East Pond; No / Greenleaf Hut; Yes

[Jimmy Legs and Little d]

Plan A was to hike to East Pond via the East Pond Trail off of the Kancamagus Highway. However, due to the heavy amounts of snow at the upper elevations we bailed out after hiking about a hundred yards and loosing the trail because of the overhanging branches.


http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenleafHut1.jpg

Plan B was to hike to the Greenleaf Hut and if time permitted, continue to the summit of Mount Lafayette.

The last time we hiked this trail was back in 1993 when we did the Franconia Ridge Loop; descending by the Falling Waters Trail.
For the most part, the trail was packed and bare bootable and hiking with our Katoola micospikes proved to be a disadvantage in that the snow would ball up on the bottom of our boots.
Everything was covered in a new layer of snow.


http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenleafHut2.jpg

Once on Agony Ridge we began to see views of what laid ahead.


http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenleafHut3.jpg

Reaching Greenleaf Hut at 1:15pm we added layer of clothes to fend off the cold and wind.


http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenleafHut4.jpg

Because of time restraints we decided to head back.
Coming down we admired the views of:

Cannon cliffs


http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenleafHut5.jpg

Looking south along I-93


http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenleafHut6.jpg

Lonesome lake


http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenleafHut7.jpg

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/jimmylegsandlittled/Agony%20Ridge/GreenLeafHut8.jpg

We returned to our vehicle at 4pm and headed to Woodstock Station for dinner with the former owner of the Franconia Notch Motel.

[CHRIS]

Great pictures thanks for sharing.

[KD Talbot]

Hope you get in lots of good hiking during your trip!

KDT

[TrishandAlex]

Lovely photographs! The hike up to Greenleaf is a serious hike all by itself, and a lovely destination in its own right. Congrats on another successful day out-of-doors. :)

[Anna LeBlanc]

Thank you for more beautiful photos.We really like the Woodstock Station too.Did you have something good for dessert?:D

________

Anna

[Jimmy Legs and Little d]

Thanks for your replies:

CHRIS: Hope you get a chance to hike real soon.

KEVIN: Stay tuned there is more on the way and a new hat makes it debut.

TRISH: It was a great hike and I think more of a challenge returning on the Old Bridle Path due to the momentum you pick up as you descend.

ANNA:No dessert that evening. We did enjoy a delicious, decandent chocolate pudding/cake dessert at the Scarecrow Pub one evening.


Donna:)