Mount Flume

Trail: Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Liberty Spring Trail, bike path

Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Postholes

“Banner day on Franconia Ridge. Almost no wind, warm temps, endless views. Climbed over the big ice pile in the lot (go up the right side) in order to access the tunnel under 93. Spikes from car to Little Haystack (you'll definitely want some form of traction past the hut). Snowshoes went on at Little Haystack to junction with Liberty Springs. Whoever broke this section out is a navigational wizard...lots of twists and turns. A couple of trail runners barebooted this section earlier in the week, and they left a few deep deep postholes and what I would call a few spruce crevasses...none of which impeded my progress but I do wish there was a video. You would need a light to see the bottom. You will 100% want snowshoes for this section if you go tomorrow, and 200% will want them after any snow we get. Switched back to microspikes for the rest of the hike...the Basin parking lot up to Liberty is well packed...not icy but probably want traction for the steep sections. Liberty out to Flume is noticeably less traveled, but still fine for just micros. Lots of low hanging spruce...picked up a few more scratches on my face. Bare booted most of the snowmobile track from the Basin to Lafayette Place...only 2 snowmobiles the whole time...stepped off the groomed trail as they approached...don't do that...it is chest deep!”

Trail: Bike path, herd path, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail

Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes

“Liberty Springs bushwhack and trail was packed pretty solid, some postholes. Most people we encountered wore snowshoes, a few wore spikes, one bare booting. Drifts up on the ridge. Some ice up on Liberty summit. Trail between Liberty and Flume was pretty packed, although the snow is very deep and we had to crouch under branches to get to Flume. Beautiful day on the ridge, sunny and clear with decreasing winds to calm conditions. We did use sleds down Flume and Liberty where safe to do so.”

Trail: Bike path, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail

Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts

“We set off this morning expecting tough conditions but it was far better than we expected. One set of bare boot tracks started at Liberty Springs and went all the way to the summit of Liberty. The trail was definitely far from broken but after yesterday's trail breaking on the Kinsmans, I was happy for any help I could get. Flume was another story. No one had been that way since the most recent storm so we set out breaking that trail. Plenty of snow up there and the trees were loaded. There is one section where the snow is so deep and the trees are so low that we were hiking hunched over while the trees yeeted snow at our heads and arms, and dumped snow on our packs. There were moderate drifts up high but all manageable. When we arrived back at Liberty there had been others in snowshoes packing out that section of the trails and the trail was a gorgeous snowshoe trench. Not one person out there is spikes today. Woo Hoo! So, bring your snowshoes and wear them. These trails are too soft for anything else. This was my final hike to close out my SSW and makes my 5th consecutive single season. Today was the icing on the cake. Thanks to Steph for joining me to celebrate. :)”