Thursday, April 21, 2016

Franconia Ridge Traverse. April 17, 2016


Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Liberty, Mt. Flume
Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Osseo Trail, Lincoln Woods Trail
4,800 feet of elevation gain
14.4 miles

By now I was feeling better; last week I was sick and couldn't hike.  That is why there wasn't a trip report last week. 

A hiking friend, John Myers, came with us on this traverse!  We started off at a comfortable temperature--not too cold, not too hot.  I was excited because I really enjoy traverses!  Especially when the views are beautiful and the weather is behaving. 


Spring is coming!  There wasn't snow on the ground.  The soft and firm dirt felt better than the sinking, unpredictable snow I had mostly experienced during the previous few months.


Hiking with poles--I like focusing my camera on them.  Sage is blurred in the background.  As you can see, there still isn't snow on the ground.

Ice starts appearing, as we all expected.  It was slippery but still manageable without spikes...



Getting up there!  Here's some views.





This is a photo Mom wanted to contribute.  You can definitely see that the ice is growing!

At the hut.  The ice was pretty bad on the way here, but we eventually put on spikes and dealt with it.  Sage is taking a break!


Sage ascending Mt. Lafayette.  You can see the summit sign in front of her.


Mt. Lafayette's summit!



Looking at the spectacular views...


There were a lot of people on the summit.  Beautiful day, too...we delayered down to our T-shirts.



There's John.  We're starting to head over to Mt. Lincoln.



Mom wanted to contribute this picture.  It is a nice one of Sage and I hiking up Lincoln with Lafayette behind us...

The sky is so amazing!  Shocking blue with thin, faded wisps of white...


Looking back at Lafayette...

Mt. Cannon over there...

Mom took this picture of Sage...

...and this one of me...on the summit of Lincoln.


Liberty and Flume in the distance...taken by Mom.


Here is Sage hiking to Mt. Liberty...



Here we are on Mt. Liberty!  Summit marker!  Sage and I had been working on our chocolate bunnies from Easter and were finishing them up here.


Sage and I (Sage on the left and me on the right) on Liberty.  Photo by Mom...


All of us!  John took this one.






Mom took this one of John, Sage and me.

There's Flume...




Mom...



...me...



...and Sage...on Flume.  By the time we got here the temperature was very warm!  It truly felt like summer with a breeze up top.



Flume!  5.5 miles down, and then the end of another great hike.


2 comments:

  1. Nice pictures as always. trails are melting nicely up there.

    My cousin is hiking the Camino right now and I thought of you guys. she's having a blast.

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  2. Thank you for your comment. It's awesome that your cousin enjoys the Camino! I loved walking it as well.

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