Mount Clay

{{Short description|Mountain in New Hampshire, United States}}

{{About|the mountain peak in New Hampshire|the ocean liner|USS DeKalb (ID-3010)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Clay

| photo = Washington-clay saddle.JPG

| photo_caption = The saddle between Mount Washington and Mount Clay

| elevation_ft = 5533

| elevation_ref =

| prominence_ft = 150

| parent_peak = Mount Washington

| prominence_ref =

| country = United States

| state = New Hampshire

| district = Coos County

| part = Thompson and Meserve's Purchase

| range = Presidential Range

| coordinates = {{coord|44|17.11|N|71|18.95|W|type:mountain_region:US |display=inline,title}}

| topo_maker = USGS

| topo = Mount Washington

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route = Hike

}}

Mount Clay is a peak located in Thompson and Meserve's Purchase in Coos County in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is a rise about {{convert|0.9|mi|km|adj=on}} long and a few hundred feet tall, with summit elevation of {{convert|5533|ft|m}}; it lies on the ridge joining the summits of Mount Washington, about {{convert|0.9|mi|km|adj=on}} to the south-southeast, with that of Mount Jefferson, about {{convert|1.3|mi|km|adj=on}} north.

The Appalachian Trail, coinciding there with the Gulfside Trail, rises about a hundred feet approaching it northbound, and passes {{convert|0.1|mi|km|adj=on}} from the summit, {{convert|200|ft|m}} below it. The {{convert|1.2|mi|km|adj=on}} Mt. Clay Loop passes over the summit. The Jewell Trail is a popular choice as a relatively less strenuous route to Mt. Washington's summit; hikers ascending it, eastbound, from the vicinity of the cog rail base station join the Gulfside Trail about {{convert|0.4|mi|km|adj=on}} from Clay's summit and about {{convert|200|ft|m}} below, and give up about {{convert|100|ft|m}} in descending the southern tail of Clay, before resuming the ascent of Washington.

The mountain is named for Henry Clay, 19th-century senator and U.S. Secretary of State from Kentucky, known as "The Great Compromiser". In 2003, the New Hampshire state legislature, participating in a Reagan Legacy project, made it state law that Mt. Clay "shall hereafter be called and known as Mount Reagan," after President Ronald Reagan.{{cite web| url=http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2003/HB0082.html| title=HB 82 - Final Version| publisher=New Hampshire General Court| access-date=May 16, 2010}} The legal force of this is limited to actions by the state of New Hampshire. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) voted in May 2010 not to change the name of the mountain.{{cite web|url=http://www.nhpr.org/node/32445| title=Mt Clay Remains Mt Clay| author=Chris Jensen| publisher=New Hampshire Public Radio| date=May 13, 2010| access-date=May 16, 2010}} Maps used in connection with foot travel in the Presidentials are typically published by the U.S. Geological Survey (which adheres by law to BGN's naming), and by the Appalachian Mountain Club and two New England companies, all three of whom {{As of|2010|lc=on}} use "Clay" and make no mention of "Reagan".

Although well over {{convert|4000|ft|m}} in height above sea level, the Appalachian Mountain Club does not consider Mount Clay a "four-thousand footer" because it stands less than {{convert|200|ft|m}} above the col on the ridge from Washington, making it a secondary summit of that peak.