Franconia Ridge

Date: July 2005 | Length 13 minutes

It's very difficult to name your favorite White Mountain hike. But it is difficult to top this one. I was solo on this one and took the Falling Waters Trail up to the Franconia Ridge trail where I had rare clear skies and perfect weather. The 360° views from the ridge with Franconia Notch and the Canon cliffs on your west and the Pemi on the east were unforgettable. I trekked across the peaks up to Mt Lafayette where I began my descent down the Old Bridal Path. Quick stop at the Greenleaf Hut and then back to the car. It took me about 8 hours to traverse the 4000' of elevation and the 9 miles.

As a side note, I was wearing new boots that were a half size too large for me. On the descent I could feel my feet sliding forward and it became increasingly uncomfortable. A day later several of my toenails turned dark purple and then a few days later totally fell off. Yes, it hurt.