Una_dogger
01-13-2008, 09:24 PM
Cannon, NH4k #37, Jan 13, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trails:
Kinsman Ridge Trail, Cannon Rim Trail
Mileage: 5
Gain: 2000 ft
Cannon Mntn, 4100 ft.
We had a busy weekend and really wanted to squeeze in some time in the woods, so we decided to head up North late this morning to hike Cannon from the Tramway end of the Kinsman Ridge Trail. I needed Cannon for my NH48 and MJ needed it "with me" , although this would be his fifth trip up Cannon.
With all the rain and warmer weather last week, we really weren't sure just what to bring -- snowshoes seemed like they wouldn't be necessary based on reports of very hardpack snow, so we opted for Katahoula Microspikes, crampons, and our ice axes. As it turned out, these three items were essential today, and our snowshoes would have remained dead wieght on our backs.
The Kinsman Ridge Trail climbs 2000 feet in two miles...yup, its pretty much straight up from the parking lot. Our microspikes dug into the crispy outer ice layer on the hardpack snow. After gaining about 1000 feet, the trail enters a large man made glade that MJ says is a ski trail. I've just begun downhill skiing this winter, and so I just really didn't "get" why anyone in thier right mind would want to ski this "glade"! It was incredibly steep and full of trees...uh, I guess that's what makes it a glade.
Once on the glade the trail begins a series of steep and open switchbacks. The snow here was encased in glare ice, and we decided to switch to crampons and carry our axes. A fall here would mean sliding down the glade and careening over the many tree stumps...that would definately hurt!
Above the glade the trail winded upward through a beautiful forest where we began to catch our first glimpses of Franconia Ridge to the immediate East of us.
Suddenly the trail emerges into krumholtz, and to the right a small spur leads to beautiful overlook of Franconia Ridge. This overlook sits above the steep talus slopes of Cannon that can be seen while driving the Franconia Notch Parkway. We were blessed with mild temperatures, clear blue skies and no winds. Ice encrusted the trees and when a light breeze shook them, they sounded like windchimes. A redtailed hawk sailed high above us. We spent alot of time here taking pictures and marvelling at the view. As MichaelJ said, "the next best thing to being on Franconia Ridge, is to be on Cannon looking at Franconia Ridge". I would agree with him.
The trail ducks back into the woods and down into a small col, then begins its final rise to the summit of Cannon mountain, climbing up a couple hundred feet of "rockpile" so characteristic of the White Mountains, before reaching the Rim Trail, which wraps around the summit cone before it rises up through the woods at a large wooden AT/White Mountain National Forest sign. A few more feet and we arrive at the summit observatory.
From the observatory, the Kinsman Ridge and the Cannonballs folded off to our south and west. The lower, longer rays of light in the late afternoon created shadowy features across the ridges of the Whites. We could see the spine of the Green Mountains to the West, from as far south as Pico and Killington to Jay Peak we could discern all of the Four Thousand Footers of Vermont.
We soaked in the views and sipped hot drinks from our thermoses, snapping pictures and feeling very grateful having been blessed with a beautiful, calm day for our winter climb of Cannon. We returned the same way we came, stopping once again on the overlook to see how the changing light was playing off of Franconia Ridge.
We casually made our way back down the 2000 feet to the parking area, MichaelJ occaisionally throwing himself into the snow to practice "self arrest". We spent 4.5 hours out today enjoying these wonderful woods and taking in the amazing views.
A quick stop in Lincoln at "Half Baked and Fully Brewed" for some SUPER chicken enchilada soup and two double-cheeseburgers-no-pickle from McD's for Terra.
Cannon :
NH4k #37
NE4K # 51
NE115 # 98
and my 13th overall Winter 4k
Pictures can be seen here:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EYuWzNs1bsNU¬ag=1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trails:
Kinsman Ridge Trail, Cannon Rim Trail
Mileage: 5
Gain: 2000 ft
Cannon Mntn, 4100 ft.
We had a busy weekend and really wanted to squeeze in some time in the woods, so we decided to head up North late this morning to hike Cannon from the Tramway end of the Kinsman Ridge Trail. I needed Cannon for my NH48 and MJ needed it "with me" , although this would be his fifth trip up Cannon.
With all the rain and warmer weather last week, we really weren't sure just what to bring -- snowshoes seemed like they wouldn't be necessary based on reports of very hardpack snow, so we opted for Katahoula Microspikes, crampons, and our ice axes. As it turned out, these three items were essential today, and our snowshoes would have remained dead wieght on our backs.
The Kinsman Ridge Trail climbs 2000 feet in two miles...yup, its pretty much straight up from the parking lot. Our microspikes dug into the crispy outer ice layer on the hardpack snow. After gaining about 1000 feet, the trail enters a large man made glade that MJ says is a ski trail. I've just begun downhill skiing this winter, and so I just really didn't "get" why anyone in thier right mind would want to ski this "glade"! It was incredibly steep and full of trees...uh, I guess that's what makes it a glade.
Once on the glade the trail begins a series of steep and open switchbacks. The snow here was encased in glare ice, and we decided to switch to crampons and carry our axes. A fall here would mean sliding down the glade and careening over the many tree stumps...that would definately hurt!
Above the glade the trail winded upward through a beautiful forest where we began to catch our first glimpses of Franconia Ridge to the immediate East of us.
Suddenly the trail emerges into krumholtz, and to the right a small spur leads to beautiful overlook of Franconia Ridge. This overlook sits above the steep talus slopes of Cannon that can be seen while driving the Franconia Notch Parkway. We were blessed with mild temperatures, clear blue skies and no winds. Ice encrusted the trees and when a light breeze shook them, they sounded like windchimes. A redtailed hawk sailed high above us. We spent alot of time here taking pictures and marvelling at the view. As MichaelJ said, "the next best thing to being on Franconia Ridge, is to be on Cannon looking at Franconia Ridge". I would agree with him.
The trail ducks back into the woods and down into a small col, then begins its final rise to the summit of Cannon mountain, climbing up a couple hundred feet of "rockpile" so characteristic of the White Mountains, before reaching the Rim Trail, which wraps around the summit cone before it rises up through the woods at a large wooden AT/White Mountain National Forest sign. A few more feet and we arrive at the summit observatory.
From the observatory, the Kinsman Ridge and the Cannonballs folded off to our south and west. The lower, longer rays of light in the late afternoon created shadowy features across the ridges of the Whites. We could see the spine of the Green Mountains to the West, from as far south as Pico and Killington to Jay Peak we could discern all of the Four Thousand Footers of Vermont.
We soaked in the views and sipped hot drinks from our thermoses, snapping pictures and feeling very grateful having been blessed with a beautiful, calm day for our winter climb of Cannon. We returned the same way we came, stopping once again on the overlook to see how the changing light was playing off of Franconia Ridge.
We casually made our way back down the 2000 feet to the parking area, MichaelJ occaisionally throwing himself into the snow to practice "self arrest". We spent 4.5 hours out today enjoying these wonderful woods and taking in the amazing views.
A quick stop in Lincoln at "Half Baked and Fully Brewed" for some SUPER chicken enchilada soup and two double-cheeseburgers-no-pickle from McD's for Terra.
Cannon :
NH4k #37
NE4K # 51
NE115 # 98
and my 13th overall Winter 4k
Pictures can be seen here:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EYuWzNs1bsNU¬ag=1