Franconia Notch loop 2018 – White Mountains, NH

“That was THE MOST EPIC HIKE EVER!!!” – Brian Sayre

After completing over 10 miles of the most physical day hike ever experienced for either of us, we expressed emotions of relief and shared thoughts on the greatest sense of accomplishment gained that afternoon.

August 10th, 2018

It was a near perfect day in the White Mountains of NH. Brian and I had driven 619 miles the previous day. Understandably, we had gotten a late start to our day. Much later than one would prefer for such a long hike ahead.

As we approached the Franconia Notch Trailhead on State RT 3 N/I-93N, we saw cars lining the right shoulders on both sides of the highway for what seemed like an eternity. We turned in the parking lot, and sure enough, it was filled to capacity. We ended up on the southbound shoulder about 50 cars down from the rest area.

Here is where the fun began. We got out of the Jeep, grabbed our gear, and decided to do a day hike rather than backpack it. The idea was that we could gain one more day on our trip. As we walked up to the parking lot entrance, he asked me, “Did you bring a jacket?” Having never climbed a mountain before, I reluctantly said, “No? Are you kidding, it is over 80 (degrees) out.” He suppressed his laughter and went on to inform me, “…when we reach the summit, it will be much colder.” Before you knew it, I was running a half mile back to the car for my REI windbreaker jacket. This is why my hike ended up being 10.1 miles, not the 9 miles reported by many sources.

Falling Water Trail

Nothing is more memorable than experiencing your very first mountain waterfall. There is just something about seeing nature’s feats in action with amazing color and scenic props to support the flow of gravity in such utter beauty.

Let’s pause a moment to fill you in on what I did to prepare for this expedition. It all started back on April 16th, 2018 when I had a two week vacation and no plans. Having done a small amount of local hikes over the years, I thought why not do a hiking exploration of Ohio’s State Parks and one National Park, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP). During these two weeks, I hiked over 180 miles and visited 11 Ohio parks. This is where I broke in my new Merrell Moab Edge shoes in. They’re quite comfortable and have superb traction with the Vibram soles. The reviews won me over.

Fast forward to late July 2018. I visited many more parks, and trekked a couple hundred more miles. This is when I began training <insert Rocky IV soundtrack> for the NE mountain trip. I went to the CVNP 2-3 times a week. I used Virginia Kendall’s Salt Run Trail (5 miles), and what I refer to as “The Red Lock” 9 mile loop (Ohio Erie Towpath Trail for 2.5 miles, Buckeye Trail for roughly 6 miles). Both of these hikes provide distance and sizeable hills. They help build up stamina and endurance quite well. I was in near tip top shape, but it made no difference.

Confused? Asking yourself how is that possible, or what does that mean?

Simple. Not one trail or hill could compare to the trek up the face of Little Haystack Mountain. Going up is one thing. Going up 3.5 miles of rugged terrain via hiking, scrambling, and even climbing is another. It all contributed to one of the most extreme and extensive workouts ever. Keep in mind that it was 85F degrees and we got a late start. Thus, we were moving at a fast pace to try and make up time.

As we got further up, (somewhere around 3 miles hiked) we came to a side trail that lead us to Shining Rock Cliff. It’s a 200 x 800 yard granite shield that shines like a mirror when wet. It was a perfect place with an excellent view to take our first break.

In another half mile, we reached the summit of Little Haystack Mountain. While taking a short break, a large group of teenagers and adults were discussing the peace and serenity they were currently experiencing.

From here, we traveled over the famed “Knifes Edge Ridge”. It’s a 1.6 mile trek from Little Haystack Mountain across Mount Lincoln to Mount Lafayette. What appeared to be a 30 minute task, turned out to be a near 2 hour escapade. Ones’ perception is fooled with ease in higher elevations.

At last, we had reached the summit of Mount Lafayette. Off came the backpacks, tossed the trekking poles aside, and took in the views from what seemed to be the highest peak for miles.

He was correct, the temperature was cooler at 5,260 feet. My guess is that it was about 65 with soft wind gusts. It felt superb for the short while we sat up there. This is also a merging point or T junction for the Appalachian Trail (AT).

Down we went… Down the rigged and rocky terrain better known as a variant of “broken ankle alley”. I believe I twisted my ankles at least four times on the way down, and nearly blew my knees out several times. Thank God for trekking poles.

On the way down, we came to Greenleaf Hut. Here you can refill your water, eat a hot meal, get snacks, and sleep on a bunk. First come, first serve basis. This is where through hikers, and AT hikers seek refuge during their long quests.

With legs and muscles rested, a CLIF Bar or two consumed, we set out to get to the car before dark. What a challenge that presented. With approximately 45 minutes left on the hike, darkness consumed the forest. While I did not have my headlamp on me, and Brian’s was dead, he used his phone light, and I used my high lumen tactical flashlight that lit up the whole trail. The awareness of wildlife in the forest at night was alive in our minds. Black bears, moose, mountain lions, bobcats, and other creatures that can and will attack you at any moments notice. Even with a canister of bear spray at his side, Brian was still a bit concerned.

Finally, we made it back to the Jeep. It was a grueling, painful, awe-inspiring descent. We both knew we had just experienced something many people do not. We got in, sat down, grabbed a beverage, ate a snack, and let our bodies begin healing. A brief moment passed, and that’s when Brian said those unforgettable words… “That was THE MOST EPIC HIKE EVER!!!”