king tut
New member
The original plan was to do a Pemi traverse this weekend, but that plan fell apart Friday night when I realized that I did not have my backpacking tent in Vermont. It never made the trip from Maine. Oh crud! So, I brainstormed and decided to go do Lafayette and Lincoln. I wanted a good butt kicking hike, and needed to go out there and push myself after being stuck in a cubicle for far too long. So I set my alarm for about 4 in the morning, and went to bed. I awoke the next morning a little after 4 and gave my alarm a stare. I checked it and realized that I had set it for 4 in the afternoon. I am real bright sometimes.
So I drove out to Franconia, the trip took a little over two hours. Not bad. I followed my guidebook instructions and pulled in at the parking lot where the road divides. I got out and something didn't look right. I talked to the guy in the other car next to me and realized that I was at the Cannon parking lot. Oh well. So, a few minutes later I arrived in the correct parking lot and got ready to begin my ascent up the mighty Franconia ridge. It was quite cool out this morning, so I bundled up with clothes that I have yet to wear this year. Very exciting stuff after all the sticky weather that we have had. I hit the trailhead a few minutes before 7, looking forward to the hike.
The hike was a moderate climb for the first few miles and I broke out onto a ridgeline on the Old Bridle Path after about an hour or so. This was a really nice section that looks like it would have been great views if it were not for the massively thick clouds that were encompassing the mountain valley. I started to run into some people coming down the valley along this 1/3 mile stretch that had some really great viewpoints, I think. I would guess that they had all been staying at Greenleaf hut. The trail went back into the woods after the viewpoints and then suddenly I came out into a clearing that turned out to be Greenleaf hut. I went inside and looked at the electronic weather reader. It told me that it was 40 degrees outside and that it was about 8:30 in the morning. The ascent took a little over an hour and a half. I talked with a lady working in the hut and she seemed a little concerned about me. She informed that there were going to be strong winds today and that the windchill was going to be 15 degrees! She looked at me wearing a shirt and shorts and asked if I was going to make it. I re-assured her that I had heavier clothes and that I would survive. If she is reading this now, I AM ALIVE.
After a 10 minute stop to eat M&M'S and drink some water, I headed out onto the trail again to climb up Lafayette. The trail was moderate again, not too steep. I got about 1/2 way up the mile climb to the summit when the wind picked up and suddenly I became chilled to the bone. I put on all the clothes that I had in my bag and started to feel a little better, but it was quite chilly. The clouds were racing by at a good 35-40 mph or so clip at this point. I reached the top of Lafayette sometime around 10 I think, to find about 7-8 other people up there. I didn't enjoy my time up there too much as it was still quite cold. After a 10 minute break, I headed down the ridge to Lincoln.
The skies started to open up at this point, and the views were spectacular when the clouds parted. You had to have a quick trigger finger with the camera today though, as a spectacular view would give way to complete cloudiness in a matter of seconds. I enjoyed the ridge quite a bit and got to the top of Lincoln in a short matter of time. I briefly talked with a group of hikers at the top and continued my journey down the ridgeline towards Little Haystack. This ridgeline was also very nice. Definitely a hike I would like to repeat at some point. Somewhere on the way towards Haystack, I ran into 2 figures. The second one looked instantly familiar. It was Sal, who I had hiked with on the Monroe Skyline a couple months ago. I chatted with her for a few minutes and met her husband. I was pretty excited to see someone that I knew up here in the mountains. I told her that I may hike some more mountains today, wasn't too sure about my plans.
I did not have very solid plans of what I wanted to do for a hike today, just wanted to go out and have an adventure. I had talked with my dad Friday morning and learned that a childhood friend's father had passed this week. It made me think about how short life is and how I didn't want to regret not doing things. This was a great hike to get out all the clutter that was clogging up my head, clear all the bad thoughts from work, refresh my spirit.
I reached the junction of the Falling Water Trail a little before 11 and decided that I did not want to end my hike quite yet as my legs were feeling fresh. Only 3750 feet of elevation gain so far, I wanted more. I saw Liberty and Flume in the distance.... They were next.
The trail descended from Little Haystack and then re-ascended up Liberty for a brief climb to the top. This was about 2.1 miles from Little Haystack. The view was nice on top, very nice views towards Flume. It was just about noon at this time, and I was starting to re-think my decision to go to Flume. This took about 15 seconds until I told my brain to stop thinking rationally, just go hike the damn mountain. So I descended from Liberty, and went off towards Flume. It took a little over a 1/2 hour until I was on top of Flume. At this point, I asked myself, where do I go from here????? The trail back to Haystack probably goes up 1,000 feet back to the trail I need to descend, and frankly I do not feel like climbing right now. On the other hand, the Flume trail looks like it will be one steep mother going down this ravine and my car is parked several miles up 93 from the bottom of the trail. Sooo, after a few minutes of thinking, or not thinking, I decided to head down the Flume slide trail.
WARNING- Do not descend the Flume Slide trail!! It has to be a 40 degree pitch on wet rocks for about a mile. My tired knees were killing going down this, but I made it. I was not a happy camper on this trail. After about 4 miles of descent from Flume, I came upon an intersection. I muttered to myself, "Where the Hell am I?" I looked at the sign and it told me that it was still another .9 mile to the junction w/ 93 and then countless miles north to the campground where my car was waiting. I saw happy families riding their bikes and smiling as they saw me looking bewildered. I swear they had just gone by an ice cream stand or swallowed a few happy pills, they were scary.
I pulled out my book and map, and determined that this bike route may be my salvation!! It appeared to go north to where my car was. So I headed along the bike path, and lo and behold 2 and a half miles later I found my car. I was very ecstatic at this point. I was at my car a little after 3 in the afternoon, much sooner than I thought I would be. In my mind I had pictured myself walking along 93 in the dark. So the day was done. About 15 miles, and a little over 4,000 vertical feet later. Man was I tired.
http://www.parazz.com/albums/kingtut
So I drove out to Franconia, the trip took a little over two hours. Not bad. I followed my guidebook instructions and pulled in at the parking lot where the road divides. I got out and something didn't look right. I talked to the guy in the other car next to me and realized that I was at the Cannon parking lot. Oh well. So, a few minutes later I arrived in the correct parking lot and got ready to begin my ascent up the mighty Franconia ridge. It was quite cool out this morning, so I bundled up with clothes that I have yet to wear this year. Very exciting stuff after all the sticky weather that we have had. I hit the trailhead a few minutes before 7, looking forward to the hike.
The hike was a moderate climb for the first few miles and I broke out onto a ridgeline on the Old Bridle Path after about an hour or so. This was a really nice section that looks like it would have been great views if it were not for the massively thick clouds that were encompassing the mountain valley. I started to run into some people coming down the valley along this 1/3 mile stretch that had some really great viewpoints, I think. I would guess that they had all been staying at Greenleaf hut. The trail went back into the woods after the viewpoints and then suddenly I came out into a clearing that turned out to be Greenleaf hut. I went inside and looked at the electronic weather reader. It told me that it was 40 degrees outside and that it was about 8:30 in the morning. The ascent took a little over an hour and a half. I talked with a lady working in the hut and she seemed a little concerned about me. She informed that there were going to be strong winds today and that the windchill was going to be 15 degrees! She looked at me wearing a shirt and shorts and asked if I was going to make it. I re-assured her that I had heavier clothes and that I would survive. If she is reading this now, I AM ALIVE.
After a 10 minute stop to eat M&M'S and drink some water, I headed out onto the trail again to climb up Lafayette. The trail was moderate again, not too steep. I got about 1/2 way up the mile climb to the summit when the wind picked up and suddenly I became chilled to the bone. I put on all the clothes that I had in my bag and started to feel a little better, but it was quite chilly. The clouds were racing by at a good 35-40 mph or so clip at this point. I reached the top of Lafayette sometime around 10 I think, to find about 7-8 other people up there. I didn't enjoy my time up there too much as it was still quite cold. After a 10 minute break, I headed down the ridge to Lincoln.
The skies started to open up at this point, and the views were spectacular when the clouds parted. You had to have a quick trigger finger with the camera today though, as a spectacular view would give way to complete cloudiness in a matter of seconds. I enjoyed the ridge quite a bit and got to the top of Lincoln in a short matter of time. I briefly talked with a group of hikers at the top and continued my journey down the ridgeline towards Little Haystack. This ridgeline was also very nice. Definitely a hike I would like to repeat at some point. Somewhere on the way towards Haystack, I ran into 2 figures. The second one looked instantly familiar. It was Sal, who I had hiked with on the Monroe Skyline a couple months ago. I chatted with her for a few minutes and met her husband. I was pretty excited to see someone that I knew up here in the mountains. I told her that I may hike some more mountains today, wasn't too sure about my plans.
I did not have very solid plans of what I wanted to do for a hike today, just wanted to go out and have an adventure. I had talked with my dad Friday morning and learned that a childhood friend's father had passed this week. It made me think about how short life is and how I didn't want to regret not doing things. This was a great hike to get out all the clutter that was clogging up my head, clear all the bad thoughts from work, refresh my spirit.
I reached the junction of the Falling Water Trail a little before 11 and decided that I did not want to end my hike quite yet as my legs were feeling fresh. Only 3750 feet of elevation gain so far, I wanted more. I saw Liberty and Flume in the distance.... They were next.
The trail descended from Little Haystack and then re-ascended up Liberty for a brief climb to the top. This was about 2.1 miles from Little Haystack. The view was nice on top, very nice views towards Flume. It was just about noon at this time, and I was starting to re-think my decision to go to Flume. This took about 15 seconds until I told my brain to stop thinking rationally, just go hike the damn mountain. So I descended from Liberty, and went off towards Flume. It took a little over a 1/2 hour until I was on top of Flume. At this point, I asked myself, where do I go from here????? The trail back to Haystack probably goes up 1,000 feet back to the trail I need to descend, and frankly I do not feel like climbing right now. On the other hand, the Flume trail looks like it will be one steep mother going down this ravine and my car is parked several miles up 93 from the bottom of the trail. Sooo, after a few minutes of thinking, or not thinking, I decided to head down the Flume slide trail.
WARNING- Do not descend the Flume Slide trail!! It has to be a 40 degree pitch on wet rocks for about a mile. My tired knees were killing going down this, but I made it. I was not a happy camper on this trail. After about 4 miles of descent from Flume, I came upon an intersection. I muttered to myself, "Where the Hell am I?" I looked at the sign and it told me that it was still another .9 mile to the junction w/ 93 and then countless miles north to the campground where my car was waiting. I saw happy families riding their bikes and smiling as they saw me looking bewildered. I swear they had just gone by an ice cream stand or swallowed a few happy pills, they were scary.
I pulled out my book and map, and determined that this bike route may be my salvation!! It appeared to go north to where my car was. So I headed along the bike path, and lo and behold 2 and a half miles later I found my car. I was very ecstatic at this point. I was at my car a little after 3 in the afternoon, much sooner than I thought I would be. In my mind I had pictured myself walking along 93 in the dark. So the day was done. About 15 miles, and a little over 4,000 vertical feet later. Man was I tired.
http://www.parazz.com/albums/kingtut
. I did it in reverse in July, somewhat similiar to yours but avoiding the Flume Slide. Glad it all worked out for you. Franconia Ridge is a spectacular hike from end to end!
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