Flying into White Mountains, NH

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Gordon Freeman

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Father in law asked about going on a scenic flight around the White Mountains in NH. I know that Mt. Washington is one of the windiest places in the US, so I wanted to know general impressions of flying into and around the area in a 172. I do not have mountain training which is why I ask. Thanks much for your input!
 
I haven't done this, but I've heard you can fly up the Fanconia Notch, basically below the ridges, a 172 should be good for that. Just remember to turn at the end or climb over the mountain.

The area is under an MOA, and F15s plus others play in there often, so I would use flight following. Pick a clear day where surface winds and winds aloft are pretty low. Otherwise mountain obscuration and turbulence will be an issue. Many of the mountains got a coating of snow last week, but that will probably melt soon.

I fly the area once in a while and it's a cool flight, not many options when you are over the hills though. There are a few really nice airports spread around the area.
 
There's a weather observatory on the summit. That will provide a good idea on the wind. The high winds there happen when the jet stream dips down near the mountain. Between the readings from the summit and the weather forecast, you should be able to get a good idea of the day. I've not flown there, but used to hike it quite a bit. It deserves respect, but when the weather is benign, it's a beautiful place. In addition to the MOA, be sure there to check for any AGL minimums, can't remember if it's a national forest or something that requires you to stay above some minimum altitudes.
 
My wife and I flew into Mt Washington airport not long ago. It was a nice airport, good parking, easy fuel, nice FBO, etc. No Uber but there was a Taxi number in the FBO who took us to the nearby resort. Very nice. He also took us to the cog train and would recommend doing that while there to the top of the mountain. Overall, we enjoyed it. I flew in from the East after leaving Maine and was shooting the approach until I got a hole directly above the airport and circled down visually. It did get bumpy in the descent with the winds out of the East that day. On departure they switched out of the west and it was fairly smooth.

Sorry, I’m not qualified to give good advice reference mountain flying.
 
I learned to fly in the area. Re: Mt Washington. There are only a few days every year that over flights are possible. And that makes the papers. Be careful around the mountains.
 
Winds on Mt. Washington don't look good today!
One scenario, often recommended for first-time visitors to the Rockies, is to fly to a lower/flatland airport, then hire an instructor to either go along, or at least give you a mountain checkout. A bit different geography between New England vs. front-range Colorado, but that idea would still be valid.
 
I've done the trip through Franconia Notch, and around Mt Washington a few times. I reference this web site:

https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx

and if the winds are 50 knots or less, it shouldn't be too bad. Also, KMWN is the ASOS that is on top of Mt Washington. It doesn't show up in fltplan go, but it is available on Foreflight.

It is not uncommon for the top of Mt Washington to be covered in clouds, but everywhere else is clear, so just because the summit is in the clouds it doesn't mean the whole area is IMC.

Have fun, its a beautiful flight! The ARTCC that covers that area and the YANKEE MOA's is on 135.7.

202200814_062659.jpg
 
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Groundpounder said:
I've done the trip through Franconia Notch, and around Mt Washington a few times. I reference this web site:

https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx

and if the winds are 50 knots or less, it shouldn't be too bad. Also, KMWN is the ASOS that is on top of Mt Washington. It doesn't show up in fltplan go, but it is available on Foreflight.

It is not uncommon for the top of Mt Washington to be covered in clouds, but everywhere else is clear, so just because the summit is in the clouds it doesn't mean the whole area is IMC.

Have fun, its a beautiful flight! The ARTCC that covers that area and the YANKEE MOA's is on 135.7.
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thank you for that useful information and the frequency. Beautiful picture!
 
Radar Contact said:
I’m not qualified to give good advice
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Since when has that stopped POA before?

That being said I have nothing to offer except that the area is gorgeous but stick to low wind days especially if you haven't been in the mountains much before.
 
I’ve flown the area several times this year. I generally look for winds under 30mph at the summit and have flown the area on a couple remarkable days with winds around 10mph. The higher the winds, the higher I tend to fly.

A particularly memorable experience is to take off from either KHIE (better runway) or 8B2 (more dramatic view) toward the east and fly north around the west of the Presidentials while climbing, circling them clockwise to come back southbound to the east of Mt Washington.

A good web site for current summit conditions:
https://xmountwashington.appspot.com/csc.html?data=more

And summit forecast:
https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx

Here are some photos from an exceptional day in June. They show a view of Mt Washington from the west while climbing from Twin Mountain airport (you can see the cog rail line); a view of the northern Presidentials looking south (Mt Washington obscured by the wing spar); and view of Mt Washington from the east as we flew south.

606e11c356f89991a43b702b92ae8192.jpg



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Edit: I corrected the photo order.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalkk
 
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Groundpounder said:
I've done the trip through Franconia Notch, and around Mt Washington a few times. I reference this web site:

https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx

and if the winds are 50 knots or less, it shouldn't be too bad. Also, KMWN is the ASOS that is on top of Mt Washington. It doesn't show up in fltplan go, but it is available on Foreflight.

It is not uncommon for the top of Mt Washington to be covered in clouds, but everywhere else is clear, so just because the summit is in the clouds it doesn't mean the whole area is IMC.

Have fun, its a beautiful flight! The ARTCC that covers that area and the YANKEE MOA's is on 135.7.

View attachment 91194
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Is that Tuckerman’s Ravine on the right? I hiked that to ski when I was younger. Beautiful area but unfortunately as most beautiful areas are it was overridden with humans.
 
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