 1850s, the first official trail to the summit is built, the McCrillis trail.
In 1871, theUnited States Coast Survey erected a signal station on the summit.
In 1875, the poetLucy Larcom visited the summit, and wrote a sonnet about it.
In 1895, Thomas S. Wiggin cuts the Wiggin trail to the summit, branching from Dicey's Mill Trail.
In 1899, Gordon H. Taylor blazes the Blueberry Ledge Trail, useful for snowshoeing.
In 1914, The Bowl is added to the WMNF.
In 1931, The bowl is designated as aResearch Natural Area.
In 1984, Congress creates the Sandwich Range Wilderness, including Mount Whiteface.
In 2002, Camp Shehadi and Camp Heermance are removed due to deterioration.[3]
| Climate data for Mount Whiteface 43.9356 N, 71.4081 W, Elevation: 3,727 ft (1,136 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 19.7 (−6.8) | 22.0 (−5.6) | 29.1 (−1.6) | 44.3 (6.8) | 56.6 (13.7) | 65.0 (18.3) | 69.5 (20.8) | 68.2 (20.1) | 61.7 (16.5) | 49.3 (9.6) | 35.3 (1.8) | 25.2 (−3.8) | 45.5 (7.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 11.8 (−11.2) | 13.5 (−10.3) | 20.2 (−6.6) | 33.9 (1.1) | 46.3 (7.9) | 55.2 (12.9) | 59.9 (15.5) | 58.9 (14.9) | 52.5 (11.4) | 40.7 (4.8) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 18.8 (−7.3) | 36.7 (2.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 4.0 (−15.6) | 5.0 (−15.0) | 11.3 (−11.5) | 23.5 (−4.7) | 36.0 (2.2) | 45.4 (7.4) | 50.4 (10.2) | 49.5 (9.7) | 43.2 (6.2) | 32.2 (0.1) | 22.4 (−5.3) | 12.3 (−10.9) | 27.9 (−2.3) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 5.69 (145) | 4.49 (114) | 5.56 (141) | 5.37 (136) | 6.31 (160) | 7.00 (178) | 6.90 (175) | 7.08 (180) | 4.94 (125) | 7.05 (179) | 5.88 (149) | 6.66 (169) | 72.93 (1,851) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[4] | |||||||||||||
To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clickingCoordinates (underLocation); copyLatitude andLongitude figures from top of table; clickZoom to location; clickPrecipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click30-year normals, 1991-2020; click800m; clickRetrieve Time Series button.
