Also on this trip

Trails Used

Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Greenleaf Trail, Old Bridle Path

Trail Conditions

Notes

Trail conditions are much like Heat Lightning reported yesterday. Old Bridle Path is muddier than Falling waters but you can kind of get around it. The trails above treeline are just perfect. It was a great day to be up high! The trails are getting busier for sure but everyone was friendly and seemed to be enjoying the day.

Parking

Plenty of room at 7:30am Bathrooms are open and there are porta potties also available.

Water Crossings

Easy rock hops even for wimpy short legged folks

Wildlife

Good grief. They have taken over. Not too bad down low but above treeline they are horrible. The breeze helped when it blew strong enough but when it died down, I felt like Pigpen from Charlie Brown with a cloud all around me and all over my face. I think my bug spray acted like a flavor enhancer.

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Greenleaf Trail, Old Bridal Path

Trail Conditions

Notes

Trails have dried out pretty nicely from the snow on Friday. Mostly dry with minimal puddles and muddy patches. Ridge is in excellent shape. First hut snacks hike of the year (they had chocolate chip brownies at Greenleaf yesssss) Really really gorgeous sunset on the ledges descending old bridal. Little less skeptical of the relo work after being able to cruise w/out headlamp in the last gleaming of twilight. Took the old old bottom section shortcut back down to the car which is still pretty well brushed out (may have used my phone flashlight here)

Parking

Lot rapidly emptied as I was getting ready to go uphill @4:30pm

Water Crossings

All rock hops

Wildlife

Annoying gnats at higher elevations, wind kept them at bay. Big bugs in the conifers on FW

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Greenleaf Trail, Old Bridle Path

Trail Conditions

Notes

did the loop counterclockwise. There may have been a handful of areas of snow smaller than a dish plate near the shining rock junction on falling waters otherwise it's all gone. trails are all in great shape for the crowds come this weekend, we appreciate the updates along the ridge and coming down the top of greenleaf to keep us on the trail. Even very little mud of note. Cold day but still got some nice sunburn...oops.

Parking

tons of space today

Water Crossings

we had one foot go in the drink going up falling waters otherwise it was all hops

Wildlife

surprisingly few today

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Lincoln Woods Trail, Osseo Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Frost Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur

Trail Conditions

Notes

Awesome pemi this morning-started at 2:45 to minimize heat, bugs, and potential afternoon thunderstorms. Saw fewer than twenty hikers all day (no other trail runners), and had every summit minus Liberty to myself! Strong winds and big old clouds kept it comfortable until the eight mile run down from Bondcliff, which felt like I was running through hell it was so dang hot with minimal leaf coverage in the hardwoods. Leave the spikes at home! There was one stretch of stubborn unavoidable snow just before breaking treeline on Guyot. It only lasted five minutes. It was reported that the Zealand-Guyot stretch is still deep and nasty as of this morning. Top of Garfield and West Bond essentially all melted out. Get it before the LW closure!!!

Parking

Tons of space today

Water Crossings

Easy rock hops

Wildlife

Early start and elevated winds kept all the nasty buggers away. There were lots of regular old flies along the ridge in the woods but they were minding their own business!

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Old Bridge Path, Green leaf trail, Franconia ridge trail, Falling water trail

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Going up Old Bridge Path and Green leaf trail which are dry and getting muddy at the top with some small monorail but no ice at all. Small patches before you hit the peak of Mt Lafayette. Super windy on the ridge on the day I hiked. No snow or ice on the ridge at all. Going down Falling water trail and found black ice and monorail for about a mile. Traction device and poles are needed here. Keep your spike in your hand for about an hour since the ice is on and off.

Water Crossings

All could be rock hopped without much effort

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Greenleaf Trail, Old Bridle Path

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Installment #2 of the "how messed up is your knee really?" show. It seems it's not too messed but I will keep up with my testing. The trails are dry or mushy with water run off and some mud down low. There are some areas of intermittent ice and monorail here and there but you can get around it. I picked my way up to about .75 miles from Shining rock. Then it got too tedious for me so I put on spikes. I used them until I popped out above treeline on Little Haystack and then took them off. Above treeline it is mostly bare rock with the occasional area of stubborn snow hanging on. I did put spikes on for a short stretch down to the Greenleaf hut mostly because I was worried about my knee. I kept them on for about .75 down Old Bridle Path before taking them off again. The monorail is holding up nicely I didn't post hole at all. The ice is soft enough that I had good bite even with dull spikes. I only saw a handful of people today but all seemed to be having a great day. I realized I hadn't been on the Ridge since December so I was WAY overdue to hike the loop. What an excellent day!

Parking

Plenty of room to park. I didn't check to see if the restrooms were open.

Water Crossings

Even #Teamfunsized managed to rock hop all the water crossings without wet feet or going for a swim.

Wildlife

Oh they are out. Not biting but out. Little suckers are flying around like they own the place.

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Skookumchuck Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Falling Waters Trail, Bike Path

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Skook is much drier down low than Wednesday, patchy snow starting at 2700', dusting at 3200', minor monorail stretches, never thought of putting on spikes for the ascent. Minor snow & ice patches in shady pockets on the ridge and monorail in the high scrub between the summits. Spikes went on at treeline on falling waters, off at 3200' with the end of consistent monorail & ice tho many patches in places almost all the way down to the trailhead. Took a long lap thru the notch on the bike patch back to my car. Amazing how the difference in trail usage between Skook and the other ridge trails has on shoulder season conditions. Skook will likely be melted up to 4000' in a week whereas falling waters and the ridge scrub might still have significant snowpack until the end of May

Parking

Skook lot 1/2 full

Water Crossings

All easy rock hops