MARI
New member
Date : Sunday, May 28th 2006
Trails: Old Bridle Path to Franconia Ridge Trail to Falling Waters Trail
Distance: 9 miles round trip
Conditions: Warm weather, wet trails in some locations.
Difficulty: Somewhat strenuous, especially after winter of low key hiking.
Equipment: None - Except much needed sun screen
REPORT:
What a glorious day to be out on Franconia Ridge! Here was Memorial Day Weekend and with temperatures reaching the low 80's in the Whites, this was my first big hike of the season. I left the Lafayette parking lot at 9:00 with my black lab, Ruby. I was prepared for cooler weather conditions, seeing it was still late May, and afterall, this was the Notch. By 10:00, I had stripped down to a tank top, tying my fleece to my back pack. Old Bridle Path was wet in some spots. I did not encounter much traffic going up, but found a nice group of people at the the hut. Ruby stopped at every conceivable point of dampness to quench the thirst! This was a warm day , particularly for the dog, on her first "4,000 footer."
Upon reaching the summit of Lafayette, a fellow hiker promised there was "still some snow at the top"! To my delight, there was indeed 3 or 4 small patches of snow. Many hikers , at that point ,were enjoying lunch at the summit, with spectacular views . Ruby found a comfortably cool patch of snow and parked herslf there for a short nap.
Over the Franconia Ridge Trail the traffic picked up quite a bit. I ran into a lot of friendly folks and even friendlier pooches. I stopped for D.A.T. (Dog Appreciation Time) and spoke with many hikers who were still planning out their trips. Some women did not have enough water, and this was a common complaint. The high temps left many in short water supply. I stopped at Lincoln's summit for some pics, where a generous woman offered to shoot some shots me. Here, many hikers basked in the sunshine, soaking up this awesome weather and stunning beauty.I was also amazed to see many children on the trail. The youngest, a little girl age 7, who I heard telling her mother, "I see our car down there!"
The descent down Falling Waters Trail was packed with hikers coming up. I was surprised to see a number of hikers in long sweatshirts and (gasp) jeans! These people appeared very over-heated, and I was excited to be heading into the cool mist of the Falls! The Dry Brook cascades were stunning! So many people stopping to relax by the water, take pictures and just enjoy the amazing elements. I stopped a few times to take pics too. Some of the footing was slippery, and Ruby had some difficulty on the steep, tricky nooks. I ran into a Romanian couple who had also come ill prepared for the hike. They each wore scruffy sandals and jeans, and were disappointed that they had not been more prepared. All in all, this was just a magnificent day to be hiking in the Whites for the first time this season! I can't wait to come back! Total trip time, for me: 6 hours.I arrived back at my car at 3:15 and drove back to Twin Mountain.
Here's a tip I will pass along. I stayed at Lyons Motel on Rt 302 in Twin Mountain. The Motel is reverting to a "Hiker Hostel" only, for $20.00 a night. I had a bunk room to myself, with private bathroom and hot shower. (No heat) but had electricity. This is a great bargain, for someone like me with little time to set up camp. Lyons is also Dog Friendly! Bring your Sleeping Bag!
Trails: Old Bridle Path to Franconia Ridge Trail to Falling Waters Trail
Distance: 9 miles round trip
Conditions: Warm weather, wet trails in some locations.
Difficulty: Somewhat strenuous, especially after winter of low key hiking.
Equipment: None - Except much needed sun screen
REPORT:
What a glorious day to be out on Franconia Ridge! Here was Memorial Day Weekend and with temperatures reaching the low 80's in the Whites, this was my first big hike of the season. I left the Lafayette parking lot at 9:00 with my black lab, Ruby. I was prepared for cooler weather conditions, seeing it was still late May, and afterall, this was the Notch. By 10:00, I had stripped down to a tank top, tying my fleece to my back pack. Old Bridle Path was wet in some spots. I did not encounter much traffic going up, but found a nice group of people at the the hut. Ruby stopped at every conceivable point of dampness to quench the thirst! This was a warm day , particularly for the dog, on her first "4,000 footer."
Upon reaching the summit of Lafayette, a fellow hiker promised there was "still some snow at the top"! To my delight, there was indeed 3 or 4 small patches of snow. Many hikers , at that point ,were enjoying lunch at the summit, with spectacular views . Ruby found a comfortably cool patch of snow and parked herslf there for a short nap.
Over the Franconia Ridge Trail the traffic picked up quite a bit. I ran into a lot of friendly folks and even friendlier pooches. I stopped for D.A.T. (Dog Appreciation Time) and spoke with many hikers who were still planning out their trips. Some women did not have enough water, and this was a common complaint. The high temps left many in short water supply. I stopped at Lincoln's summit for some pics, where a generous woman offered to shoot some shots me. Here, many hikers basked in the sunshine, soaking up this awesome weather and stunning beauty.I was also amazed to see many children on the trail. The youngest, a little girl age 7, who I heard telling her mother, "I see our car down there!"
The descent down Falling Waters Trail was packed with hikers coming up. I was surprised to see a number of hikers in long sweatshirts and (gasp) jeans! These people appeared very over-heated, and I was excited to be heading into the cool mist of the Falls! The Dry Brook cascades were stunning! So many people stopping to relax by the water, take pictures and just enjoy the amazing elements. I stopped a few times to take pics too. Some of the footing was slippery, and Ruby had some difficulty on the steep, tricky nooks. I ran into a Romanian couple who had also come ill prepared for the hike. They each wore scruffy sandals and jeans, and were disappointed that they had not been more prepared. All in all, this was just a magnificent day to be hiking in the Whites for the first time this season! I can't wait to come back! Total trip time, for me: 6 hours.I arrived back at my car at 3:15 and drove back to Twin Mountain.
Here's a tip I will pass along. I stayed at Lyons Motel on Rt 302 in Twin Mountain. The Motel is reverting to a "Hiker Hostel" only, for $20.00 a night. I had a bunk room to myself, with private bathroom and hot shower. (No heat) but had electricity. This is a great bargain, for someone like me with little time to set up camp. Lyons is also Dog Friendly! Bring your Sleeping Bag!
