Whiteface Mountain

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Science

Whiteface Mountain

Few places on Earth match the brutal conditions that define life atop Whiteface Mountain.

The plants that still live on and around the summits of the 16 highest Adirondack peaks once covered most of this region. Now they are living reminders of the ice age that buried this land more than 10,000 years ago. The Adirondack High Peaks are the last places you will see this life in New York State. Dig In here to see just how tough this mountain is, and explore stunning stories of survival in this harsh place.

Live Whiteface Summit Cam

This current view is from the summit of Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks. The image reloads every minute, so hit refresh to get the latest view.

If you are only seeing white frost it means we have had some extreme weather. If the sun and wind don’t clear the rime ice, staff travel to the Whiteface summit once a week to the summit to clear the window.

Whiteface Live View

This is a current view of Whiteface in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. The image reloads every minute, so hit refresh to get the latest view. The camera is sheltered by The Lake Placid Lodge.

You can see the mountain make its own clouds, watch winter storms, and then look at the view from the summit on our twin Whiteface Summit Cam.

This view was captured by The Wild Center as a part of a NYS Scenic Byway Program project, managed by the Adirondack North Country Association, funded by the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the NYS Department of Transportation.
Clouds over Whiteface mountain

Live Summit Weather

You can check here as often as you want to see the live wind speed and temperature at the top of the mountain.

Once you get the wind speed and temperature, you can go here to figure out the wind chill.
Close up of flag tree

You Don't Need a Weatherman

…to know which way the wind blows.

These one-sided balsam firs tell you the direction of the prevailing wind. During winter, condensation in the air causes ice to build up on the windy side of these trees. The ice-covered branches get brittle and break off. New branches struggle to grow into the alpine wind, especially in winter when it carries blasts of gritty ice. But on the other side of the tree, where the branches are sheltered, they can continue to grow.
Join our naturalist, Shannon, for a “Field Trip Friday” winter hike to the Whiteface summit.
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