Trail Suggestions 7/23

Hey all,
I am looking for suggestion for a moderate day hike this weekend to take my girlfriend and dog on. We started hiking last fall. Did the all the family type hikes, Bald, Indian Head, Frankenstein Cliff and even ventured up Cannon via the Kinsman trail. This year we are looking to it take it up a step. I am looking for a hike with the option to push on if things are going well, some water for the dog and since the last weather report I saw last forecasted excellent conditions, something with great views. I had in mind doing Welch/Dickey, Lonesome to Cannon, Frankenstein Cliff to Riley?, and a few others. I see a lot I like and getting pretty excited, plus I think my Adult-ADD is acting up so a little help would be appreciated.

Thanks

scrambler said:

Hey all,
I am looking for suggestion for a moderate day hike this weekend to take my girlfriend and dog on. We started hiking last fall. Did the all the family type hikes, Bald, Indian Head, Frankenstein Cliff and even ventured up Cannon via the Kinsman trail. This year we are looking to it take it up a step. I am looking for a hike with the option to push on if things are going well, some water for the dog and since the last weather report I saw last forecasted excellent conditions, something with great views. I had in mind doing Welch/Dickey, Lonesome to Cannon, Frankenstein Cliff to Riley?, and a few others. I see a lot I like and getting pretty excited, plus I think my Adult-ADD is acting up so a little help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Click to expand...

You might want to consider Chocoura. It's a fairly easy hike and, in my opinion, some of the finest, most wild views in all the White Mountains. The Champney Falls Trail (Trail Head off of the Kanc) follows an easy path up the mountain and switches back several times through some steep stuff before emerging from the trees onto Chocorua's bald summit area. The rest of the hike is not too difficult rock walking. On the way down you can also visit the 3 Sisters which are bald, rocky areas that you can easily see from the summit area of Chocoura.

Show up early! Chocoura is a very popular hike and you certainly won't be alone on the summit! Good Luck!

Other easy mountains (with good views) include, Garfield, Pemigewasset, Osceola (from Tripoli Road) and Pierce.

-Dr. Wu

It'll be a zoo on a nice weekend, but you've got to do the Franconia Ridge loop at some time. Park at Lafayette Place, and hike up Old Bridal Path past Greenleaf Hut to Mt. Lafayette and turn right on Franconia Ridge Trail over Mt. Lincoln to Little Haystack, turning right again onto Falling Waters Trail to return. Others prefer a counter-clockwise loop. This is a classic White Mountains hike, and as such is very popular. If you start early, though, you'll find far fewer hikers. The Falling Waters Trail has good water for the dog (duh!), and there's a lake near the hut.

As a caution, this trail is exposed above treeline for a considerable distance. Check the weather carefully, and be well prepared. That being said, it's a very beautiful trail over the second-highest ridge in the White Mountains.

Dr. Woo's suggestions are all great, too.

Welch/Dickey is a good idea especially if it will be a clear day; the views will be great.

WhiteMTHike said:

Welch/Dickey is a good idea especially if it will be a clear day; the views will be great.

Click to expand...

I agree; you absolutely can't go wrong with the Welch-Dickey loop, counter-clockwise, of course. It's the first place I go when someone asks me to take them on a hike in the Whites. And if you're driving from the south, it's the shortest distance for a great hike.

I hope the weather is clear and perfect for you this weekend!

For the dog, there's not much water on the Franconia loop (counter-clockwise) after the FW Trail junctions with the ridge, and Chocorua is scrambly on top if your dog has not hiked much. Tomorrow's weather should be excellent for views, cooler & drier than it's been in days. For a moderate+ hike with dog (water) and options to push further, head up to Kinsman Pond on the Basin Cascade and Kinsman Pond Trails. That's about 4 miles. There's a shelter there, some tent platforms to hang out on, nice lunch sites beside the pond, which is beautiful. (Doesn't taste too good but your dog won't mind.) It's a fine destination in itself. N. Kinsman looms over the pond. But if you're feeling strong, continue up the KP Trail to the Kinsman Ridge Trail and go up to the summit of North Kinsman for fine views east to the other side of Franconia Notch, Lafayette et al.

Thanks

Just want to thank you all for you helpful suggestion. We so far have 2 of the hikes, Kinsman and Welch Dickey. Kinsman up the Kinsman pond trail was great a great hike. We ended up on North Kinsman took Fishin' Jimmy to Lonesome Lake and then Basin Cascade trail out. Due to time constraints and not knowing the trail we decided save South for another day. Coming down that Fishin' Jimmy put a nice crisp to the legs, huh.

Not sure what to think of that Hut/Lodge at Lonesome. All I do know is that whatever was for dinner that night smelled really good.

Next we did Welch Dickey, one because we again short on time and wanted a hike a little closer to home. Man, it showed as advertised. I think total we got about 200 images, (yah freakish) oh and about 2 pounds of Blueberries. Although the day was not perfect, the cloud lent some texture to the sky and was great background for the 10 or so, either Hawks or Vultures riding the air currents. We are definitely going to do this one again when the family comes out to visit. They live in the Adirondacks and have taken on a few hikes around Lake George (Buck, Sleeping Beauty and Black). They will like this one.

About Franconia Ridge and Chocoura, a couple of questions? We are trying to decide which to do tomorrow. Depending what time we get up in that area has a lot to do with which we pick. Also, I was looking at the book Franconia Ridge seems, length wise pretty close to the route we took for the Kinsman with that extra 500 gain. I guess what I am getting at what is the real difference going to be? Is it much rougher and which way is the best way. Any advice would be appreciated.

Here is couple of pix from the Kinsman hike.

Thanks again.

http://63.135.118.32/hikes/KinsmanPondTrail.jpg
http://63.135.118.32/hikes/KinsmanNorth.jpg
http://63.135.118.32/hikes/KinsmanNorthView1.jpg
http://63.135.118.32/hikes/KinsmanNorthLookOut.jpg
http://63.135.118.32/hikes/fishinjimmy.jpg
http://63.135.118.32/hikes/LonesomeLake.jpg

scrambler said:

About Franconia Ridge and Chocoura, a couple of questions? We are trying to decide which to do tomorrow. Depending what time we get up in that area has a lot to do with which we pick. Also, I was looking at the book Franconia Ridge seems, length wise pretty close to the route we took for the Kinsman with that extra 500 gain. I guess what I am getting at what is the real difference going to be? Is it much rougher and which way is the best way. Any advice would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Franconia ridge is worth the extra 500 ft. If you do the Bridle Path--Falling Waters loop, all of the ridge will be above T-line. Nice views. Falling Waters is a little steeper than Bridle Path--take your choice on direction. (Liberty and Flume via Liberty Tr is also very nice.)

Doug