Summits: Mount Liberty (4,459'), Mount Flume (4,328')
Trail route: Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Osseo Trail, Lincoln Woods Trail
Trail conditions: Dry down low, snow and ice at higher elevations
Weather: Cold wind with temps in the 20's and 30's, overcast with summits in the clouds
Total miles: 10
Total time: 6:50
November 1st and I had summits that I needed to hike for this month to add to my grid list. The weather forecast was less than ideal so it would be a day below treeline. I would be joining Larry and Marty for a traverse hike over Mount Liberty and Mount Flume.
Larry spotted his car at Lincoln Woods and Marty picked him up and drove to the Basin parking area in Franconia Notch where I was waiting. We set out on the bike path and then bushwhacked up to Liberty Spring Trail. About a mile up the trail we started to see snow and ice.
When we arrived at Liberty Spring Tentsite it was time to put on the microspikes and layer up. The wind was picking up and it was getting cold. We continued up and turned onto the Franconia Ridge Trail for the final ascent to the summit of Mount Liberty.
As we approached the summit the wind was howling! When we actually got onto the summit the wind wasn't as bad. There were no views due to the cloud cover so it was not a day for lingering or basking. We continued on to Mount Flume. We dropped down into the col and out of the wind. There was only a couple of inches of packed down snow on the trail and it did not present a problem.
We reached the top of Mount Flume and there was a cold wind whipping over the summit. Once again there was no lingering and we moved on down along the steep drop off of Flume slide. Even back down in the trees the wind was blowing keeping it cold. We stopped and had something to eat before continuing our descent.
There was a view at the Downlook but the surrounding summits were still in the clouds. The wooden stairs on the Osseo Trail had a coating of snow on them but were not a problem. Further down the trail the snow and ice was gone and we removed the microspikes. It was a dry trail all the way back down.
At the Lincoln Woods Trail there were very few people to be seen on our way out. We crossed the suspension bridge of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset and completed our 10 mile hike at the parking lot. With no summit views today it was all about the hike. I enjoyed the variety of conditions today and it made the hike interesting!
Enjoy the photos and video!
The hike starts here
Log crossing to the bushwhack
Easy water crossing
Larry and Marty have no problem with the water crossing
Getting into the snow at the Liberty Springs Tentsite
Liberty Springs Tentsite
Arriving at the Franconia Ridge Trail
Snowy scene
Coming up out of the trees into a cold wind
Almost to the summit of Mount Liberty
View from the summit of Mount Liberty
A tricky section of trail to get through
On the summit of Mount Flume
Looking down Flume slide into the gray
Larry and Marty coming down from the summit of Mount Flume
Starting to get some views
Another view
Snow-covered steps
View from the Downlook
Larry descends snow-covered wooden steps
Marty descending
Out of the snow
On the Lincoln Woods Trail
Trail work is about to begin this week to repair this erosion on the Lincoln Woods Trail
Always good to see this bridge after a hike
East Branch of the Pemigewasset River
Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!
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