The best part of Franconia Ridge Trail is how much time you have above treeline. We tried to savor our time with uninterrupted 360 degree views. This is our fifth time doing this ridge, and although we gain about 1,000 feet of elevation between Lincoln and Lafayette and the trail itself is challenging, it never felt like “work.” I felt so filled up by the solitude, openness, and freedom of walking without being hemmed in by trees.
On our way towards Mt. Lafayette, we looked across Franconia Notch to the left and watched the face of Cannon Mountain take on the orange hues of the sunrise. We dropped down a bit to a short section in the trees and then started the climb to Mt. Lafayette, which is the taller of the two peaks.
Thank God for headlamps!
Right!? They let us climb mountains to see sunrises like these!