White Mountains - Day 4 [Franconia Brook Trail]

Despite the rain and strong winds overnight, we had slept soundly and for many hours. As we ate breakfast, we thought about the first foods we would eat once we emerged from the forest. When we began our final day of hiking, only about eight miles separated us from our original starting point. 

 

The brooks, which we would have to cross a few times over the course of the day, were swollen from the previous day's rain. We marveled at the sheer power of the water crashing over the rocks as we left the campsite. Further down the trail, we passed through an area that was somewhat flooded out, due to the combination of precipitation and beaver activity. 

 

 

While much of the second half of the trip was wet, the sun reappeared to lift our spirits as we hiked towards the finish. As we neared the Lincoln Woods Trail, we began to encounter other hikers more frequently. As we officially exited the Pemigewasset Wilderness, we stopped to chat with a group who had spent the night at Guyot Campsite, where we had originally intended to spend the previous night. As they described the "gnarly" evening, which included snow, heavy wind, and freezing temperatures, we were reassured that our decision to descend had been the proper one. As soaked through and chilled as we were by mid-afternoon, spending the night in those conditions could have been beyond unpleasant.

 

 

We arrived at the car, after knocking out the final short stretch on the Lincoln Woods Trail, by mid-afternoon. We found it a bit of a challenge locating a restaurant where we could satisfy our cravings but were ultimately rewarded for our patience. We concluded the trip at Shilohs Restaurant in Woodsville with some loaded chicken tenders (with bacon, olives, jalapenos, cheese, and Ranch), a Sugar Shack Burger (maple, bacon, cheddar, and grilled onions), and a French Dip. What is your favorite food after a challenging hike? Let us know in the "Comments" section!

Check out the YouTube video!