10/10/2011 (Columbus Day)
- Mt Lincoln(5089’ AMC # 5) &
Mt Lafayette (5260’, AMC # 6)
Franconia Ridge Loop
counterclockwise. From Old Bridle Path
Trail Head to Falling Water trail up to Little Haystack (over 4k but not one of
the 48), across Franconia Ridge Trail to
Mt Lincoln across Franconia Ridge to Mt Lafayette, down Green Leaf Trail to Greenleaf
Hut, down Old Bridle Path to The trailhead.
8.9 miles, 3,900
ft elevation gain, book time: 6:25
My time 07:00 (daylight) to 19:00(dark) 12.0 hrs
Hardest part was last 500 ft up to Little Haystack. I kept telling myself “ I don’t belong here,
I don’t belong here", and I was probably right.
Some nice views of falls going up Falling Water. Great views on top of all 3 peaks.
Weather: clear 50 deg
+, 20 - 30 knt wind on top of Lafayette. No snow on ground yet or even on Washington.
Hurt my knee on the way down Bridle Path
and had to limp last 2-3 hrs. Last 1 ½ hours in darkness with a flashlight
Equipment: Heavy
wooden hiking stick (duh), and slip on shoes with no ankle support. I brought an old pair of hiking shoes but
after 10 minutes I realized I’d get blisters and went back to the car for my
only other pair of shoes. I met my friend Jeff from work and his family on top of Lincoln, they were doing the loop
clockwise. Jeff is the reason I started all this . He told me about the hike he was doing with his family this weekend. Since my breathing was getting better and better since my lung operation, I figured I'd give it a try. Once on the ridge looking over the whites on this blue sky day, I was hooked. I think I was also hooked just for the fact that it was so hard for me to do and the satisfaction that I got from finding that I could do this.
Hundreds of hikers on the mountain (and at least 10 dogs).
This was my first hike of any real
distance and elevation since the Marines decades ago.
Pictures:
Pictures:
Falls going up Falling Water trail
view of Mt Cannon
Last section of trail going up Little Haystack
(I used to think this was steep)
Within site of the top - I'm resting trying to get my breath.
Top of Haystack - though not one of the "48",
it was my first peak over 4k
Looking south to Liberty and Flume
on Lincoln looking North to Lafeyette
#2 Lafeyette Summit picture - trail signs on top
View North
old foundation of ??
Inside Green Leaf hut below Lafeyette.
bunk room in the hut
looking back at Lafeyette from Greenleaf Hut
hikers starting into wooded section of the trail in lower right
From view point part way down Old Bridle Path trail
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