Mts. Lafayette and Lincoln

We were going to hike across the ridge but the weather conditions were horrendous! 13 degree start with the summit a 0, -25 wind chill and poor visibility. Lots of snow drifts above treeline…3-4 feet deep where we had to break trail!

Below treeline was gorgeous with a stunning amount of snow on the conifers! Light traction up to Greenleaf Hut when we switched to snowshoes and kept them on the rest of the day. Don't be deceived by what it looks like on the drive up or the parking lot; the mountains up high now have winter snowpack and it is building with each minor snowfall! Old Bridle Path was fairly well packed. Maybe a foot of snow at the trailhead, but two feet after Agony Ridge.

Deeper snow after Greenleaf Hut; generally three feet with a few stretches of four feet deep snow drifts. Chilly where exposed to the wind. Cairns were difficult to find with the trail actively drifting in more. The four of us were breaking trail...I'm sure we went off trail a few times.

We saw these two ghostly guys in this poor visibility descending. They were flailing in waist deep snow drifts coming towards us. No goggles and we were amazed they had no snowshoes. When they told us that had traversed the entire ridge we were stunned with how ill prepared they looked. They were so happy to see us and acted like they were happy to be alive. We told them to follow our tracks...they were about 10 minutes away from treeline. The wind was so strong that they our tracks probably disappeared for them to follow. Most likely the guys missed the right turn at the large cairn and continued down into the drainage. They ended up being rescued by a helicopter. They were so lucky.

We had a reading of zero degrees on the summit with winds picking up to 35mph making the wind chill -25. The wind was wild! Wearing a balaclava and googles was absolutely necessary however one member of our group’s goggles frosted over so he had to try to see without them while the snow was piercing into his eyes. We were the only ones on the summit and we did not see anyone attempting on our descent. On the return, the snow was really flying around making our return challenging. All of our snowshoe tracks on the way up were gone because of the wind. The cairns were covered with snow and ice...they all looked the other rocks sticking out. The flat white lighting, high winds and snow blowing around made route finding a challenge. Thankfully we've been up here many times before. A challenging and memorable hike with Dave and Jim! 

~ Mike and Jon

This is it! The hike we’ve been training for! A winter Franconia Ridge Traverse!

With an elevation of 5,260 feet, Mt. Lafayette stands as the highest mountain in the Franconia Range and the tallest peak in the White Mountains outside of the Presidential Range.  Mount Lincoln’s [5,089 feet] craggy top presents views just as stunning as those from Lafayette, and with over two miles of continuous views the loop hike over the two summits is one of the most popular treks in the White Mountains!

Round trip distance: 8.9 miles
Vertical feet: 3850
Approximate time: 7 hours

We will be hiking in winter conditions at a moderate pace with time to enjoy the scenery. There will be ice and snow. If it’s going to be windy and very cold, due to the exposed ridge with the potential of blowing snow and frostbite on our face, goggles and winter face mask and/or neck gaiter will be  required. 

Light tracking devices are mandatory and we may need snowshoes if there was a recent snowstorm.  If you don’t own a pair of snowshoes, you can always rent them from your local outdoor gear shop or from Ski Fanatics near our house in Waterville Valley. You’ll also need Light traction such as either Kahtoola MicroSpikes or Hillsounds Crampons from your local outdoor outfitter such as REI or EMS; or online.

Please have the appropriate gear/clothing to hike this time of year and the appropriate amount of layers to keep your core body warm. We recommend WINTER hiking boots, MicroSpikes, wool hat, gloves, hand warmers, rain/wind gear, warm layers, HEADLAMP and NO COTTON. Carry at least 2 liters of water, lunch and snacks.

Winter Hiking Clothing/Gear Tips and Recommendations

Winter conditions will be in effect so this moderate hike is ideal for anyone on their first winter hike. Winter travel offers unique challenges to any hiker and we can provide tips and answer any of your questions during the hike. We are here to help you!

For winter hiking, you are basically wearing the same clothing/gear you did in summer except you need to have additional layers to keep your core body warm, dress in synthetic layers [no cotton], wool hat, and gloves [we highly recommend buying the chemical hand warmers for your gloves]. The only piece of gear you will have to buy is MicroSpikes [Kahtoola is a popular brand], which are essentially cleats that you attach to your boots to prevent falls from black ice encountered on the trail.  

One of the biggest mistakes beginner winter hikers do is overdress. You don’t need a heavy winter jacket since you will be heating up naturally during the hike. Wear thin, insulated layers so you can easily regulate your temperature. If you overdress, you will start sweating and actually make yourself get colder. Assess if your summer daypack is big enough to put your clothes in as you warm up and if not, then that is probably another investment you’ll have to make for this trip.

Winter hiking boots is something you may want to invest in later on, since it helps keep your feet warm, dry and comfortable. Snowshoes will not be needed for this hike, and we rarely use them in general, but are definitely needed to break trail if we recently had any significant snowfall. We like to carry a very small thermos with some sort of hot beverage which is so comforting to drink on a very cold day.

Event Coordinators: Mike Boisvert and Jon Normand