Franconia Ridge, last Saturday

[Tarpan]

Hi!
I tried Franconia Ridge last Saturday. It was excellent : lots of snow and very-very windy. Unfortunally no views (snow powder in the air, see distance was about 30-50 feet). But I had a great fun. It was more hard then I expected : too strong wind on so low altitude. Next time I'll need gloves and special pants (something more then regular jeans). And that I really missed is a partner (as minimum one).
Can anybody recomend me couple trails above the tree line with great views?
--
Good Luck
Tarpan

 

[Mike P.]

Questions, suggestions

Any above treeline trail will offer great views, actually even walking in the woods this time of year is pretty. (Typically as a view junkie I don't care about woods walking but in winter with the snow & quiet, I enjoy it more)

So you went without gloves & wearing jeans? Jeans should never be worn in winter, you can't expect to keep them dry & when wet they suck the heat away from your body. In almost every guide book you will see the hiker's winter maxim "COTTON KILLS" (Sermon Over)

This weekend I did half of the popular Welch-Dickey Loop. Winter traffic on a warm winter Saturday was tolerable (In warmer weather this loop is mobbed) & the number of views from the ledges was surprising to me. On top of it all, I was on the more wooded of the two peaks. On top of it all the highest point is just 2,734 feet.

Some other places for great views on open summits below treeline, Mt. Crawford, Kearsarge North, The Moats, Imp Face.

Some easier, summits at, above or considered by many to be above treeline: Pierce, Jackson, Moriah & Liberty. All have open summits but are not too far from cover if weather is iffy.

Okay I promised the sermon was over so just re-read paragraph #2.

 

[Greg]

Tarpan - Heed Mike P.'s words. Franconia Ridge or any other White Mountain is no place to be without gloves and wearing cotton clothing in the middle of winter. Yes, Lafayette's elevation is lower than Mount Washington but the weather there can be very extreme. I wouldn't even consider wearing jeans in July much less January. Consider yourself lucky you didn't run into big trouble.

Check out this site for some tips - Tips for Safe Hiking in New Hampshire

Check out this thread on winter hiking on the AMC boards.

You may also want to read this thread.

I would do a bit more research before heading above treeline again in the winter. The weather this weekend was pretty rare. I was skiing at Loon Sunday and it was more like April than January. Don't count on your next winter hike being so forgiving.

 

[Tarpan]

> Jeans should never be worn in winter ...
I know, I know... But I have that I have. I'm in USA not so long, and I don't have all outdoor stuff that I need. I have bought some and will buy more. Franconia Ridge - it's not a long extreme trip, it's just 9 miles and 5260 feet top elevator. Because I didn't worry so much about gloves and jeans.
Unfortunally NH is not so close : I spend ~9 hours for driving to and back and only 6.5 hours for hiking. I live in Connecticut.
One-day hiking is too short for me. For "real feeling" I need 5-12 days. I'm not ready now for multyday winter hiking. I wait for spring-summer.
About Welch-Dickey Loop. What mean "did half of the loop"? Why you turned back?
Thanks for Sermon

 

[Mike P.]

Winter Hiking

Try Salvation Army, TJ Maxx & other discount retailers, KMart. For pants, even a cheap pair of fleece pants (forget The NorthFace Label ) or even old polyster pants.

Unsure what you are used to for elevation, treeline is more telling of conditions. Due to weather patterns, surrounding topography & latitude (I think that's right, how far north we are) Lafayette & the Presidentials have conditions associated with mountains much higher than they are. (For example, in the Rockies out west Treeline is around 11,000 feet)

Sounds like you live in Western or Southern CT. It takes me a little less than four hours to get to Franconia from South Of Hartford.

I was tired after getting up Dickey around 2:10. I had done Tecumseh in the morning. (Left CT around 4:00 started hiking at 7:45 finished at 12:00 & then drove to Welch Dickey Trailhead starting about 12:35. Combination of being tired & wanting to save some of this trip for doing with my family once daughter is older was motivation enough, seeing her awake when I got home was nice too.

 

[Tarpan]

> forget The NorthFace Label
Why? What's wrong with NorthFace? Too expansive? If I really need something fro outdoor, I'm not trying to save money. I've saw EMS Gore-Tex pants fro $100, it's a normal price.
I live in Waterbury, CT. Left CT at 5am, start hiking at 10 am, on Little Haystack was around 12:30. All another hikers turn back from Little Haystack, I continued hiking. I didn't found the mark on the top of mt Lincoln. That day was too windy and see distance was about 20-30 feet. I went throught mt Lincoln, and then I went up to the mt Lafaette, I really didn't know where I exactly.

 

[Mike P.]

Winter Gear

No issue with TNF but price. Most people would say that if you are hiking in jeans on Franconia Ridge in winter, you need pants. Consider info on TNF above as just me trying to get you more gear for the $$.

While I carry G-tex pants, I almost never wear them but opt for the EMS verison of TNF Tekware pants either unlined or lined with a synthetic material. Plenty of people do wear G-tex pants all the time in winter though.

Have fun be safe & good luck.
Mike P.

 

[Anonymous]

Franconia ridge

WOW! I am amazed you do Franconia Ridge in jeans but even more so, you do it alone. Go with a bud next time. there was a murder on the trails in NH this past Fall. Which brings up my question : I love to hike in the whites alone, sometimes, but now I am scared. How do you play it safe when you decide hiking it solo. You :beer: know, it's different for the girls. Any help or tips would be a plus. Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Hiking alone

Good point about hiking alone. I'm so looking forward to hiking again in the spring but am nervous at the same time. I like hiking alone too, so I can go at my own pace and not slow down or be slowed down by other hikers. It's also not always easy for people to match up there schedules.

So what's the answer(s)? Two people have suggested not being paranoid about it...they were both guys...but I don't see what's wrong with being cautious while on the trail. If I were paranoid I'd never go hiking again. And if some wacko is just looking to rob you men are not neccessarily immune.

I have considered mace, a pocket knife and my ski poles but all these could be turned around against you. Other options are only hiking on crowded trails or traveling in small groups. I wouldn't mind meeting other people at a trail head for a day hike now and then if some sort of message board could be started. Meanwhile, I'm also planning some of the easier hikes with my kids.

Hopefully no one will run into the aweful situation that poor lady did last fall and we can just continue enjoying the beautiful White mountains without looking over our shoulders. What are other peoples thoughts?

 

[Tarpan]

Jeans, Jeans ...
What's the problem?
Look at this : http://www.tarpan.htmlplanet.com/images/11.jpg
It's on top of Ullutau mount, Russia, about 14,500 feet. In that trip (12 days) I had no any special gear. Only regular old jaket, regular old pants, and boots with broken sole on one boot. All was excellent! In our whole team nobody has a Gore-Tex stuff.
What moving us up to mountains? Not a Gore-Tex, not a good pants. It's our spirit, our soul. For be alive, strong spirit is enough. With good gear it's a liitle bit better, a liitle bit more comfort. It's true, but it not a main.
Ok. I a liitle bit confused why peoples here so much amazed about jeans. :-?

For Mari :
Tips : do not hike by yourself. It's no complex, but it can be very dangeros. I knew if it that day I had a problem on Ridge my chance to go down safe was about 10%. (Really only if somebody accidentally found me). I did it because my friends here (in USA) have no any outdoor experience, but I so want to hike.
Help : next Sunday, any trail on your choice (above the tree line). Together.

Really that's all not only Mari.


... " murder on the trails in NH this past Fall" ...
What's the story?

 

[Anonymous]

Pinkham Notch

The day of Thanksgiving a body was found near the trailhead of Pinkham Notch. This was a woman about 40 or so from Canada, She was supposesd to be part of a group hike thing. She showed up, but that's all. Her body was discovered on Thanksgiving, BYE! Want to Winter Hike

 

[Greg]

Jeans

Tarpan - Have a look HERE. Especially note:

Please note that most climbers think synthetic fabrics are best for clothing because the synthetics continue to provide some insulating value even when slightly damp by snow, fog, rain, or perspiration. (Try really hard to keep you clothing as dry as possible all the same.) Wool is a natural alternate fabric, but most climbers judge that it does not perform as well as current synthetics, as it generally absorbs more moisture and takes longer to dry when dampened. Cotton is to be avoided - when damp, it speeds cooling and can be deadly. There is no place for jeans, cotton corduroys, chamois shirts, cotton flannels, cotton waffle underwear, or cotton sweatshirts on Mount Washington in winter!

The same holds true for any exposed White Mountain. Don't underestimate these mountains because of their altitide.

 

[Mike P.]

Hiking alone & Cotton

Seems that many climbs in Russia were done in jeans. About 4 years ago there was a right up in Climbing or R&I (Rock & Ice) of a former Russian (may have been Soviet, please excse my lack of being up on current world wide politics, the hiking/climbing is the issue here) climber who attempted Denali alone. (He had done Pik Communism & many 18K+ peaks before coming to America)

As I recall the write up of his rescue, his gear 60/40 jacket (50's & 60's State of the Art Poly Cotton blend) and his Dayhiking boots were near the top of his many mistakes.

Yes in the 1920 - 60's many people made impressive climbs in equipment no one recommends today. (Irvine & Mallory come to mind but then again, they perished) Point is for the price one could buy a pair of Levi's you can buy a pair of fleece pants or other synthetic from Ames, TJ Maxx, Wal-mart etc. My first hike of a New England Highpoint (Greylock) was done in jeans in Late May. I sweated so much the pants weighed a ton when I finished.

Nice poictures BTW.

My opinion on last Novemeber's events, (mine alone not the views of Alpinezone, AMC, Nh State Police, etc.,) this was not a hiking accident/crime. I believe she was somehow targeted due to her work or personal life. (She was late 40's or early 50's I seem to recall) She was a marriage constultant (can't spell councelor right now) from Canada, divorced twice (I think.) Some aspects of how & when crime & her missing were reported do not sit well with me. (Then again as a sometime solo hiker - all seasons - I may be placed blame elsewhere so I feel okay hiking by myself.)

The object is not to appear to be easily victimised. If you are a 5'1" 100 pound female, you will appear an easier target than a 6'3" 230 male who played football in college, I can't help you with that. AMC Chapters have planned hikes all year. I'd suggest joining some of these & picking a couple of people you get along with & plan additional hikes. They do not have to hike at same speed as you. I hike with two or three really fast hikers & we hike at our own pace. We are at trailhead & juctions together, eat together but much of the time we are seperated by 50-200 yards so I still feel alone on the trail. (The good kind of alone. I admit to being 6" + 212 pounds with ski poles too so I don't come across as a real easy target for mischief makers. My take on criminal - those committing random acts, is that they are after the easist target possible, if they had great work ethics, they'd be working. Driving to trailheads in winter & waiting for solitary victims is pretty silly, plenty of places closer to home to find victims.

 

[Anonymous]

Hiking alone

My very first hike was alone to Mt. Washington during the Summer. I met no one for 3/4's of the way up. Since then I have done a few more hikes in the Whites with company, but that first solo hike was pivotal in my life. It was well worth the flack I got from family and friends. I am petite 105 lbs. and middle age. Ironically my last hike last year was that Thanksgiving weekend of the fatality. As soon as we arrived at the Trailhead we were warned, there were four of us and only one was "male". I got some more flack and "I told you so". All in all I do not regret my experience and yes I will do it again. This week to be exact. Happy trails.

 

[twigeater]

twigeater

People are killed in car accidents every day, but do you stop driving? Do you avoid tall buildings since 09/11? So you'll never fly again? ONE murder in 30 years - come on!

I'm female, hike/camp/backpack/vacation alone and will continue to do so. I don't consider going solo taking a chance - I gotta live my life!

:smash:

 

[Anonymous]

Hiking

Me again, last year was the first time in my life I solo -d on the trails, the best day I had was Labor day going up Chocorua, it was beautiful and I was completely alone the entire way with only 3 others at the top. I will continue to take hikes alone this year. I also have 2 young daughters who did their first 4,000 fter in August - that too is part of the plan. Hiked for the first time in the berkshires this week - excellent weather...Mud season is coming early Hooray!