The Presidential Range is a mountain range located in the White Mountains of the U.S. state of New Hampshire, almost entirely in Coos County. The most notable summits are named for prominent American, either public figures of the 18th and 19th centuries or President.

Notable summits

These summits include, in sequence from southwest to northeast:

• Mt. Webster — after Daniel Webster
• Mt. Jackson* — after Charles Thomas Jackson (19th c. geologist)
• Mt. Pierce* — after Franklin Pierce (formerly Mt. Clinton — after DeWitt Clinton)
• Mt. Eisenhower* — after Dwight Eisenhower
• Mt. Franklin — after Benjamin Franklin
• Mt. Monroe* — after James Monroe
• Mt. Washington* — after George Washington (a general at time of naming, and only later a president)
• Mt. Clay — after Henry Clay (State changed name to Mt. Reagan after Ronald Reagan; U.S. government still recognizes Clay name)
• Mt. Jefferson* — after Thomas Jefferson
• Mt. Sam Adams — after Samuel Adams
• Mt. Adams* — after John Adams
• Mt. Quincy Adams — after John Quincy Adams
• Mt. Madison* — after James Madison

Mt. Adams has, besides its main summit, four subsidiary peaks that are also commonly recognized by name; two, Sam Adams and John Quincy Adams, are listed above. The third and fourth are:

• Adams 4 ("Mt. Abigail Adams" has been proposed)
• Adams 5

The summits marked with an asterisk (*) are included on the peak-bagging list of 4,000-foot and higher mountains in New Hampshire; the others are excluded, in some cases because of lesser height and in others because of more technical criteria.

Other summits

Aside from the notable summits, the geological Presidential Range contains a number of additional named peaks. Several of these peaks, drained on their west faces by the Dry River, are less accessible than the main and most visited ridge of the range and are therefore likely to be neglected, or mentioned as an afterthought, in discussing the range as whole.

Subsidiary peaks of Mount Washington:

• Ball Crag (6,106 ft)
• Nelson Crag (5,620 ft)
• Boott Spur (5,500 ft)

North from Mount Washington:

• Mt. Bowman (3,449 ft) (spur of Mount Jefferson)

South from Mount Washington:

• Engine Hill (3,100 ft)
• Maple Mountain (2,601 ft)
• Iron Mountain (2,726 ft)
• Montalban Ridge:
  • Mt. Isolation (4,004 ft)*
  • Mt. Davis (3,819 ft)
  • Stairs Mountain (3,463 ft)
  • Mt. Resolution (3,415 ft)
• Bemis Ridge:
  • Mt. Crawford (3,119 ft)
  • Mt. Hope (2,505 ft)
• Mt. Parker (3,004 ft)
• Mt. Langdon (2,390 ft)
• Mt. Pickering (1,945 ft) (family name of first president of Appalachian Mountain Club)
• Mt. Stanton (1,716 ft)

The summits marked with an asterisk (*) are included on the peak-bagging list of 4,000-foot and higher mountains in New Hampshire; the others are excluded, in some cases because of lesser height and in others because of more technical criteria.

Watersheds

The Presidentials separate drainage via the Saco and Androscoggin Rivers into the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of Maine, from drainage into the Israel and Ammonoosuc Rivers, thence into the Connecticut River, and thence into Long Island Sound.

Feats

The so-called "Presidential Traverse" is a challenging hike that crosses the entire of the ridge, hitting each major summit along the way and covering at least 8,500 feet in elevation gain. It can be done in a single day in summer. During the winter, range traverses are generally two to four day ventures, although strong and experienced hikers can accomplish the hike in a single, long day during ideal weather conditions. Several rescues of lost, overdue or injured hikers have occurred during range traverses.

References