Lincoln and Lafayette on 12/13/12

Up Falling Waters, over the ridge, down the Bridle Path.

Trip up and down was icy! Fortunately, the water was low on the river going up, as an inch higher and things might have been much harrier, and they were pretty hairy as it was. Leather boots and microspikes on the way up. Very thick ice just below treeline.

Then we hit the ridge, which was gorgeous. Luckily, we had virtually no wind, blue skies, and the ridge was in quite good condition. Travel in microspikes was just right. Walked onto Lafayette without a hat or gloves.

Trip down was also gnarly. Numerous and long patches of ice, some very thick, some thin.

I can't honestly say I would suggest doing that route under the conditions were experienced. It was very slow moving, and quite dangerous in many parts. Microspikes worked well for much of the trip...except when they didn't, and crampons would have been very useful...except when they would not.

A little more snow, if not a lot more snow, would have helped.

No blowdowns to report, and trails were in very good condition, maintenance-wise.

Brian

Ran into the same long stretches of ice on the Mt. Kinsman Trail from about 3100 feet up to the summit of North Kinsman. The last 400 feet of gain on the Kinsman Ridge Trail were pretty scary. I used my crampons coming back down and wished I had used them going up it too, Looks like you had a decent day though, weather wise. Nice trip

I was up there on the 12th - planned the same route, but turned back just below treeline because of that massive ice slab. Really considered making a go for it, but the dog said no