Northeast Passage: Franconia Ridge & The Flume (Part I/II)
Oct 7, 2014 19:07:04 GMT -5
Post by GaliWalker on Oct 7, 2014 19:07:04 GMT -5
The White Mountains of New Hampshire offer numerous wonders to the outdoorsman. The rugged peaks are big and bold. Waterfalls decorate the forested foothills, but screaming winds can rampage across the treeless ridge tops. Granite is the rock of choice, aesthetically beautiful on the ridges but tough to walk on, especially in the forested regions. In the dampness of the forest, slimy lichen and tree roots embrace the rocks, themselves worn to a smooth slickness by weather and the passage of time. However, once the requisite pound of flesh has been extracted and one has fought one's way atop the heights, the vistas on offer are expansive and thrilling.
Franconia Ridge
I had heard about Franconia Ridge five years ago, but other commitments had kept me from hiking it to date. I had also been keen to make it a fall trip, when New Hampshire is ablaze in autumnal glory. This year, with the stars in alignment, everything fell into place and my trip was on. A week before the trip, all planning complete, fate decided to have a bit of fun, laying me low with bronchitis. My hike had become just a touch more interesting.
On Sep 27, after a filling breakfast of antibiotics, I embarked on the long 8.5hr drive from Pittsburgh to Massachusetts, where I stayed the night at my sister-in-law's place. The next morning, around 2:30am, I drove the remaining 3.5hrs to the Falling Waters trailhead, geared up and took off up the trail. My hike was to be a 9mi loop, with almost 4,000ft of elevation gain. I knew from past experience of hiking in the Whites that the elevation gain would feel more like 1.5 times the actual stats, due to the ruggedness of the trails. Basically, almost every step has to be placed, since most of the hiking is on rock, not dirt.
The trail rose steadily for a while, then eased up for a short stretch, before becoming steep. It would remain steep for the remaining stretch to above tree line. Within the first 800ft of elevation gain, I was treated to three waterfalls in quick succession: Stairs Falls, Swiftwater Falls and finally Cloudland Falls. There wasn't a lot of water in the three falls, but they were still quite pretty.
Stairs Falls
Swiftwater Falls
Cloudland Falls
With the waterfalls out of the way, it was put your head down and hike time. I wanted to hurry a bit, to catch some of the nice morning light, which I knew was playing on the ridge tops. Unfortunately, my recent bout with bronchitis must have taken something out of me; all I could do was maintain a steady pace. Thankfully, when I broke out of the forest and reached the top of Little Haystack Mountain, the light was still nice. Looking south, towards the sun, was simply spectacular, since the backlit forests on the mountain slopes were on fire. Mounts Liberty and Flume were extremely photogenic subjects atop the flames.
It was a perfect day. Weather in the Whites can be a major factor above tree line, especially the wind. Thankfully, all I faced was a stiff breeze. Basking in the warm sunshine and the views I headed north, along Franconia Ridge, towards Mt Lincoln. All around me were stunted krumholz thickets; waist high fir trees, twisted and tortured by wind. Picking my way through the thickets initially, and then past granite outcrops, I traversed Franconia Ridge up to the summit of Mt Lincoln. Superb views in all directions from here. Liberty and Flume, standing tall in the distance, were the perfect backdrop for the Great Wall of Franconia, which is what the rocky trail looked like.
Mt Lincoln
Next up was Mt Lafayette, which also sported fine views, but not as nice as Mt Lincoln's. About a mile to the west, and quite a ways down, I could see the Greenleaf Hut, perched at the edge of a mountain shelf, nestling within a spruce forest. I headed down to the hut, past a steady stream of hikers. I see almost no one on the trails in Pennsylvania, so much so that now I found it quite enjoyable to have the occasional chat.
Mt Lafayette
AMC Greenleaf Hut
The hike down from Greenleaf Hut was painful, since I've got used to gentler trails, but mercifully short.
Hiking/photography stats: 9mi, 3850ft gain, 7.25hrs.
The Flume
After my Franconia Ridge hike, with a lot of the afternoon to play with, I headed off to the Flume, a narrow, claustrophobic gorge. This was a much easier hike, on manicured gravel 'trails', which made the elevation gain of 550ft, over 2mi, a dawdle.
Avalanche Falls
Pemigewasset River
The Pool
Franconia Ridge
I had heard about Franconia Ridge five years ago, but other commitments had kept me from hiking it to date. I had also been keen to make it a fall trip, when New Hampshire is ablaze in autumnal glory. This year, with the stars in alignment, everything fell into place and my trip was on. A week before the trip, all planning complete, fate decided to have a bit of fun, laying me low with bronchitis. My hike had become just a touch more interesting.
On Sep 27, after a filling breakfast of antibiotics, I embarked on the long 8.5hr drive from Pittsburgh to Massachusetts, where I stayed the night at my sister-in-law's place. The next morning, around 2:30am, I drove the remaining 3.5hrs to the Falling Waters trailhead, geared up and took off up the trail. My hike was to be a 9mi loop, with almost 4,000ft of elevation gain. I knew from past experience of hiking in the Whites that the elevation gain would feel more like 1.5 times the actual stats, due to the ruggedness of the trails. Basically, almost every step has to be placed, since most of the hiking is on rock, not dirt.
The trail rose steadily for a while, then eased up for a short stretch, before becoming steep. It would remain steep for the remaining stretch to above tree line. Within the first 800ft of elevation gain, I was treated to three waterfalls in quick succession: Stairs Falls, Swiftwater Falls and finally Cloudland Falls. There wasn't a lot of water in the three falls, but they were still quite pretty.
Stairs Falls
Swiftwater Falls
Cloudland Falls
With the waterfalls out of the way, it was put your head down and hike time. I wanted to hurry a bit, to catch some of the nice morning light, which I knew was playing on the ridge tops. Unfortunately, my recent bout with bronchitis must have taken something out of me; all I could do was maintain a steady pace. Thankfully, when I broke out of the forest and reached the top of Little Haystack Mountain, the light was still nice. Looking south, towards the sun, was simply spectacular, since the backlit forests on the mountain slopes were on fire. Mounts Liberty and Flume were extremely photogenic subjects atop the flames.
It was a perfect day. Weather in the Whites can be a major factor above tree line, especially the wind. Thankfully, all I faced was a stiff breeze. Basking in the warm sunshine and the views I headed north, along Franconia Ridge, towards Mt Lincoln. All around me were stunted krumholz thickets; waist high fir trees, twisted and tortured by wind. Picking my way through the thickets initially, and then past granite outcrops, I traversed Franconia Ridge up to the summit of Mt Lincoln. Superb views in all directions from here. Liberty and Flume, standing tall in the distance, were the perfect backdrop for the Great Wall of Franconia, which is what the rocky trail looked like.
Mt Lincoln
Next up was Mt Lafayette, which also sported fine views, but not as nice as Mt Lincoln's. About a mile to the west, and quite a ways down, I could see the Greenleaf Hut, perched at the edge of a mountain shelf, nestling within a spruce forest. I headed down to the hut, past a steady stream of hikers. I see almost no one on the trails in Pennsylvania, so much so that now I found it quite enjoyable to have the occasional chat.
Mt Lafayette
AMC Greenleaf Hut
The hike down from Greenleaf Hut was painful, since I've got used to gentler trails, but mercifully short.
Hiking/photography stats: 9mi, 3850ft gain, 7.25hrs.
The Flume
After my Franconia Ridge hike, with a lot of the afternoon to play with, I headed off to the Flume, a narrow, claustrophobic gorge. This was a much easier hike, on manicured gravel 'trails', which made the elevation gain of 550ft, over 2mi, a dawdle.
Avalanche Falls
Pemigewasset River
The Pool
