Also known as: Mount Quincy Adams
Mount Quincy Adams (5,394 ft) is a major subsidiary peak of Mount Adams in New Hampshire's northern Presidential Range, named for the sixth President of the United States and son of John Adams. The summit sits entirely above treeline on a broad, open ridge with long views across the northern Presidentials and south toward Mount Washington.
The peak is typically visited as part of a longer route to Mount Adams. The Air Line trail from the Appalachia trailhead on U.S. Route 2 is the most direct approach, gaining roughly 4,500 feet over about 4.3 miles as it climbs through boreal forest before breaking into sustained alpine terrain on the upper ridge. Mount Quincy Adams lies along this ridge just below the main summit of Adams. Nearby, the Star Lake Trail branches through the col between Adams and Mount Madison, passing the small alpine tarn for which it is named. The Randolph Mountain Club maintains high-elevation shelters in the area, including Gray Knob and Crag Camp, making multi-peak itineraries across the northern Presidentials feasible with an overnight stay.
Weather on the northern Presidentials deteriorates quickly and without warning. High winds and sudden temperature drops can make conditions dangerous in any season; the range sits well above treeline with little shelter on the exposed upper ridges. The most reliable hiking window runs from late June through September, though summer afternoons are prone to thunderstorms and hikers should be off exposed terrain by early afternoon.
