A few shorter hikes during a dreary stretch of November weather.
I took an afternoon hike up Old Bridle Path to check out this season's impressive trail work, part of the multi-year Franconia Ridge Loop Restoration project. These rock steps are part of the first of three new relocations opened this year, this one at 0.5 to 0.6 mile from the trailhead.
The first relocation feeds into the second one, 0.3 mile long, that has only been roughly cut and presumably will be completed next year.
This long rock staircase is on a formerly eroded section of trail that has been reconstructed.
Farther up there are two more relocations that weave across the eroded and brushed-in old route of the trail.
New treadway construction on the first of these two relocations.
Rock steps on the second relocation.
What a contrast with the badly eroded section above the upper limit of the trail restoration so far.
Scrambling up the wet but grippy ledges leading to the first outlooks.
I was pleasantly surprised that the Franconia Ridge peaks were in the clear on this dreary day.
I played around with the enhanced zoom on my new iphone. The summit of Lafayette rises above the north branch of Walker Ravine.
Mt. Lincoln and the south branch of Walker Ravine.
The amphitheatre at the head of Dry Brook Ravine.
The 2017 slide on the south side of Dry Brook Ravine.
The icy "New York Slab."
Wide-angle view up Agony Ridge.
On another gray day I hiked up Waterville ski trails to the outlook halfway up the Mount Tecumseh Trail.
The Osceolas.
Zoom on Mount Osceola.
On a warm, foggy day I hiked up to Bald Peak on the west side of North Kinsman. The parking situation at the trailhead for Mount Kinsman Trail has changed - a parking fee is not required, but donations are welcome.
On the way up I followed the Button Fern Nature Path, which follows a narrow footway and then a succession of old logging roads, paralleling the Mount Kinsman Trail to the north.
The Button Fern Nature Path rejoins the main trail at 0.6 mile, by the old sugarhouse.
The first 1.1 mile of the Mount Kinsman Trail is on private land, and one of the landowners, Mike Kenney, has placed two new footbridges across wet areas.
The trail makes quick right and left turns at the WMNF boundary.
Nice rock staircase built by dedicated adopter Bruce Richards and his fellow Trailwrights members.
The brooks were running high following recent rain, but were still rock hoppable.
Mossy Falls Brook.
Into the fog.
Junction signs.
The spur trail is sprucey and ledgy.
Not much for views this day, but at least the ledgy 2465-ft. peak was out of the clouds.
No southward view to Mount Moosilauke on this trip.
But I could look across the Ham Branch valley to Cooley Hill and Cole Hill.
The side path drops 150 yards with 100-foot elevation loss to a couple of spots on the brink where you can peer down into this impressive rock cut. Caution is advised!
Kendall Brook was roaring down through the flume.
The lower section of Mount Kinsman Trail is a pleasant piney walk. The round trip to Bald Peak and Kinsman Flume is 4.8 miles with 1500-ft. elevation gain.
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