GetFit #2: Lonesome Lake

It was a great day for the second hike in the GetFit series.  The parking lots throughout the Franconia Ridge were packed and many hikers ventured up the various peaks.
Seven guys (Dennis, Dave, Robert, Rick, Steve, Carlos, and Jim) met at the trailhead at 11am and made our way up toward our destination, Lonesome Lake.

There is not a tremendous amount of elevation gain on the hike to Lonesome Lake, but for beginners, it is more of a challenge than the first hike in the series (Franconia Brook Falls) which has very little elevation gain.

The views of Franconia Ridge make hiking to Lonesome Lake a treat.  The hut at the top made for a very comfortable place to have lunch and take plenty of pictures.  We  ran into a fellow GO'r Kevin (liketodo) at the hut who was hiking with some friends.  
It's always nice to see a familiar face on the trails.
Steve had binoculars and we were able to clearly see the many people who were at the summit of Mt. Lafayette on the ridge.

We made our descent back to the parking area chatting about the next hike in the series, Mt. Potash.   I have not been back to Mt. Potash since I hiked in when I first started hiking with GO and it was one of the hikes in the GetFit series. 
After Mt. Potash, only one more trip before we take on a 4K-footer, Mt. Tom.  

Join us for this easy to moderate hike to Lonesome Lake Hut.  This is the second hike of a series of five that helps get new or out of shape hikers back into the game.

The hike is about 3 1/2 miles with 1000 feet of elevation gain. The trip starts out hiking through the Layfayette Place campground and follows the Lonesome Lake Trail up to Lonesome Lake. The trip distance may be short but it packs a steady incline up to the lake. When the trail reaches Lonesome Lake there is a series of planks that lead to Lonesome Lake Hut. The hike provides great views of Franconia Ridge peaks on the east side of the notch. We plan on having lunch at the hut.

Dress appropriately for summer weather in the Whites: shorts or convertible hiking pants, good sturdy hiking boots. Most important is bug repellent.   Also bring along lunch, snacks and water (2 liters recommended). Optionally, and recommended ,sunscreen and anything else that you may require.