BIGEarl
Well-known member
October 30, 2009: Triple Hit & Run (almost)
Trails: Mount Tecumseh Trail, Gorge Brook Trail, Falling Waters Trail
Summits: Tecumseh, Moosilauke
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), and me
The plan was a simple one, start early and complete three hikes; Tecumseh via Mount Tecumseh Trail, Moosilauke via Gorge Brook Trail, and Lincoln via Falling Waters Trail and Franconia Ridge Trail. A little trailhead hopping is always a fun change.
The forecast for the day called for sunny and warm conditions with a sky cover of approximately sixty percent, a nice mix of blue sky and clouds for great pictures. We had a day of the air temperature and dew point temperature to be nearly the same causing full overcast conditions, lots of fog, and occasional rain. We drove to the mountains to hike, so we hiked.
Hit & Run #1: Tecumseh
We arrived early enough to enjoy the expected beautiful sunrise on Tecumseh. After a brief side-trip to the Livermore Trailhead to use the incredible facilities located there, we hit the trail. All trails were completely clear of snow and ice but there was extra mud. We managed to pick our way around most of the mud pits but occasionally missed one that was hiding underneath the fallen leaves. Hiking the Mount Tecumseh Trail in the dark is an interesting experience. We knew of landmarks along the way and these were the only reference points that registered on the hike to the summit. The stream crossings, the spur to the viewpoint on the ski trail, Sosman Trail junction, and the final trail split below the summit were the key locations that registered with me on the hike to the summit of Tecumseh. As we reached the summit area the day was starting to get light and we no longer needed to use the headlights to guide the way. There were no views, and no visible sunrise. We got the summit pictures, made the u-turn, and headed back down to the truck. Roughly a half mile from the trailhead we started meeting others headed for the summit. One man commented he was usually the first one on the trail. He had at least half a dozen ahead of him on this day. Hopefully, the next target would have some views.
Hit & Run #2: Moosilauke
It was a quick drive to the start of our hike to Moosilauke. On the way we needed to make a decision; Gorge Brook or Beaver Brook. As we came to the turn for route 118 we nearly stopped in the middle of the road trying to decide. Since the hike plans that were left behind with family were based on Gorge Brook we made the left and headed for Ravine Road and the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. We arrived to the area and found a couple others preparing for their hike. There, on the end of the line of vehicles were Kevin Rooney and Al Dwyer – it was a real pleasure to meet both of you guys. As we visited the third of their group, Steve arrived. Sue and I still had some hiking planned for the day and needed to get moving. We set off to the summit of Moosilauke via Gorge Brook Trail.
Gorge Brook is clear sailing to the summit. There are a few small areas of mud that are all easy to pass. Roughly three to four hundred feet below the treeline we climbed into the clouds. No views on Moosilauke either. We made our way to the area just below the treeline and decided the wind was probably going to be a little uncomfortable. We stopped to pull out jackets and set off for the summit post. On the way through the summit scrub we met three others that were headed back down and evidently not pleased with the conditions. We hit the summit, got the usual summit pictures, and u-turned to the trailhead. Roughly a third of the way back down we met Kevin Rooney and the gang making their way to the summit. After another short visit we were all on our way.
On the way down we met quite a few other hikers making the climb. Some were as surprised by the conditions as we were. Back at the trailhead, we found the three guys that passed us near the summit. They were loading their things to take off and at least a couple of them still looked a little grumpy.
Hit & Run #3: Lincoln
We’re coming up on mid-afternoon and starting our third and final hike for the day. We planned to enjoy a sunset from Lincoln and the night views from Franconia Ridge. Scratch those plans. We also wanted to enjoy the falls on the way up the Falling Waters Trail and to clearly understand the trail route in daylight conditions. We have passed through this trail a couple times after dark and were really confused by the poor markings in the area of the falls. We re-loaded with water and set off for Lincoln.
As we were hiking in we met several others hiking out. Franconia Notch was plugged with low-hanging clouds and fog but we were still very interested in hiking our plan. The first objective was the area of the falls where we would spend extra time as needed to learn the landmarks of the area to make after-dark exits less stressful. Slowly we made our way along the falls making note of the various trail features and nearby landmarks that would be visible in a headlight beam. Eventually, we found ourselves at the top crossing of Dry Brook and heading into the switchbacks.
As we hiked through the series of switchbacks we hiked into the clouds. We also hiked into wind, and mixed precipitation. The conditions were deteriorating. A couple switchbacks before reaching the Shining Rock Spur we were hiking with very limited visibility due to the clouds, the temperature was dropping, the wind was loud enough for me to hear it (pretty loud), and the precipitation was increasing. We made it to Shining Rock Spur and stopped to discuss the situation. We were approximately .2 miles from the treeline, .4 miles from the Franconia Ridge Trail, and 1.1 miles from the summit of Lincoln. Visibility and the general weather conditions were deteriorating fast. We discussed the situation and our feelings about continuing the hike and concluded the smart decision was to call it a hike and head for the truck. Lincoln wasn’t going anywhere.
We still had to test our new knowledge of the Falling Waters Trail around the falls. The exit to the top crossing of Dry Brook was nothing more than the usual knee-pounding which is common from the Falling Waters Trail in non-winter conditions. We made the first reverse crossing and increased our level of focus. Along with the trail finding in darkness that we were dealing with we also had wet slabs littered with leaves making the footing very questionable in many areas. Slowly we replayed the hike in and made it through the upper couple areas of confusion and down to the mid-crossing of Dry Brook. So far, so good. The next section was one of the most confusing in past hikes. We managed to make it down a large slab with a little sliding along the way and reached the next crossing area with no confusion at all. Again, crossing Dry Brook we were on the final section that led to the lower crossing of Dry Brook. As we came down to the final crossing Sue commented about the falls and the increased flow. It seemed the water had significantly increased since our earlier pass through the area. Finally, success without any backtracks. We made the lower crossing of Dry Brook and took off for the truck. After the falls, the hike out is a little more than a mile of easy walking. Watch out for the mud pits and you can even make it with clean boots. We did okay.
That’s it. We came up a little short on a triple hit & run but we safely found our way back to the truck and headed for home. That’s the important part. We planned on a little over 20 miles and 8000 feet of elevation, and enjoyed a little over 18 miles and 7000 feet of elevation. Not a bad day by any standard.
Thanks Sue – we took a questionable day and really got quite a bit from it. I had a great time as usual, and hope you did too.
Pictures will follow.
Trails: Mount Tecumseh Trail, Gorge Brook Trail, Falling Waters Trail
Summits: Tecumseh, Moosilauke
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), and me
The plan was a simple one, start early and complete three hikes; Tecumseh via Mount Tecumseh Trail, Moosilauke via Gorge Brook Trail, and Lincoln via Falling Waters Trail and Franconia Ridge Trail. A little trailhead hopping is always a fun change.
The forecast for the day called for sunny and warm conditions with a sky cover of approximately sixty percent, a nice mix of blue sky and clouds for great pictures. We had a day of the air temperature and dew point temperature to be nearly the same causing full overcast conditions, lots of fog, and occasional rain. We drove to the mountains to hike, so we hiked.
Hit & Run #1: Tecumseh
We arrived early enough to enjoy the expected beautiful sunrise on Tecumseh. After a brief side-trip to the Livermore Trailhead to use the incredible facilities located there, we hit the trail. All trails were completely clear of snow and ice but there was extra mud. We managed to pick our way around most of the mud pits but occasionally missed one that was hiding underneath the fallen leaves. Hiking the Mount Tecumseh Trail in the dark is an interesting experience. We knew of landmarks along the way and these were the only reference points that registered on the hike to the summit. The stream crossings, the spur to the viewpoint on the ski trail, Sosman Trail junction, and the final trail split below the summit were the key locations that registered with me on the hike to the summit of Tecumseh. As we reached the summit area the day was starting to get light and we no longer needed to use the headlights to guide the way. There were no views, and no visible sunrise. We got the summit pictures, made the u-turn, and headed back down to the truck. Roughly a half mile from the trailhead we started meeting others headed for the summit. One man commented he was usually the first one on the trail. He had at least half a dozen ahead of him on this day. Hopefully, the next target would have some views.
Hit & Run #2: Moosilauke
It was a quick drive to the start of our hike to Moosilauke. On the way we needed to make a decision; Gorge Brook or Beaver Brook. As we came to the turn for route 118 we nearly stopped in the middle of the road trying to decide. Since the hike plans that were left behind with family were based on Gorge Brook we made the left and headed for Ravine Road and the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. We arrived to the area and found a couple others preparing for their hike. There, on the end of the line of vehicles were Kevin Rooney and Al Dwyer – it was a real pleasure to meet both of you guys. As we visited the third of their group, Steve arrived. Sue and I still had some hiking planned for the day and needed to get moving. We set off to the summit of Moosilauke via Gorge Brook Trail.
Gorge Brook is clear sailing to the summit. There are a few small areas of mud that are all easy to pass. Roughly three to four hundred feet below the treeline we climbed into the clouds. No views on Moosilauke either. We made our way to the area just below the treeline and decided the wind was probably going to be a little uncomfortable. We stopped to pull out jackets and set off for the summit post. On the way through the summit scrub we met three others that were headed back down and evidently not pleased with the conditions. We hit the summit, got the usual summit pictures, and u-turned to the trailhead. Roughly a third of the way back down we met Kevin Rooney and the gang making their way to the summit. After another short visit we were all on our way.
On the way down we met quite a few other hikers making the climb. Some were as surprised by the conditions as we were. Back at the trailhead, we found the three guys that passed us near the summit. They were loading their things to take off and at least a couple of them still looked a little grumpy.
Hit & Run #3: Lincoln
We’re coming up on mid-afternoon and starting our third and final hike for the day. We planned to enjoy a sunset from Lincoln and the night views from Franconia Ridge. Scratch those plans. We also wanted to enjoy the falls on the way up the Falling Waters Trail and to clearly understand the trail route in daylight conditions. We have passed through this trail a couple times after dark and were really confused by the poor markings in the area of the falls. We re-loaded with water and set off for Lincoln.
As we were hiking in we met several others hiking out. Franconia Notch was plugged with low-hanging clouds and fog but we were still very interested in hiking our plan. The first objective was the area of the falls where we would spend extra time as needed to learn the landmarks of the area to make after-dark exits less stressful. Slowly we made our way along the falls making note of the various trail features and nearby landmarks that would be visible in a headlight beam. Eventually, we found ourselves at the top crossing of Dry Brook and heading into the switchbacks.
As we hiked through the series of switchbacks we hiked into the clouds. We also hiked into wind, and mixed precipitation. The conditions were deteriorating. A couple switchbacks before reaching the Shining Rock Spur we were hiking with very limited visibility due to the clouds, the temperature was dropping, the wind was loud enough for me to hear it (pretty loud), and the precipitation was increasing. We made it to Shining Rock Spur and stopped to discuss the situation. We were approximately .2 miles from the treeline, .4 miles from the Franconia Ridge Trail, and 1.1 miles from the summit of Lincoln. Visibility and the general weather conditions were deteriorating fast. We discussed the situation and our feelings about continuing the hike and concluded the smart decision was to call it a hike and head for the truck. Lincoln wasn’t going anywhere.
We still had to test our new knowledge of the Falling Waters Trail around the falls. The exit to the top crossing of Dry Brook was nothing more than the usual knee-pounding which is common from the Falling Waters Trail in non-winter conditions. We made the first reverse crossing and increased our level of focus. Along with the trail finding in darkness that we were dealing with we also had wet slabs littered with leaves making the footing very questionable in many areas. Slowly we replayed the hike in and made it through the upper couple areas of confusion and down to the mid-crossing of Dry Brook. So far, so good. The next section was one of the most confusing in past hikes. We managed to make it down a large slab with a little sliding along the way and reached the next crossing area with no confusion at all. Again, crossing Dry Brook we were on the final section that led to the lower crossing of Dry Brook. As we came down to the final crossing Sue commented about the falls and the increased flow. It seemed the water had significantly increased since our earlier pass through the area. Finally, success without any backtracks. We made the lower crossing of Dry Brook and took off for the truck. After the falls, the hike out is a little more than a mile of easy walking. Watch out for the mud pits and you can even make it with clean boots. We did okay.
That’s it. We came up a little short on a triple hit & run but we safely found our way back to the truck and headed for home. That’s the important part. We planned on a little over 20 miles and 8000 feet of elevation, and enjoyed a little over 18 miles and 7000 feet of elevation. Not a bad day by any standard.
Thanks Sue – we took a questionable day and really got quite a bit from it. I had a great time as usual, and hope you did too.
Pictures will follow.
