Franconia Ridge Training

[Abster]

I am training for 'Pound the Presis' later in June and need the 4 peaks on the Franconia Range for my 48 list, so would like to do them this weekend. Unfortunately, both Sat and Sun have rain forecasted. I would still like to tentatively plan something and finalize later in the week with anyone interested and who doesn't mind a little precip. (Conditions on the ridge will be considered of course!)

Two possibilities:
1. Skookumchuck Trail to the ridge, over the ridge and out to Lincoln Woods -15.7 miles or,
2. Garfield Trail to the ridge, over the ridge and out to Lincoln Woods - 19.1 miles

Car spotting and an early start will be necessary.

Would be happy to have company!!

Hanna

 

[DougPaul]

A couple suggestions:
Views from Garfield and Franconia Ridge are very nice--you might want to save them for a day with good visibility. (Or at least go back on a nice day.)

If the rain comes with electrical activity, you do not want to be on that ridge.

The section between Garfield and Lafayette is harder that the stats would indicate.

Doug

 

[dr_wu002]

The section between Garfield and Lafayette is harder that the stats would indicate.

Doug

Doug, I don't know why people always say this. I think the ascent from Garfield to Lafayette is gentle and quite pleasant.

Garfield - Flume is, in my opinion, a nice hike. It's a lot easier than a presi traverse though. Easier footing, less dramatic ups and downs etc.

It's a fun trip! Hope you can find company!

-Dr. Wu

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Abster -

By 4 peaks on the Franconia Ridge - that's Flume, Liberty, Lincoln & Lafayette? If so, then adding N. Lafayette and Garfield will add lots more effort, unless that's your intent.

If the weather's iffy - I'd start at Lincoln Woods and do Flume & Liberty - only a small amount of exposure - and then make a decision about the open section of the ridge when you hit Little Haystack. Then, if necessary, you can double-back to Lincoln Woods and still have had a fine workout and two peaks. If the weather's not too bad, then continue over to Lafayette and down via OBP.

Otherwise, if you start from Garfield and the weather turns sour, you'll have covered alot of distance but not added any peaks for your trouble. If you do choose this route, however and the weather turns bad, you can duck down Skookumchuck as it meets the ridge at treeline and it will get you out of the weather in a hurry.

Kevin

 

[dug]

Doug, I don't know why people always say this. I think the ascent from Garfield to Lafayette is gentle and quite pleasant.
-Dr. Wu

I have only done it once, from Lafayette to Garfield. What I found that made it difficult was:

-No water from Liberty Springs (we didn't go down to the Greenleaf Hut to fill up) to Garfield Pond.
-Lacking of views, which can be a bit mentally draining with a full pack on a hot day.
-Quite a few bumps that don't show on a topo as an incline, but it sure as hell felt like one.

I think it's more mentally draining than phyically, but again I only did it once and from the other direction.

 

[Abster]

Thanks for the info you all. Weather will certainly be a factor no matter what and I will play it safe!

I need a difficult hike to get ready for the Presi traverse! I don't mind going back on that ridge if there are no views this weekend. I didn't begin hiking for the 48 and won't stop when I've got them all

 

[Tom Rankin]

Garfield - Flume is, in my opinion, a nice hike. It's a lot easier than a presi traverse though. Easier footing, less dramatic ups and downs etc.

I agree with Dug, it's a mental thing. We hiked up to Lafayette from Garfield, (in the fog), and we kept coming to each false summit and thinking we were there! Bzzzt! Wrong, again!

 

[sli74]

Doug, I don't know why people always say this. I think the ascent from Garfield to Lafayette is gentle and quite pleasant. :-Dr. Wu

I also am confused by this perception . . . I found the trip between Lafayette and Garfield to be moderate, not much about it that I remember being difficult. I guess conditions and how one is feeling on a particular day can affect this.

Though the point about lack of water is certainly a good one and it usually doesn't apply to me because I always carry excessive amounts of water but it is most certainly worth keeping in mind before you head out on the ridge.

sli74

 

[Kevin Rooney]

On lack of water ...

There is a rather reliable source of water not far from the summit of Lafayette - about 1/4 mile down, towards the hut. It's immediately in front of the first rock outcropping, which will be on the left. Often there's a short stretch in the trail which is damp - this is the spot. Upclimb about 10', and voila' - a small pool, maybe a foot or so across. Plenty big enough to filter, which I would given it's location downstream from a rather busy summit.

If I were doing a traverse from Flume to Garfield and needed water, I'd drop my pack on the summit, and bring my water bottles and filter to this surface spring. Probably add about 20 minutes to the trip.

Kevin

 

[Abster]

Good to know. Thanks Kevin.

 

[Mike P.]

One of the best trips I've had was Skookumchuck to LW, it's a great trip.

I'm sorry, I can't think of a more miserable 6.6 miles of trail (& even then the .7 or so above treeline on Lafayette & Garfield summit are great! so I'm bi&^*ing about only 5.8 miles or so) that I've been on than the Garfield Ridge Trail. I don't the trail misses any PUD on the entire trail. The only thing worse than doing it from Lafayette to Galehead would be doing it backwards. (I have not done the Link trail on Jefferson nor from what I've heard, am I planning on it anytime soon)

Harder than it appears, here are my times from Memorial Day.

LW to Lafayette, (those that have not hiked with me before, I'm not real fast uphill) just under six hours. To get to Garfield, just over 2.5 hours & my time to Galehead was about 5 1/2 hours. Granted I was getting tired but, it's only about 1/4 of the elevation gain from the first part & almost four miles shorter. Although tired, from the time I started down the Twin Brook Trail to the car, I did that in four hours, averaging downhill & over many blowdowns about 2.5 MPH

I did not spend much time on any summit, longest probably Liberty about 10-15 minutes talking with someone, maybe 10 on Garfield. Average speed was 1.75 to Lafayette, 2.5 from Frost, Twin Brook to car & just 1.2 on Garfield Ridge.

 

[Michelle]

Abster - Just read your post.......PMed you.

 

[Woody]

A few years ago my brother and I did the Garfield Ridge from a campsite between North and South Twin over to Greenleaf Hut. We had only been seriously hiking for about a year and we were carrying heavy backpacks including a tent. My brother had quit smoking about a year before as well when we started hiking. I do remember the hike down from the summit of South Twin to Galehead hut was very steep and rocky. After that we were ok until we got to treeline on North Lafayette. At that point my brother was getting his butt kicked bad and the North (false) summit of Lafayette didn't help his morale at that point. I would have to say that I was dragging a bit as well but no where as bad as he was. We were both very happy to finally drag our butts into Greenleaf Hut before we missed dinner!

I haven't gone back to do that stretch of trail again. I am sure that with a lighter pack and more wisdom and my improved level of hiking conditioning that the trail would not be as bad as we both remember it to be.

 

[dug]

Re: Kevin's water spot. You should be fine this weekend, I've always seen it flowing in the early summer. It was dry on our September trip. Come to think of it, there's probably a few reasons why I found that stretch awful:

-We went up the Osseo Trail on a Friday night, and found somebody in our planned spot
-After searching through a light midnight drizzle for an hour to camp, we finally just ditched it in the world's most uncomfortable spot in the woods. Actually used a stump as a pillow.
-Woke up late, had a beautiful hike across the ridge, and drank all my water.
-Didn't want to go to to the hut to fill up, as it added a couple of miles and (thanks to VFTT) I knew about the site Kevin refers to.
-Camped before Garfield Pond, drained a muddy puddle for water that night, and chased chipmunks out of the camp all night.
-Rained all the day the next day, we cut our trip short and avoided the Bonds and came out the Pemi Rainforest.

Gee, no wonder why I have a bad memory of that trail section. On second thought, maybe the trail is just fine....

 

[Abster]

Dug - sounds like quite a trip! I guess they have to happen sometime (poor chippies- they were just hungry)

Okay, I've received a lot of great info here, but no offers to join me!?

I am now planning for Sunday because the weather is supposed to be better.

Come on...who will join me?! I'll buy the first round of beers afterward.

I'm planning to do the shorter trip - 15+ miles

 

[dRitter]

what time you planning on starting? Might be able to join, the weather and work are conspiring to scuttle a 2 day trip I was pondering.

I did the longer trip last labor day weekend, 8 hrs and 50 minutes end to end. Like others who have replied, it was foggy at the start and loaded with frustration going from Garfield to Lafayette, but nothing that bad.

Sunday currently has a chance of showers, definitely better conditions than the winter ridge trip was back in January.

Damon

 

[Abster]

Hi Damon,

Start time is flexible, but I think we should head out early to get it done - probably 8am at the latest. Are you willling to do the Shook to Lincoln Woods or are you looking to do Garfield also?

Hanna

 

[Rejean]

Done that hike 4 weeks ago, start at the basin. Hike up by the Flume slide
it was a bit slippery but manageable. At the Flume summit had a great view,
continued to Liberty and a better view (sunny days). The rail was fine from
Liberty to Little Haystack and what a view on the ridge. It took me 5 hours
to reach Lafayette and continued on the Garfield trail until the Garfield
pond (it was long and lot of up and down), turn back and return to
Lafayette. Descend to Greenleaf hut and Old Bride path. It took me 12 hour
and 20 miles but I don't rush and took lots of break on that great sunny day.
Will see you and the Presi Traverse. This sunday i will attemp the Great
range traverse to keep in shape. Done all the 46er this winter.
Had fun on Lafayette (my prefered mountain in NH).

 

[dRitter]

I could probably be talked into the whole ridge including Garfield, but Skook then southbound is fine, I've never been on Skookumchuck trail. Is a 7:30 start OK? Can go earlier if necessary. We can meet at Wilderness Trailhead, leave a car, and head for Skook, or vice versa, whatever your preference.
Damon

 

[Double Bow]

I could be talked into joining you on Sunday. I just need a ride up from Manchester. Anyone game? If so, send me a PM!