This week I did a snowshoeing trip in the White Mountains. All winter I have been doing local snowshoe trips. I knew it was time to take the next step and do some hikes with some elevation gain. I wasn't planning on doing any winter backpacking trips, but knew I was ready for shorter mountain trips. I tried to keep driving to a minimum so I stayed around the Lincoln area. For friends and family, I promise I will visit, but wanted to use every bit of daylight in the mountains.
I was so excited about the trip I woke up at 3:30 Thursday morning. I knew I wanted to start hiking about 8:30, giving the air a little time to warm up so I forced myself to stay in bed until 5:30. The first 120 miles were uneventful. However, as I approached the mountains it was snowing. This was not forecasted! Speeds dropped from 70 to 40, then behind a plow doing 20 mph. It was killing me to go so slow. I finally made my first trailhead at 9:30 (so much for my eight-thirty start.
I chose to hike out to Bridal Veil Falls in Kinsman Notch. First off, although the snow stopped it was still cloudy. So doing a hike with a view would have meant a view of clouds. Secondly, I chose this hike because the waterfall was frozen! I have seen frozen lakes, and I've seen snow capped mountains, but a frozen waterfall, that I wanted to see. So I put on my snowshoes and went out. The trail was packed down and made really good time. It was a gradual climb with nothing that I would consider steep.
I got to the waterfall in no time. It was a frozen amphitheater. Icicles were hanging down from a bowl shaped ravine. It was pretty spectacular. Interestingly the ice formed different colors. Some of it was yellowish, some white and some a deep blue. Really neat to see. After a few minutes I went back down the trail to Coppermine Shelter and ate my lunch. There was a nice snow cave someone dug out near the shelter. The sweat started to dry and I started to chill so after lunch I beelined it back to the car. The hike was all down hill so I made it back to the car in about 30 minutes (2.6 mikes each direction)
After I got back in the car I went to Lincoln and bought some hot soup. I then went to the Mountain Wanderer book store where I talked to owner, author, and New Hampshire's most famous hiker Steve Smith. I bought a trail map for my son and talked about 20 minutes. Steve has hiked every mile of trail in the Whites. I told him my plan for my next hike (Lonesome Lake) and he gave me a couple pointers.
I got to the trailhead at 2:45. Lonesome Lake is 1.6 miles and a thousand feet above the parking lot. When I got out of my car to dress up, the wind was screaming. Steve told me it was predicted to be over 100 mph on Washington. It was easily forty miles per hour in Franconia Notch, probably more. I thought about calling it a day and getting back in the car. The hike was only 3 miles round trip so I figured "what the hell, just go for it". I had never been to Lonesome Lake. The place is a zoo on summer weekends. I tried to go over the summer. The day I tried the parking lot was so full at least 25 cars were parked along the interstate.
I put on my snowshoes and went up through the forest. The hike is a little up hill followed by two loonngg switchbacks and a short stroll from the switchbacks to the lake. The trail was so packed out, I didn't need snowshoes. I could have done it in sneakers. Since the trees were bare, the whole hike, I had views of Lafayette and Lincoln across the Notch. I must say, the hike might have been the easiest thousand feet of elevation I have ever done. The grade was so consistent with just a few steep pitches. I sweat of course, but it was easy all things considered.
I made it to the lake pretty quickly. Normally it is a four tenths walk around the pond to the hut on the other side, but since the water was solid, I could just walk right across.
It did not take long to understand the popularity of Lonesome Lake (possibly the most ironic name of anything in the mountains). Besides the easy hike the view was amazing. Walking across the lake I had one of Canon's minor summits to my right, a Canonball. Walking across the lake I had the huge bulk of Kinsman in front of me. However the best view was behind me. With every step away from the trees towards the other side Franconia Ridge got bigger and bigger. Lafayette and Lincoln with their snow capped peaks and deep ravines were spectacular in there winter attire of white. The wind was howling across the lake but the reason I couldn't catch my breath was because of the view. The sky had cleared thanks to the cold uncomfortable northwest wind. That same wind brought a bluebird sky. I had a snack at the hut and headed back down. As I crossed the lake (with Franconia Ridge now directly in front of me) I took a ton of photos.
Since the snow was so packed, I bungeed my snowshoes to my backpack and put my microspikes over my boots. I wanted to try them out on a slope. I was impressed with them. I did not slip at all even when I tried. I flew down, but made sure to enjoy my views across the notch stopping four or five times to take mental snapshots.
My only regret was not going up earlier. From the lake it is 1.9 miles to Canon's summit. It was too late and I did not have time to add another four miles to my trip. I purposely planned on these short hikes as the next step in my "snowshoeing evolution" I did not take me long to realize I could have done a lot more without pushing my limits. I am by far the best shape I have ever been in March. If I would have done a 4000 footer, I would have felt like it was a major accomplishment...
Next time
Animals seen- red squirrel, raven
Trail miles-about 8
Pictures to follow
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