peakbagger
In Rembrance , July 2024
I stuck with "local hiking" today and did the Lincoln Lafayette Loop. I decided to get an early start and was at the parking lot around 7 AM. There were a few vehicles. Since the last time I was there, there is new single door shed located at the trailhead, not sure what its use is. There was a couple that headed up the OBP trail just before I did. I did not see them for the rest of the day. The sun was not high enough to get down in the notch initially but just below the sharp left turn that climbs to the top of the ridge if got warm quick. I took a few layers off and hiked in T shirt all the way to Greenleaf. There is about 50' of ice heading up the rocks on the Agonies below the hut. My Hillsounds were fine. I met two groups heading down. One group had gone up Lafayette to the watch the sunrise, another couple had done the entire ridge. Folks were pretty good at stepping off to the side of the trail to let folks pass. I got to Greenleaf and had the porch to myself for 15 minutes before another group came by. I had optimistically put sunscreen on my face and arms but I ended up putting a hooded fleece that I kept on until Haystack. I didnt have any major traction issues climbing Lafayette. There was fresh somewhat firmed up snow on what I expect if mix of ice and hard crust. I skipped the informal winter cut off and followed the trail into the snow field that forms on the NW side of the summit cone. Prior hikers had established a zig zag route up the field. My Hillsounds were fine but I sure would not want to bareboot it. The summit was pleasant with minimal wind. Views were 100 miles for sure but high clouds came in faster than I expected. I expect if the clouds had not moved in it would have been T shirt weather for the ridge but I kept the fleece on.
The ridge is 95% snow cover from Lafayette to Lincoln. There were a couple of steep short snow fields on the north slopes of the knobs in between the two summits that required some care. I had regular crampons in the pack but never needed them. Along the ridge I encountered several groups going CCW. They started out well equipped but as I got towards Lincoln I saw more and more groups with less gear. The summit of Lincoln is bare rock and much of the steep portion of the trail is also bare. Some folks had taken their traction off but I keep it on. I got to Haystack just before noon and the traffic up Falling Waters was increasing. Nowhere near a typical spring weekend but a mix of well equipped hikers and folks bare booting. The upper Falling Waters was in good shape, but as I headed down it was getting soft. My spikes were forming snowballs on occasion but it wasn't significant. Once I hit the first upper stream crossing the snow started to get wet on top and "greasy". The crossings are all still in but they all have water running under them and postholes all the way through in spots. As I went down the going got slipperier, I was tempted to put on the crampons but just took it easy. I also got the standard questions from parties heading up with totally inappropriate gear on how much longer and how far to Lafayette. The lowest crossing is definitely breaking down.
When I got to the lot it was just about full. I didnt see any significant issues with crowding or lack of social distancing except within individual groups, the snow pack is firm enough to be able to step to the side without sinking deep.
Driving back to Gorham I saw all the normal hikers lots had cars. The Skook lot was just about full which is rare. Garfield looked full. Lowes Store didn't have a lot of hikers parked in the lot as the RMC cabins are closed. Appalachia was close to full. Nice start to spring under the new normal. My guess is the more popular NH state parks were overrun with the nice weather today. The NH governor has been trying to keep things open until proven its not effective and my guess is new restrictions may be in place in the coming weeks with respect to the parks so I wanted to make my hike up Lafayette sooner than later.
The ridge is 95% snow cover from Lafayette to Lincoln. There were a couple of steep short snow fields on the north slopes of the knobs in between the two summits that required some care. I had regular crampons in the pack but never needed them. Along the ridge I encountered several groups going CCW. They started out well equipped but as I got towards Lincoln I saw more and more groups with less gear. The summit of Lincoln is bare rock and much of the steep portion of the trail is also bare. Some folks had taken their traction off but I keep it on. I got to Haystack just before noon and the traffic up Falling Waters was increasing. Nowhere near a typical spring weekend but a mix of well equipped hikers and folks bare booting. The upper Falling Waters was in good shape, but as I headed down it was getting soft. My spikes were forming snowballs on occasion but it wasn't significant. Once I hit the first upper stream crossing the snow started to get wet on top and "greasy". The crossings are all still in but they all have water running under them and postholes all the way through in spots. As I went down the going got slipperier, I was tempted to put on the crampons but just took it easy. I also got the standard questions from parties heading up with totally inappropriate gear on how much longer and how far to Lafayette. The lowest crossing is definitely breaking down.
When I got to the lot it was just about full. I didnt see any significant issues with crowding or lack of social distancing except within individual groups, the snow pack is firm enough to be able to step to the side without sinking deep.
Driving back to Gorham I saw all the normal hikers lots had cars. The Skook lot was just about full which is rare. Garfield looked full. Lowes Store didn't have a lot of hikers parked in the lot as the RMC cabins are closed. Appalachia was close to full. Nice start to spring under the new normal. My guess is the more popular NH state parks were overrun with the nice weather today. The NH governor has been trying to keep things open until proven its not effective and my guess is new restrictions may be in place in the coming weeks with respect to the parks so I wanted to make my hike up Lafayette sooner than later.
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