There wasn’t any running water around so we got by with melted snow to cook our breakfast. Lafayette your first. Route - up to Little Haystack to Lincoln to Lafayette Great weather but mix bag of conditions- thick ice, packed snow and bare rock Do not underestimate the time required for this loop. It is one of the biggest and most challenging in the area. Lafayette, Lincoln and Little Haystack when storms approach. Ridge was windy and chilly, but good enough visibility. Winter hiking: Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop Subjects: Jim, Lou, Eddie and Don Date: Feb, 19th 2017 As the tallest mountain outside of Franconia Ridge, Lafayette stands out and looms over Franconia Notch. Appalachian Mountain Club, 10 City Square, Boston, MA 02129 P: 617-523-0655 F: 617-523-0722, The 10 essentials for a safe and pleasant hike, White Mountain Guidebooks and Maps from AMC, AMC Field Guide to New England Alpine Summits, AMC White Mountain Guided Programs and Chapter Trips, Outdoor Skills and Leadership Training with AMC, Give Back! Up to Haystack, over to Lafayette,, down to hut, finished on Old Bridal. Got all the peaks and traverse to ourselves! On the western side, its lower slopes lie inside Franconia Notch State Park. Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop is a 8.6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Lincoln, New Hampshire that features a waterfall and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Start the hike at 'Falling Waters Trail', which is rather steep, but good for ascending the mountains. Pick up the old bridle path for a relatively easy hike down the mountain. Mount Liberty, Mount Flume, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Lafayette is a 13 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Lincoln, New Hampshire that features beautiful wild flowers and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Volunteer for White Mountain Trails. Loved hiking up Falling Waters....the ridge is spectacular!! Lafayette was renamed to honor the Marquis de Lafayette’s assistance in the War of Independence. Route Summary This is a loop hike starting and ending at the Lafayette Place parking area. This is almost always climbed (when done alone) by the Old Bridle Path to the Greenleaf Hut and the Greenleaf Trail to the summit of Mt. Hikers are advised to pay particular attention to weather conditions for the area and avoid the ridgecrest on Mts. Enjoy the view of the mountain from the base of the notch. There is limited parking at the trailhead and the trail gets very busy during weekends and holidays. In addition to 5,261-foot Mt. Minimal wind today with epic clouds! The trail is primarily used for hiking, mountain biking, and snowshoeing and is best used from April until October. Started at 1pm, arrived back at 7 pm, nice little twilight hike. I must say this trail was spectacular in the winter! Given our day of strenuous hiking on Day 1, Dan and I slept like rocks and woke up a little stuff but generally no worse for wear. For recommendations on how to plan a safe hike in the White Mountains, see: The 10 essentials for a safe and pleasant hike. Trailhead is on east side of road and is well marked. Closer to the east, you can see Twin Mt., Mt. TrailsNH.com. Home Lists by length Lists of mountains by elevation New England Hundred Highest New … Combine this with strenuous and nervous hiking on the' knife-edge' between Mount Little Haystack, Lincoln, and Lafayette, and you've got the recipe for a good day out. Just pay attention to tracks, watch your steps. It is the sixth highest peak in New Hampshire and the highest outside of the Presidential Range. Many people were on the trail still at 3pm. This is a hike up a mountain so the entire hike is pretty challenging. Washington towering above everything else. Very steep at some points. We didn’t have spikes and I wish we did. There are excellent views along the Old Bridle Path, and the last mile up the Greenleaf trail is entirely above treeline. The Mt. The trail climbs over large rock slabs and boulders from the junction to the summit of Northwest Lafayette before continuing to the Lafayette … © Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved. When it comes to hiking in the White mountains, look no further than the popular Mt. Hikers interested in extending their activities into winter are strongly advised to seek out organized trips with leaders who have extensive winter experience. Do not attempt leisurely, nor alone. I love the ridgeline views that it offers! When you come to the Skookumchuck Trail and Garfield Trail Junction, you want to make a right-hand turn (south) to hike to Mount Lafayette. Wind speeds of 40mph and gusts of 50+ created well below 0 real feel temps. Absolutely necessary on old bridal path descent. USFS Pemigewasset Ranger Station, Plymouth, (603)536-1310. As a bonus, you will climb three peaks, including the largest mountain outside the Presidential Range-Mount Lafayette. Crampons a must...make sure you stalk the weather on Washington and Lafayette....be prepared. Duration - 4 hours 30 minutes, 8.8 miles Micro-spikes, layers, and snowshoes are recommended. This section of the trail coincides with the Appalachian Trail and you’re likely to run into thru-hikers between July and September. The elevation gain of the trail is 3,822 feet and is not easy to hike. For all the adventure lovers Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop is a must-hike trail. The AMC’s Hiker Shuttle stops at the Old Bridle Path Trailhead, connecting with The Highland Center and Lafayette Place Campground. It is common to hike these mountains together as they form a nice loop that start and end in the same parking area. Make sure the weather is good before continuing south down the ridge. About 4 inches of snow on the trail, was quite packed down. Kinsman Pond via Lonesome Lake and Fishing Jimmy Trail, Appalachian Trail: Franconia Notch State Park to Zealand Notch, North Kinsman and South Kinsman Trail via Lonesome Lake and Appalachian Trail, North Kinsman, South Peak and Cannon Balls Loop Trail, Lonesome Lake via Cascade Brook and Pemi Trail, Cascade Brook, Lonesome Lake, North Kinsman and South Kinsman Mountain Loop, Mount Lafayette, Little Haystack Mountain, Mount Liberty, and Mount Flume Loop, Kinsman Loop via AT and Cascade Brook Trails, Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop, https://www.nhstateparks.org/activities/hiking/franconia-notch-hiker-parking. The AMC recommends all hikers check weather conditions in advance, carry a current map and guidebook, along with a compass and knowledge of how to use it. Mount Lafayette: Wonderful Hike - See 58 traveller reviews, 67 candid photos, and great deals for Franconia, NH, at Tripadvisor. To the east you can see the presidential range, with Mt. Restrooms are located just after the start of the trail. Tracks on the ground were hard to make out sometimes, but luckily there was pee in the snow to confirm I was on the right path, lols. On that 95-degree Thursday afternoon in May, we headed north from Kittery, seeking cooler air and adventure. The trail is located near Franconia, New Hampshire and is 8.6 miles in length. Welcome! $3 a day to park here. Steep, icy and extremely slippery at some points which requires micro-spikes. With this being said, Mount Lafayette is a stunning hike in all 4 seasons. Great day to start the New Year! This is one of the most popular hiking peaks in the White Mountains because: (1) there is a popular 8.9 mile loop hike that is all class 1, (2) the summit is above treeline, (3) the mountain is right off of a major Interstate, and (4) as such, it is only about a 2 hour drive from Bo… Up falling waters; little haystack -> Lincoln -> Lafayette. Partial Pemi Loop – Part 2. Winter hiking anywhere in the White Mountains requires specialized equipment and skills, and experience in coping with weather, navigation, and winter gear. Please visit the following page for more information https://www.nhstateparks.org/activities/hiking/franconia-notch-hiker-parking. This is a very popular full day hike for good reasons. As a bonus you will ascend three peaks, including the highest mountain outside the Presidential Range - Mount Lafayette. The following link to the State Parks Department can be used for reference and additional information: Lafayette loop. As always, bring good footgear, rain clothes, and extra clothes. The mountain's upper reaches are located in the alpine zone, an area where only … TrailsNH has just about every hiking trip report, trail advisory, and forest road closing in the Northeast. We went up falls. Conditions - identifiable trail until tree line (true for ascent and descent); recent heavy snow fall (~12") made for intermittent deep snow starting at 2.5 miles through 5.5 miles; snowshoers had sufficiently packed down enough of the trail that only micro-spikes were used, but snowshoes could have been beneficial between mile 2.5 through 5.5 Mount Lafayette has some of the best views of the 4000footers in the White Mountains, and it's right off 93 which means it's only 2 hours from Boston. Relatively packed trail, no need for snowshoes currently! You've reached the highest point at this summit. Winter Hike up Mount Lafayette. Tag: Mount Lafayette. Posted on May 20, 2018 by Dianne Fallon. After a great climb from Little Haystack, you are now on top of the second 4000 footer of the day. A typical stretch of the Falling Waters Trail. It was also voted the best hike in the Whites earlier this year in the Boston Globe’s Hike the Whites challenge. This hike is amazing. This loop is 8.9 miles with an elevation gain of about 3,900 feet. If weather cooperates it provides spectacular views. Lincoln (2017-01-05). Lists: Lafayette River, entirely in the city of Norfolk, Virginia Mount Lafayette New Hampshire Lafayette Village, a historic district in North Kingstown, Rhode South . Mount Lafayette is a 5,249-foot mountain at the northern end of the Franconia Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, United States. If the parking lot is full, you can take the shuttle service. Beautiful!!! We’ve been on the ridge Summer & Fall, so it was lovely to see it in the winter.....we hiked today....little to no wind, little icy coming off the ridge to Greenleaf & Old Bridle. Lafayette, the route also encompasses 5,089-foot Mt. 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