12th Annual Summit Mt. Washington
August 26, 2023 • Bretton Woods, NH
Starting early in the morning, we will hike to the summit of Mt. Washington, enjoying spectacular views of the Presidential Range along the way.
After an extended break on the summit to take in the views and recharge our tired muscles, we will make the descent back to base.
This hike is extremely strenuous, five miles of nearly constant uphill hiking. And worth every step! Come help us paint the mountain orange! Here is a short video taken by one of our hike leaders, John Henry, in 2022. You can follow him on YouTube @johnhikesthewhites928.
If you do not want to hike back down, you may be able to ride the Cog Railroad down to the parking lot or take a hiker shuttle for a fee. (These sites post information seasonally so details may not be available before spring.)
Not up for hiking up Mt. Washington but want to be involved? Keep an eye out on our Facebook event page for more details on “Painting the Cog Orange.”
Note about our planned hiking route: We intend to hike up and down the Jewell Trail. If we have a large group and/or advanced hikers, we may also utilize other trails so that we have well-sized hiking groups with hikers well-matched to trails that suit their abilities and interests.
IMPORTANT: The operators of the Cog Railroad control the parking area and sometimes change the rules and fees without a lot of notice. The latest information we have is that that there will be a $10 per person parking fee, cash only, with exact change required. In the past, they have towed cars that try to evade or under-pay the fee. You have been warned.
HikeSafe: You may have heard news stories about a number of hikers in the last year who got into serious trouble, including fatalities, hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. To help hikers be more prepared, the State of New Hampshire has created a HikeSafe program. The website, HikeSafe, contains information and quizzes to educate hikers about situations they might face hiking in the Whites. We encourage you, especially if you are new to wilderness hiking or to the White Mountains, to check it out.
Driving direction to the hike start are here. Details about parking, trails and exact start times will be provided to registered hikers only.
If you are coming from a distance and need a cabin bunk for Friday and/or Saturday night, check out Twin Mountain KOA. They have a variety of rustic and more modern cabins. Don’t wait too long, though. They do book up in the summer.
Special thanks to the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation for allowing us to hold this event!
Registration is Closed
Comments from past Summit Mt Washington hikers
I miss this already. CAN’T WAIT FOR NEXT YEAR! – Sitha C.
Incredible day! Can’t wait to do it again next year! – Thom V.
So touching and amazing and loved everyone! – Meera M.
You guys are awesome!! Roo (a dog) loved meeting all of you, and can’t wait to see you again next year! – Joanne T.
I had a great time and I’m so glad to have been part of this! Will you send my HFMH shirt to me? I’d like to have mine for next year’s hike, if possible. I already can’t wait! 🙂 – Amanda M.
These are the best people to hike with. I meet a new friend at each and every hike. And working towards a great cause too! I’ll be back next year and I’ll definitely make it to the barbecue next year! – Pat Z.
My first year, so much fun! – John L.
Great event! So happy to have met everyone. – Suzanne G.
Had a great time this weekend and met some wonderful people. Cannot wait to hike again next year!! – Regina F.
Registration is Closed
Registration Is Free
Instead of charging a fee, we ask your help raising funds for mental health research and trail maintenance.
It’s fast and easy! When you register, you will be able to personalize a sponsorship page and share it through email and your favorite social media such as Facebook or Instagram. How does it work? 
Every little bit helps, and there is no minimum to raise – we just ask that you help us spread the word, then come join us on the trail.
Registration is Closed
Get a Free Hiking Shirt
Our quick-dry shirts look and feel great, on or off the trail.
Every registered hiker who raises at least $100 will receive a HIKE for Mental Health shirt as a token of our appreciation.
Available in men’s or women’s sizes SMALL – XXL.
When you register, we will ask your size preference. Once you reach $100 in donations to your fundraising page, we will get your shirt to you.
If you hit the $100 ten days before the hike, your hike leader will have your shirt for you on hike day. Otherwise, we will mail it to you after the hike.
So help us raise money and awareness for this great cause.
Registration is Closed
For a Good Cause
HIKE for Mental Health is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
All contributions are tax deductible, and 100% of the hike donations support our mission.
Eighty cents of every dollar funds mental health programs, including break-through scientific research into PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar spectrum disorders, depression and other major mental illnesses. Through research we can find better ways to alleviate the suffering that affects 1 in 4 American families.
The remaining twenty cents maintains wilderness trails across the U.S. By supporting non-profit, volunteer groups that care for our trails, we help preserve wilderness experiences for generations to come. Where the money goes. 
Registration is Closed
Hike Details
Rain dateThere is no rain date for this hike. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we will cancel or abbreviate the hike. With hikers and volunteers traveling from great distances for this event, the logistics are too complex to move the date. So far, we have been blessed with excellent weather every year, so fingers crossed for this year too!
| Location: | Cog Railroad, Base Station Road, Bretton Woods, NH |
| Date: | August 26, 2023 |
| Time: | Approx. 7 AM – 4 PM. Exact times and locations will be provided to registered hikers only. |
| Distance: | Approximately 10.2 miles roundtrip. |
| Difficulty level: | Extremely strenuous. Five miles of steady uphill hiking. |
| Suitable for beginners? | We have first-time hikers join us every year. If you can walk up 10-15 full flights of stairs safely and steadily without stopping and still be smiling, you can do it! |
| Registration fee | Registration is free. |
| Pet friendly? | Dogs are welcome in the park but must be on a leash no longer than 6 ft. |
| Sponsorship amount: | The hike goal is $20,000. There is no minimum required to join the hike, but if every hiker raises $250, we would get very close to our goal. |
| Free shirt: | Hikers who raise $100 or more will receive a free HIKE for Mental Health quick-dry hiking shirt. |
| Free gear: | 
The top fundraiser for this hike will receive a brand new Asym Classic backpacking hammock from Hennessey Hammocks. The winner will be the hiker registered for this hike with the highest fundraising total on his or her fundraising page by the end of day on September 2, 2023, one week after the hike. |
Registration is Closed
Trail Map
Every HIKE for Mental Health is an opportunity to:
- get away from the hustle and bustle of work-a-day life and enjoy the beauty of Nature
- renew old friendships and make new ones
- have a great time hiking with a good group of people
- stand up against the stigma of mental illness
- discover your new favorite get-away
- raise money for a great cause
Come on out and join us!
Registration is Closed
Goal: $20,000.00
$32,446.21 donated
Questions
If you have any questions or ideas, please contact us.
We are glad to talk with you about your hike and how you can help HIKE for Mental Health.
We hope you will make HIKE for Mental Health a part of your hike.
Go to Schedule of Hikes
View Hikers by Hike
- Summit Mt. Washington (121)
Summit Mt. Washington
Learn about this hike Back to top
Birthday Hike on Mt Washington to support mental health and trail conservation
by Richard Hisey
$25.00 donated of $100.00 goal
Don’t do it alone, let’s do more then survive, let’s thrive!
by Jamie Ricker
$0.00 donated of $200.00 goal
Elizabeth's 2nd Hike for Mental Health in Remembrance of Greg Hoffer
by Elizabeth Poulin
$380.00 donated of $200.00 goal
Flying Crow’s hiking Mount Washington aka The Rock Pile for Mental Health
by Brandon Parenteau
$0.00 donated of $200.00 goal
Gina’s ascension to new heights of mental health awareness
by Gina DiLillo
$915.00 donated of $250.00 goal
John Henry's 3rd Mt. Washington ascent for hikeformentalhealth.org
by John McCullough
$475.00 donated of $400.00 goal
Keith's Mount Washington's Hike for Mental Health
by Keith Thomas
$1,483.00 donated of $1,000.00 goal
Sneaker Brigade - Jen Snide's hike for mental health
by Jennifer Snide
$100.00 donated of $100.00 goal
Sneaker Brigade - Pam Bohanan's Trek for Mental Health
by Pamela Bohanan
$100.00 donated of $200.00 goal
Sunshine Shi’s Hike For Mental Health MT. Washington 2023 Edition
by Shianne Purvis
$200.00 donated of $200.00 goal
The Return of Blood Mountain … hike for mental health
by Richard Mechtly
$425.00 donated of $250.00 goal
Valerie and Doug's Hike for Mental Health Awareness
by Valerie Tetrault
$540.00 donated of $400.00 goal
What would be the best way to support hiking for mental health? Anyway we could connect to your trip to Mt Washington but on an alternate date?
Three of us have booked a trip there July 9th. I would like to help support this organization through our hiking.
That’s wonderful, Maria. It’s looks like you might have already found the answer – you can register your hike independently to make it part of HIKE for Mental Health!
Wow, what a lovely initiative and breath taking scenery. I wish I lived in the vicinity because if I did I would definitely register to attend.
I am interested in this hike. I have hiked Mt. Washington many times prior to having a knee replacement. I know I can get up, but I am not sure about the descent. Would it be possible to take the train down if I buy a round trip ticket?
I checked with the Cog Railway and I know they no longer offer the one way hiker tickets, but they do allow people to buy a round trip ticket and use it only to go down. I would love to climb up again.
Another option is to ride the cog up, then hike on the trails around the summit a bit – to get all panoramic views and experience the exhilaration of hiking above the clouds! – then ride the cog back down.