Early August Morning Hikes

During the busy summer I try to get out a few times for a morning hike in addition to a weekly full-day trek. During the first week of August I returned to two local favorites.

GREELEY PONDS: 8/3/23

A warm, partly sunny morning with clouds moving in - a familiar pattern this summer. Surprisingly, there were only 3 vehicles in the Greeley Ponds Trail lot off the Kanc Highway, and one of them belonged to legendary New England peakbagger and former AMC Four Thousand Footer Committee chair Tom Sawyer, who had backpacked across from Waterville Valley. Still at it at age 77! We had a good chat before I headed up the trail. Fifty minutes later I emerged at the SW corner of Upper Greeley Pond, gazing up at the west knob of Mt. Kancamagus and its K2 Cliff.

The best spot at Upper Greeley is on the SE shore, with a view north down the pond to the cliffs of West Huntington in the distance.

The reflected NE cliffs of East Osceola.

The main mass of East Osceola.

Combined runout from the 1892 and 1950s East Osceola slides, which comes down right next to the trail. There might have been some fresh movement here from all the rain this spring and summer.

View of K2 Cliff from the SW corner of Lower Greeley Pond.

Relaxing in hazy sun on the "beach" at the SW corner. Summer at its best.

Local resident going for a morning dip.

OLD BRIDLE PATH: 8/7/23

 

I wanted to check out the work being done this summer on the lower part of Old Bridle Path, and continue up to the first outlook ledges to take in the dramatic views of Franconia Ridge and its slide-scarred ravines.

 

This is the second year of a five-year project to restore, reconstruct and in some places relocate the badly eroded trails that make up the classic and hugely popular loop over Franconia Ridge: Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail and Falling Waters Trail. Some $1.1 million in funding has been provided for this project from the federal government through Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Additional contributions have come from the World Trails Network, Appalachian Mountain Club, and others, for a total of $1.8 million.

 

The work is being led by trail crews from the White Mountain National Forest and Appalachian Mountain Club, with additional crews from the Northwoods Stewardship Center Conservation Corps, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, N.H. Student Conservation Association,  OBP Trailworks LLC,  Peter S. Jensen & Associates LLC, and the Trail Fixing Collective LLC. Many volunteers have been helping out as well. This year's work is focused on the lower part of the Old Bridle Path. The work done so far is pretty amazing.

 

 

New signage, very informative.

Numerous high-quality rock steps have been built along the northward traverse made by Old Bridle Path above the junction with Falling Waters Trail.

These steps are low enough so that hikers will use them and not bypass them, and wide enough to allow two-way "traffic," thus preventing trampling of trailside vegetation.

At the end of the traverse, flagging marks the start of a relocation that will climb the slope above by several well-designed sidehill switchbacks.

Rock step work has progressed to ~2600 ft. on the section after the left turn at ~1.2 miles.

Beautifully cut stone steps.

Built to last.

A tough road above for the crews.

I was able to spend some time at the outlooks two miles up, before the rain moved in. The classic view of Mts. Lafayette and Lincoln, with the two branches of Walker Ravine well-displayed.

Walker Ravine north.

Walker Ravine south. The feature known as Lincoln's Throat is seen at the "Y" to the right of center.

The Dry Brook amphitheater, featuring "Guy's Slide" (unofficially named after bushwhacker extraordinaire and longtime Franconia Ridge steward, the late Guy Waterman) on the left, the "New York Slab" in the center, and the 2017 Dry Brook slide on the right.

Looking up Agony Ridge. Not today.

Descending in a light rain, I passed three trail crews working at different levels along the trail. This WMNF crew from the Saco District was toiling at the 2600 ft. level.

Farther down, rock drilling was in progress. Another quarter mile or so below, an AMC crew was hard at work.

Working on the lower traverse was a crew from  Peter S. Jensen & Associates LLC out of Vermont and the Trail Fixing Collective LLC, based in the Whites. There is an incredible amount of trailwork knowledge and passion focused on the Old Bridle Path!.