| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Little Haystack Mountain, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Truman, Mt. Lafayette, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Greenleaf Trail, Old Bridle Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, September 9, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at 9:30 AM in east lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All water crossings were easy, even after the overnight rains. Waterfalls on FW were running well and pretty. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There was one large blowdown shortly uphill from the first Falling Waters ford. Would need to be sawed up or would take three strong adults to move it otherwise. Easily worked around, but should be removed. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Lots of happy dogs out and about. My impromptu trail partners for the day - we met just before Little Haystack summit - did have to carry their novice hiking schnauzer the last 2.5 miles down OBP after he started limping. He was having a ball before that, but his feet got tender. Plenty of water on the way up and in puddles along the way. |
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 | Bugs: |
Saw one fly all day. Not an issue. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was a red-letter day and, probably due to the stormy weather overnight, was relatively low traffic. The views were to Monadnock and Stratton southward and north to the Jays, with good looks at the Killington Range, Camel's Hump and Mansfield. The only peaks hiding in the clouds, not surprisingly, were the Presidentials, though a fellow hiker doing the loop in the opposite direction said they were clear and beautiful earlier. (I did get a great view of the Presi's, finally, from Sugar Hill on the drive home to Connecticut, with the additional bonus of some lovely alpenglow on the highest cliffs of Lafayette from the same spot, right at sunset.)
This was the clearest, finest day for views I've had in the Whites, a bit better than Moosilauke May 5. The highest birches were only just starting to turn yellow, so there was no foliage fest, though that will come very soon. The rains did make the trip down Agony Ridge on the Bridle Path treacherous in the usual places - lots of booty-scooting and grappling for handholds.
Finally, it was windy and cold above 4500'. A ball cap and my light jacket were plenty, though it did get cold on the stops I made in windy spots on the Franconia Ridge. Even so, I just wanted to stay there. Most amazing views I've ever taken in on a hike between Little Haystack and Lafayette equaled only, perhaps, by South Peak of Moosilauke and the Tuckerman Ravine ascent of the headwall and summit cone. Wow! |
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 | Name: |
Chris Stratton |
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 | E-Mail: |
christratton@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-09-10 |
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 | Link: |
 https://facebook.com/arkie.in.ct |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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