BIGEarl
Well-known member
October 17, 2009: Liberty, Flume, and ‘Whack to Owl’s Head
Trails: White House Trail, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, Franconia Falls Trail, Wilderness Trail, Owl’s Head Slide & Herd Path
Bushwhacks: Franconia Ridge Trail to Lincoln Brook Trail, Fisherman’s Bushwhack to Franconia Falls
Summits: Liberty, Flume, Owl’s Head
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), Bryan, and me
Here’s the plan: Hike to Mount Liberty from the hiker lot near the Flume Visitor Center via White House Trail, Liberty Spring Trail, and Franconia Ridge Trail. Then, continue to Mount Flume. U-turn back to the col between Liberty and Flume and bushwhack off the ridge to the Lincoln Brook Trail. Finally, hike to Owl’s Head following the usual route from that point ending at Lincoln Woods.
This was definitely an “unusual” hike, but Sue and I enjoy “unusual” once in a while. And, we knew Bryan enjoyed “unusual” as well so I made a contact with him to check possible interest. As expected he wanted in.
I had the bushwhack plan all worked out and mapped out complete with compass bearings, map bearings, target elevations, distances, coordinates, etc. All we needed to do was follow the hike plan. Pretty simple and fun.
While we were at Lincoln Woods we met Bobby, Tuco. Little Bear, and LarryD preparing for their Franconia Ridge Traverse. Rols was also involved in the group but someone said he was probably at the trailhead for the Old Bridal Path catching some ZZZ’s. We transferred our gear to Bryan’s car and took off to the starting trailhead for our hike and bushwhack adventure.
A little later than planned we were hiking the White House Trail under a completely clear sky. The conditions couldn’t have been better. We made our way to the Liberty Spring Trail junction, made the turn, and started the climb. Within a short distance we all were adjusting layers as we came up to temperature. The trail is in great shape with patches of ice and snow. The ice and snow increased with elevation but we all managed to be careful and bare booted the hike to Liberty. We never saw the sun until reaching the Franconia Ridge Trail but when it finally hit things warmed up quickly. On the summit of Liberty we met a large group headed north. Since the exit from Liberty is a steep one, we all went with MicroSpikes for added traction. They did the job perfectly. We all got quite a few summit pictures before setting off for Flume.
The hike to Mount Flume is a quick 1.1 miles. We made our way there but were probably all thinking about our return to the col for the bushwhack down from the ridge to the Lincoln Brook Trail. At the summit of Flume we got more terrific pictures of the surrounding area including north on Franconia Ridge. Bobby and Company sure had great conditions for their ridge walk. After a brief break, a snack, and some final preparation we u-turned north on the Franconia Ridge Trail and hiked back to the start location of our bushwhack.
We followed the Franconia Ridge Trail through the lowest elevation of the col and started to regain elevation. At approximately 3950 feet we set off on a compass bearing that would take us across a large flat area northeast of the trail. At the far side of this area is the top of a ridge that runs down to the Lincoln Brook Trail. A new compass bearing would take us to our final target, which was the point where the Liberty Brook crosses the Lincoln Brook Trail.
As we started the bushwhack we all added rain jackets. The trees were loaded with snow and we needed the extra protection. Even with the rain gear we all still got soaked by the time we reached the end of the bushwhack. The top flat area is pretty thick with a number of blowdown patches. We were patient and considered our route all along the way. We managed to work around all of the tough spots with relative ease. One detail that surprised me was the lack of wildlife in this area. We only noticed a couple sets of rabbit tracks and they were more toward the far side of the plateau near the top of the ridge. The MicroSpikes were great tools in the bushwhack. The trees that were down were wet and very slick. With the MicroSpikes we were able to easily climb up onto the trees with no slips at all. Along the way there were some nice through-the-treetops views to The Bonds, Flume, and Franconia Ridge.
Finally we reached our first target – the top of the ridge. This is a relatively easy place to identify. The bearing we followed brought us along the side of a bowl on the southeast side of the plateau. At the ridge, the terrain falls away on three sides – southeast, northeast, and northwest. From here a second compass bearing would lead us down the ridge to our ending target on the Lincoln Brook Trail.
The hike down the ridge was reasonably pleasant, and interesting. The growth wasn’t as dense as on the plateau. The ridge itself is narrow enough to see the terrain falling away on each side making it quite easy to actually follow the ridge on our descent. And, the big bonus was the bear activity. I saw more bear sign in this area than any other place I’ve ever been – and I have hunted New Hampshire and Vermont my whole life. We came upon a number of “bear piles”, a bear bed, and there were definitely a number of bears due to the variety of track size. The most interesting part of this was the freshness of the tracks. I honestly believe we moved some animals around while we were passing through. There were a couple sets of very fresh tracks actually following the ridge heading the same way as we were.
Eventually, we dropped below the area of heavy bear activity and soon broke into more open woods with old logging roads generally running across the slope. I didn’t keep count but feel there were at least six of these old roads that we crossed. As we continued lower the grade moderated and the conditions became much more open. The final section leading to the Liberty Brook crossing of the Lincoln Brook Trail was a very easy walk in the woods. We reached the Lincoln Brook Trail right on-target for location but were over in time by fifty minutes. I was actually pretty happy with that.
A quick snack, pack away the wet rain gear, remove the MicroSpikes, and take off for Owl’s Head. At 3:30pm we were starting up the slide. Most folks would probably consider this a little late to start climbing Owl’s Head, but we’re not most folks. On the climb we met a group of three and a couple all on their descent. We managed to bare boot the climb even though there was packed snow and ice starting near the top of the slide. We were very careful and didn’t have any problems. We made our way over the “traditional” summit and on to the “new” summit. Got a few pictures and set off for the exit.
Before starting the descent we all pulled out the MicroSpikes and stayed with them until roughly a third of the way down the slide. There we stopped to pack them away and we were on bare boots for the remainder of the hike. Bryan had mentioned how he would like to at least get off the slide before darkness set in. We were able to manage that but stopped to pull out the headlights once we were back on the Lincoln Brook Trail.
With the help of headlights we quietly made our way down the Lincoln Brook Trail past the upper crossing of Lincoln Brook, Liberty Brook, and a number of smaller streams and larger mud pits along the way. Eventually we reached the lower crossing of the Lincoln Brook and the start of the Fisherman’s Bushwhack. Bushwhacking in the dark is interesting. It’s a good thing I was with a couple others with good hearing. Our field of view was limited to the light from the headlights but good hearing managed to keep us near Lincoln Brook and Franconia Brook. It was a little slow going but we eventually made it to the end of the herd path that leads to the Franconia Falls Trail. From there, it was an easy cruise to the Wilderness Trail and then out to Lincoln Woods.
What a terrific hike this one was! The bushwhack from Franconia Ridge was difficult but still easier than expected. And the bear activity was a real bonus. Thanks Bryan for joining the fun. It’s always a pleasure to hike with you. Sue, thanks to you too. I know how much we both enjoy unusual and this one is going to be tough to beat. But, I’m working on it.
I’m really looking forward to our next one.
Pictures will follow.
I’ve posted some pictures from the hike. Included is a map of the bushwhack route that was followed.
BIGEarl's Pictures
Straight to the slideshow
Trails: White House Trail, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, Franconia Falls Trail, Wilderness Trail, Owl’s Head Slide & Herd Path
Bushwhacks: Franconia Ridge Trail to Lincoln Brook Trail, Fisherman’s Bushwhack to Franconia Falls
Summits: Liberty, Flume, Owl’s Head
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), Bryan, and me
Here’s the plan: Hike to Mount Liberty from the hiker lot near the Flume Visitor Center via White House Trail, Liberty Spring Trail, and Franconia Ridge Trail. Then, continue to Mount Flume. U-turn back to the col between Liberty and Flume and bushwhack off the ridge to the Lincoln Brook Trail. Finally, hike to Owl’s Head following the usual route from that point ending at Lincoln Woods.
This was definitely an “unusual” hike, but Sue and I enjoy “unusual” once in a while. And, we knew Bryan enjoyed “unusual” as well so I made a contact with him to check possible interest. As expected he wanted in.
I had the bushwhack plan all worked out and mapped out complete with compass bearings, map bearings, target elevations, distances, coordinates, etc. All we needed to do was follow the hike plan. Pretty simple and fun.
While we were at Lincoln Woods we met Bobby, Tuco. Little Bear, and LarryD preparing for their Franconia Ridge Traverse. Rols was also involved in the group but someone said he was probably at the trailhead for the Old Bridal Path catching some ZZZ’s. We transferred our gear to Bryan’s car and took off to the starting trailhead for our hike and bushwhack adventure.
A little later than planned we were hiking the White House Trail under a completely clear sky. The conditions couldn’t have been better. We made our way to the Liberty Spring Trail junction, made the turn, and started the climb. Within a short distance we all were adjusting layers as we came up to temperature. The trail is in great shape with patches of ice and snow. The ice and snow increased with elevation but we all managed to be careful and bare booted the hike to Liberty. We never saw the sun until reaching the Franconia Ridge Trail but when it finally hit things warmed up quickly. On the summit of Liberty we met a large group headed north. Since the exit from Liberty is a steep one, we all went with MicroSpikes for added traction. They did the job perfectly. We all got quite a few summit pictures before setting off for Flume.
The hike to Mount Flume is a quick 1.1 miles. We made our way there but were probably all thinking about our return to the col for the bushwhack down from the ridge to the Lincoln Brook Trail. At the summit of Flume we got more terrific pictures of the surrounding area including north on Franconia Ridge. Bobby and Company sure had great conditions for their ridge walk. After a brief break, a snack, and some final preparation we u-turned north on the Franconia Ridge Trail and hiked back to the start location of our bushwhack.
We followed the Franconia Ridge Trail through the lowest elevation of the col and started to regain elevation. At approximately 3950 feet we set off on a compass bearing that would take us across a large flat area northeast of the trail. At the far side of this area is the top of a ridge that runs down to the Lincoln Brook Trail. A new compass bearing would take us to our final target, which was the point where the Liberty Brook crosses the Lincoln Brook Trail.
As we started the bushwhack we all added rain jackets. The trees were loaded with snow and we needed the extra protection. Even with the rain gear we all still got soaked by the time we reached the end of the bushwhack. The top flat area is pretty thick with a number of blowdown patches. We were patient and considered our route all along the way. We managed to work around all of the tough spots with relative ease. One detail that surprised me was the lack of wildlife in this area. We only noticed a couple sets of rabbit tracks and they were more toward the far side of the plateau near the top of the ridge. The MicroSpikes were great tools in the bushwhack. The trees that were down were wet and very slick. With the MicroSpikes we were able to easily climb up onto the trees with no slips at all. Along the way there were some nice through-the-treetops views to The Bonds, Flume, and Franconia Ridge.
Finally we reached our first target – the top of the ridge. This is a relatively easy place to identify. The bearing we followed brought us along the side of a bowl on the southeast side of the plateau. At the ridge, the terrain falls away on three sides – southeast, northeast, and northwest. From here a second compass bearing would lead us down the ridge to our ending target on the Lincoln Brook Trail.
The hike down the ridge was reasonably pleasant, and interesting. The growth wasn’t as dense as on the plateau. The ridge itself is narrow enough to see the terrain falling away on each side making it quite easy to actually follow the ridge on our descent. And, the big bonus was the bear activity. I saw more bear sign in this area than any other place I’ve ever been – and I have hunted New Hampshire and Vermont my whole life. We came upon a number of “bear piles”, a bear bed, and there were definitely a number of bears due to the variety of track size. The most interesting part of this was the freshness of the tracks. I honestly believe we moved some animals around while we were passing through. There were a couple sets of very fresh tracks actually following the ridge heading the same way as we were.
Eventually, we dropped below the area of heavy bear activity and soon broke into more open woods with old logging roads generally running across the slope. I didn’t keep count but feel there were at least six of these old roads that we crossed. As we continued lower the grade moderated and the conditions became much more open. The final section leading to the Liberty Brook crossing of the Lincoln Brook Trail was a very easy walk in the woods. We reached the Lincoln Brook Trail right on-target for location but were over in time by fifty minutes. I was actually pretty happy with that.
A quick snack, pack away the wet rain gear, remove the MicroSpikes, and take off for Owl’s Head. At 3:30pm we were starting up the slide. Most folks would probably consider this a little late to start climbing Owl’s Head, but we’re not most folks. On the climb we met a group of three and a couple all on their descent. We managed to bare boot the climb even though there was packed snow and ice starting near the top of the slide. We were very careful and didn’t have any problems. We made our way over the “traditional” summit and on to the “new” summit. Got a few pictures and set off for the exit.
Before starting the descent we all pulled out the MicroSpikes and stayed with them until roughly a third of the way down the slide. There we stopped to pack them away and we were on bare boots for the remainder of the hike. Bryan had mentioned how he would like to at least get off the slide before darkness set in. We were able to manage that but stopped to pull out the headlights once we were back on the Lincoln Brook Trail.
With the help of headlights we quietly made our way down the Lincoln Brook Trail past the upper crossing of Lincoln Brook, Liberty Brook, and a number of smaller streams and larger mud pits along the way. Eventually we reached the lower crossing of the Lincoln Brook and the start of the Fisherman’s Bushwhack. Bushwhacking in the dark is interesting. It’s a good thing I was with a couple others with good hearing. Our field of view was limited to the light from the headlights but good hearing managed to keep us near Lincoln Brook and Franconia Brook. It was a little slow going but we eventually made it to the end of the herd path that leads to the Franconia Falls Trail. From there, it was an easy cruise to the Wilderness Trail and then out to Lincoln Woods.
What a terrific hike this one was! The bushwhack from Franconia Ridge was difficult but still easier than expected. And the bear activity was a real bonus. Thanks Bryan for joining the fun. It’s always a pleasure to hike with you. Sue, thanks to you too. I know how much we both enjoy unusual and this one is going to be tough to beat. But, I’m working on it.
I’m really looking forward to our next one.
Pictures will follow.
I’ve posted some pictures from the hike. Included is a map of the bushwhack route that was followed.
BIGEarl's Pictures
Straight to the slideshow
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