There was quite a bit of snow starting about a mile in, and deep near the top. We postholed a little, but it was mostly packed enough to walk on. Appreciated our traction devices, although we saw a couple other people who seemed fine without them. The beaten trail peters out after circling around the swampy area in the bowl and starting upwards again, and we were forced to turn back by having no path to follow through the snow.

There's an unsigned trail (which we initially thought was the Great Wall trail) heading off to the left at about a mile and a half that has active foot traffic but wasn't on our map. No sign of recent traffic on the Great Wall trail.

Is there an entry for this hike that describes the whole route, rather than stopping at the viewpoint halfway?

We saw a coyote about a quarter mile in from the trailhead!

Beautiful sunny day for a hike. Hit snow about 1.5 miles in. Microspikes did the job until the last mile or so. That's when it would have been nice to have snowshoes. Fortunately there both people and dogs ahead of us to help blaze the trail. Some clouds had rolled in by the time we reached the summit but still great views. Powdery snow without snowshoes made for a more difficult hike -- we definitely got a workout in. First hike for wife with over 3,000 feet of elevation gain. We'll sleep good tonight.

Note that the hike to the summit is just over 8 miles roundtrip. Website's 4 miles roundtrip applies if you just hike to Owl Hike Spot only. We met a couple people who had gone about mile past that, wondering how much farther it was....

Anybody know where you can view the weather station/camera located at the summit?

Great snow hiking conditions on the main Mt. Washington trail. The first 2 miles or so are relatively snow-free so you should be fine with normal hiking gear. The second half of the mountain will require snow shoes, gaiters, and hiking poles (w/ powder baskets) for optimal enjoyment. This trail took us approx 6 hours 15 minutes to complete with some breaks thrown in. Make sure to bring a camera for beautiful views of the region at the peak and sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun's reflection off of the snow.

Most of the mountain peaks around North Bend were shrouded in fog today... But not Mount Washington! What a beautiful day to snowshoe!

Expect snow from Olallie State Park: Twin Falls Traihead all the way to the top. Hiking trail from the trailhead to about 3700" was compact from multiple snowshoe treks along w/ a thin layer of dry powdered snow. After that, the snow was a bit deep, even with snowshoes.

The first 2 miles to the Owl Bench had a few spots of ice from springs crossing the trail. This also made for an impressive series of icicle "falls" on the rock walls. Technically, the easiest part of the trail!

When I reached the sign at the Y junction where you can either take the Great Wall Trail (L) or continue to Mount. Washington (R), I stayed to the right. You will be breaking new ground if you decide to take the Great Wall Trail on the left.

The right trail to Mount Washington has you crossing Washington Creek, which was icy and slick and then continues up to a tarn (lake?) in the basin. This is where waterproof boots and hiking poles are VERY handy.

There is another Y created at the tarn (lake?). The trail on the left looks like it follows the actual trail, but hasn't been used and to the right is the compacted "rogue trail" everyone has been following.

I actually turned around at this point because I wasn't sure which way to go. As I made my decent down the trail, I met up with a couple awesome gals who knew the way and let me caravan with them. You rock! ^_^

So we took the "rogue trail" that followed the right side of the tarn (lake?) further into the basin and came upon a 200' hill that could be a potential hazard for avalanche. The caravan I had joined decided to call it quits for the day, but I assessed the trail and the snow and it seemed safe to climb.

**Note: Please use your best judgement if you get to this point. I believe the more people who follow in these tracks, especially during this cold snap, could eventually cause a slide!**

Once I reached the top of this hill, it evens out and walks out onto an open ridge (elevation about 4350') with the BEST view of the trek!

I then continued forward, which led me back into the woods where it looked like it finally met with the logging road you expect at the top. Unfortunately, the trailblazers continue to climb unsafe hills that I was unwilling to follow. I didn't reach the summit with the weather vein due to time restraints, but the viewpoint at 4350' was enough for me!

Recommend: Snowshoes, hiking poles, layered clothing and waterproof boots.

P.S. Make sure you know how to use all your hiking equipment!