This day was cold and windy at the base! Not many people but it was a Thursday. I went with Larry and would not have climbed at all considering the base weather and forecast but he was game and I assumed he knew better than I. This climb on Franconia Ridge takes as many lives as the Presidential Traverse, if not more. It is a narrow trail along the top, wide open to winds, but so incredibly beautiful. Views to die for, seriously, many have. There were a few others that day and we kept passing each other and got to know each other's faces, enough to gang together and exchange ideas when the going got tough. It was all fine and great along the Old Bridal Path Trail but then after we got to Greenleaf hut (closed) the wind really was whipping! We could not even hear each other speak and I needed my poles to keep me upright. Above treeline, we could barely walk at times, and Larry and I both thought about turning back. We put the dogs on leashes so they would not blow away but honestly, I think we would all have been better off without the leashes. Doggo did not seem freaked out until we got him on a leash at just about the peak of Lafayette. We saw some people coming down who assured us it was much better after the peak of Lafayette and that was the only reason we kept going. When we go to the top, there were people huddled down into the old foundation on the top. Who would build a house on the peak of Lafayette?! It blew away. No surprise there. We told them it would get better when Lafayette was in a position to block the northerly winds and so we all went on. Sure enough, it was not bad except maybe at the very peaks of the other mountains, but truly, never as bad as right before the summit of Lafayette.
The hike along the ridge itself was not tough and very beautiful. Amazing views in either direction. It was clear and sunny and luckily, not very cold, although we were well dressed. We had car spotted my truck at the Liberty Springs trail but Larry did not want to go on to Liberty and Flume as I did, so I caved and joined him in going down. I was angry with myself for going down the Falling Waters Trail with Larry, but otherwise, I would have left him hiking alone and that seemed mean. The beauty of the Falling Waters trail soon soothed me and I enjoyed the hike down. We even took the little detour to Shining Rock, which was really shining in the sun. Larry is a lovely tour guide and always entertains me with hiking stories and even some gossip even though he is not into sledding.
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