Summits: Mount Liberty (4,459'), Mount Flume (4,328')
Trail route: Basin Bushwhack, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail
Trail conditions: Bare ground, wet, mud, firm monorail and unconsolidated monorail with deep snow off the side of the monorail
Weather: Cool to Warm temps, cloudy to partly cloudy with a good dose of sunshine
Total miles: 8.8
Total time: 8:30
Warm temperatures, rain and deep snow present difficult trail conditions for Spring hiking. That would explain the low number of hikers on the trails this time of year. So I would be joining Jill, Larry, Scott and Lisa for a hike into a variety of trail conditions. I was expecting a challenge and hoping for a tolerable hike.
We met at the northbound Basin parking lot. Not knowing what kind of trail conditions we would encounter it was collectively decided that we would carry our snowshoes just in case of deep soft snow. We departed the parking lot onto the paved bike path and made our way down to the bushwhack.
There is a log across a small brook that marks the beginning of the bushwhack. There was a noticeable herd path that was easily followed to the Liberty Spring Trail. The snow is gone down low except for an occasional patch here and there in the woods. There were sections of the trail that were very wet with flowing water. Rock hopping allowed us to keep our feet dry.
We arrived at our first significant water crossing and took a few moments to plot our path. It would require that we step on submerged rocks. The boots got wet but the feet stayed dry. At about 1.5 miles the first remnants of a monorail appeared on the trail. At first it was sporadic but became continuous and we eventually had to put on our microspikes.
There was lots of snow when we passed by Liberty Spring Tentsite. Further up we turned south onto the Franconia Ridge Trail. Just before reaching the summit of Mount Liberty the snow was completely gone and we removed our microspikes. Up on the summit it was a comfortably cool, beautiful day with spectacular views in every direction. We stopped for lunch before moving on to Mount Flume. Larry decided that one summit was enough for him today and he turned back as we departed for Flume.
Shortly after descending from the summit we were back in our microspikes tackling the monorail. Care had to be taken to stay in the middle of the monorail. A step to the side meant sliding off the monorail and even worse postholing into very deep snow. There were sections of good, solid, monorail and sections of broken, deteriorated monorail. It was a variety of conditions and the threat of postholing was in every step we took.
We dropped down into the col and up to the summit of Mount Flume. The summit was bare and we removed the microspikes. We were again presented with spectacular views. There was a very friendly chickadee that landed on my open hand even without any food. I did reward the chickadee with a nut the next time it landed. That was the first time I had ever seen a chickadee land on a hand. I've seen plenty of gray jays do this but never a chickadee.
After spending some time on the summit we put our microspikes back on and started our return trip over the same trails we had just come from. It was the same cautious hike over the deteriorating monorail, back up to Mount Liberty removing our microspikes then putting them back on for the trip down the other side. More monorail until it dwindled down to bare ground, mud and water. We easily found the bushwhack, crossed the log over the small brook where we started early this morning then up to the paved bike path that brought us back to the parking lot.
Spring hiking conditions are a challenge and today was no exception although the weather was about as I expected and the trail conditions were actually better than anticipated. With a lot of deep snow still up in the higher wooded elevations I expect hiking will continue to be challenging throughout the month of May in various locations.
Enjoy the photos and videos!
The hike starts here on the paved bike path
A log crossing starts the bushwhack
A successful crossing with nobody wet
A very wet trail
At the trail junction we continue on the Liberty Spring Trail
Best section of trail all day
Plotting our course across the water
Jill leads the way
Larry has no problem while Scott watches
Another easier water crossing
Some more wet trail
Monorail starting to show itself
Scott making his way up the monorail
Lisa works her way around a blowdown
Almost at the Liberty Spring Tentsite
Lots of snow at the Liberty Spring Tentsite
Jill eases through an easy under blowdown
Franconia Ridge Trail junction
Lots of snow on Franconia Ridge
Mount Liberty summit is up ahead
Working our way up to the summit of Mount Liberty
Mount Liberty summit
A look back at Franconia Ridge
A short break on the summit of Mount Liberty before moving on to Mount Flume
Mount Flume our next destination on this hike
This young man looked like my youngest son's twin
Walking the monorail knife edge
Mud hole
Scott fell off the monorail
Jill capturing the views from this precarious perch on Mount Flume
On the summit of Mount Flume
Kinsmans
Scott and Lisa at the turn around point of the hike
Mount Garfield
Mount Lafayette
Mount Lincoln
Mount Liberty
Lisa's turn to fall of the monorail
Scott on the monorail
Bare ledge ahead
The microspikes come off
Snow-free trail to the summit of Mount Liberty
Back on the summit of Mount Liberty
Mount Washington
Descending Liberty
Ledge wall on Liberty
Putting the microspikes back on
Monorail descent on Franconia Ridge Trail
Liberty Spring Trail monorail
Diminishing monorail
Flowing brook
Back at the Liberty Spring and Flume Slide trail junction
The roots on this tree looked like a spider
The paved uphill walk to the parking lot to end the hike
Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!
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