Eagle Lake and Mount Lafayette viewed from Greenleaf Hut
Mount Lafayette is one of the most popular mountains in the Whites because of its location and easy access from I-93 in Franconia Notch. Many people do a loop of Lafayette-Lincoln-Little Haystack to take in the views above treeline on the Franconia Ridge. The summit is located at the northern terminus of the Franconia Ridge trail and the southern terminus of the "dreaded" Garfield Ridge trail. Views from Mount Lafayette are some of the best around, the Pemigewasset Wilderness and all it's peaks are on one side and the Franconia Notch with Cannon and the Kinsman's are on the other side. The summit and the approach to the summit is above treeline and exposed so one should use caution if bad weather is fast approaching, and if thunderstorms are barreling in run and hide!Trails I've Hiked
- Old Bridle Path & Greenleaf Trail: 4.0 miles, 3,550 elevation gain. Located of I-93 at the Lafayette Place parking lot, this trail offers great views into Walker Ravine and the Franconia Ridge especially Mount Lincoln from outlooks as you hike up to Greenleaf Hut (2.9 miles, 2,450 elevation gain). The trail has moderate grades with decent to rocky footing with two pretty cool fun short sloping rock sections. Once you arrive at the Greenleaf Hut you will hook up with the Greenleaf Trail to the summit, the trail is above treeline most of the way and is a steady uphill climb marked with cairns with spectacular views looking up to Franconia Ridge. If weather gets bad the best thing to do is turn back and head for the safety of the Greenleaf Hut which is open from late spring to early fall
- Franconia Ridge Trail (from the south): 1.7 miles, 850 elevation gain, from Little Haystack. One of the most rewarding hikes for views in the White Mountains, the trail is rocky but well defined, not difficult, and extremely fun. Starting from From Little Haystack you will hike up to Mount Lincoln then down and up to Mount Truman, then down and up to Mount Lafayette all the while Owl's head is below you on your right with the Twinway, Guyout, and Bonds rising above past Owl's Head. On your left is Franconia Notch with the Kinsman Ridge and the vertical rock walls of Cannon Mountain. This section of the Franconia Ridge trail is exposed to the elements and can be very difficult and extremely dangerous when the weather turns bad.
-Skookumchuck & Garfield Ridge Trail: 5.1 miles (3,600 feet elevation gained): The Skookumchuck Trail is located just past the Route 3 - I-93 split north of Franconia Notch. The Trail is 4.3 miles to the Garfield Ridge Trail (3,050 feet elevation gained). The bottom have of the trail has easy to moderate grades through a nice forest until it starts getting a little steeper as it makes its way to the Garfield Ridge Trail about a mile north of Mount Lafayette. The trail has ok to rough footing but is much less traveled than the other routes to Mount Lafayette. Once gaining the ridge you hook onto the Garfield Ridge Trail above treeline and over a handful of bumps (false summits) until reaching the end of the Garfield Ridge Trail, start of the Franconia Ridge Trail, and junction of the upper terminus of the Greenleaf Trail on Moutn Lafayette's summit. Views over the last mile are tremendous!
Trip Reports:
January 20th, 2017: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, and down Falling Waters Trail
January 7th, 2017: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, and down Falling Waters Trail
November 8th, 2016: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, and down Falling Waters Trail
July 21st, 2016: Grid Finish & NH 4K #1000
July 13th, 2016: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Flume Slide Trail, Liberty Spring Trail, Basin Bushwhack, and Pemi Bike Path
June 25th, 2016: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, down Franconia Ridge Trail and Lincoln Slide, across Lincoln Brook Trail, up and down Owl's Head Path, up and down Lincoln Brook Trail, up Twin Brook Trail, Frost Trail, and Twinway, across North Twin Spur, down North Twin Trail
December 25th, 2015: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, and down Falling Waters Trail (No Report)
December 12th, 2015: Up Skookumchuck and Garfield Ridge Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail, across Logging/Haul Road, down Liberty Springs and Basin Bushwhack, across Pemi Bike Path
August 8th, 2015: MMD 50K - Up Falling Waters Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Flume Slide Trail, up Liberty Spring Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Greenleaf Trail, up Kinsman Ridge Trail, down Lonesome Lake Trail, up Fishin' Jimmy Trail, up and down Kinsman Ridge Trail, out via Hi-Cannon and Lonesome Lake Trail
July 3rd, 2015: Hut to Hut Traverse Run
March 20th, 2015: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, and down Falling Waters Trail
January 11th, 2015: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, and down Falling Waters Trail
November 25th, 2014: Up Skookumchuck and Garfield Ridge Trails, across Franconia Ridge Trail to Mount Lincoln and back, down Greenleaf Trail and out via the Pemi bike path
July 12th, 2014: A.M.C. White Mountain Hut Traverse
June 29th, 2014: Up Old Bridle Path & Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
June 22nd, 2014: Pemi Loop (Clockwise)
June 16th, 2014: Up Skookumchuck, across Grafield Ridge, down Greenleaf Trail
December 28th, 2013: Up and down Old Bridle Path & Greenleaf Trail
November 30th, 2013: Up Old Bridle Path & Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
October 21st, 2013: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Lincoln Slide Bushwhack, across Lincoln Brook Trail, up and down Owl's Head Path, out via Lincoln Brook Trail, Franconia Brook Trail, and Lincoln Woods Trail
October 21st, 2013: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Lincoln Slide Bushwhack, across Lincoln Brook Trail, up and down Owl's Head Path, across Lincoln Brook Trail, Franconia Brook Trail, and Lincoln Woods Trail
September 28th, 2013: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Lincoln Slide Bushwhack, across Lincoln Brook Trail, up and down Owl's Head Path, across Lincoln Brook Trail, up Franconia Brook Trail and Garfield Ridge Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
July 14th, 2013: Up Greenleaf, down Garfield Ridge and Skookumchuck Trail
July 6th, 2013: Pemi Loop (Clockwise)
April 27th, 2013: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Osseo Trail and out by Lincoln Woods Trail
April 21st, 2013: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
October 5th, 2012: Pemi Bike Path, up Basin Bushwhack, Liberty springs Trail, Flume Slide Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Greenleaf Trail and Old Bridle Path
July 8th, 2012: Pemi Loop (Counter Clockwise)
June 16th, 2012: 24 Hour Hut to Hut Traverse
May 12th, 2012: Pemi Loop (Clockwise)
April 14th, 2012: Up Falling Waters Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Greenleaf Trail and Old Bridle Path
February 3rd, 2012: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trails, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
September 9th, 2011: Up Falling Waters Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Greenleaf trail, back via Pemi Trail Bike Path
September 2nd, 2011: Up Falling Waters Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Greenleaf trail and Old Bridle Path(Attempt)
August 12th & 13th, 2011: 24 Hour Hut to Hut Traverse (Attempt)
July 2nd, 2011: Pemi Loop (Clockwise)
May 30th, 2011: Lincoln Woods and Franconia Brook Trails to Garfield Ridge, across Garfield and Franconia Ridge Trails, down Osseo Trail and out Lincoln Woods Trail.
August 28th, 2010: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
June 26th, 2010: Franconia Notch Traverse: Up Flume Slide, across Franconia Ridge, down Greenleaf Trail and Old Bridle Path, Up Hi-Cannon Trail, across Kinsman Ridge Trail, down Kinsman Pond and Cascade Brook trail
May 29th, 2010: Pemi Loop (Clockwise)
April 3rd, 2010: Up Falling Waters Trail (plus Shining Rock), across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Greenleaf Trail and Old Bridle Path
December 24th, 2009: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
September 26th, 2009: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
June 14th, 2009: 2 Day Pemigewasset Traverse (Counter Clockwise)
September 30th, 2006: Up Old Bridle Path and Greenleaf Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail, down Falling Waters Trail
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