White Mountains - Day 2 [Franconia Ridge]

 


After some oatmeal and coffee, we headed back up to rejoin the Franconia Ridge Trail. Little Haystack was our first peak of the day. The number of people milling about on the summit was a bit surprising, given the timing and conditions; however, there is another popular trail that leads to the peak. Temperatures were in the 40s, with a stiff breeze, and we were, unfortunately, surrounded by thick clouds. There would be few of the spectacular views, of the valley below, we had enjoyed the previous day.  




The clouds would remain for the entirety of the 1.7 miles to the summit of Mount Lafayette. Although we missed out on the views of the landscape that extended below us, we were fascinated by the alpine vegetation. At times, it felt as though we were on another planet. Our stay atop Mount Lincoln, in between Little Haystack and Lafayette, was extremely brief, as the increasingly strong winds made for a brisk passage of the exposed ridge line. I felt the elevation change more in this section than I had been expecting, but it was still far less strenuous than the previous day's ascent. 

 





From Mount Lafayette, the Garfield Ridge Trail descends back below treeline before climbing to Mount Garfield's summit. The descent from Lafayette is rather steep at times. Luckily, we even caught a few breaks in the clouds before we made it below treeline. Once below treeline, there is some up and down, but there are a few easier sections of trail that are a welcome respite, of sorts. We made camp for the night near Garfield Pond before embarking on the steep climb up Garfield.

 

 


 


 

As we reviewed the next day's weather forecast, after dinner, we were forced to confront the very real possibility that we may not be able to complete our trip as originally intended. The forecast called for high temperatures in the 40s, with steady rain throughout the day. Overnight, temperatures were expected to drop, strong winds were anticipated, and snow was projected. We identified Galehead, another three miles beyond Garfield, as our last possible bailout point and went to sleep hoping for the best.   

 

Check out the YouTube video! 


 

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