Mount Flume via Osseo Trail: 3/6/23

Headed in to the Osseo Trail on a spectacular blue sky day, with the caveat of high winds predicted to top 120 mph on Mount Washington. I had seen reports that a handful of snowshoers had broken out Osseo over the weekend - thank you! I figured I would go at least as high as the ladders, depending on the actual condition of the trail that morning. As it turned out, I went all the way to the summit of Mt. Flume, with the two major challenges being the luge run on the steep ladder pitches and the wild, gusty winds on the narrow, exposed crest of Flume.

After a weekend of heavy traffic, the Lincoln Woods Trail had a rock-solid track making for easy barebooting.

Here we go.

To my surprise, the Osseo Trail had a nicely packed snowshoe track, certainly firmer than I expected.

For its first 2.1 miles Osseo follows an old logging road grade (and for one brief section, the grade of an incline logging railroad), mostly through hardwood forest. It's a pleasant ascent leading deep into a remote valley. This nook was mostly protected from the wind, though I could hear it roaring above. The snow was getting a bit wet in the strong March sun.

Some really nice hardwood forest in here.

Turning off the grade, the trail makes a winding climb to the ridge that extends east from the main crest of Franconia Ridge, south of Mount Flume. The forest here transitions to a mix of paper birch, balsam fir and red spruce.

The NW wind was blasting the crest of the ridge, drifting over the snowshoe track in places. I hoped no trees would be coming down in the higher gusts.

A half-mile farther up the trail, on one of the switchbacks approaching the ladders, I was surprised to encounter a group of 10 or so descending snowshoers. That explained why the trail had been so well packed. They had made it almost to the summit of Mount Flume, but turned back at the spot where the Franconia Ridge Trail edges along the top of a steep gully, deeming it too dangerous to traverse in the high winds. On the descent they had slid down the ladder sections on their snowshoes - about the only way to get down those very steep pitches.

After exchanging greetings with the group, I continued up more switchbacks to the base of the ladder section and the first view, looking across the Pemi Wilderness to the Twin-Bond Range.

The ladder section was a packed snow luge run and was a bit intimidating, looking up. I really wanted to see the more expansive views higher up, so I clawed my way up with my MSRs, making a couple of detours through soft deep snow on the side. On this day of 100-mile visibility, the views from the various vantages along the ladder section were stunning. This vista looks down the Osseo Brook valley to a jumble of peaks.

The Hancocks, with the Cedar Brook Slide well-displayed, and Mount Carrigain.

Tripyramids and Osceolas beyond a wild spur of Whaleback Mountain.

Long view up the East Branch valley into the heart of the Pemi.

Owl's Head and the Twin Range.

The slides in Redrock Ravine.

Zoom on Mount Garfield.

Now that's a down-look!

Looking down the trail from the top of the steep ladder section. After spending some time taking in the views, I decided to continue towards Mount Flume, though it was getting on towards mid-afternoon.

The neat scrubby shoulder above the ladders.

Mount Flume looms close at hand.

Plenty o' snow on the ridge.

Into the tunnel.

Trail drifted in not long after the passage of 10 snowshoers.

Starting the ascent of the cone of Mount Flume.

Happy to reach this sign, 5.5 miles from the trailhead.

Final pitch before breaking into the open. Time to layer up.

The summit crags of Flume rise ahead. The moment I stepped into the open I felt the staggering force of the wind.

Long view to the south beyond Hardwood Ridge.

The steep profile of Mount Liberty, with the Kinsmans beyond. To the left of South Kinsman I spotted Dix Mountain in the Adirondacks, through Lincoln Gap in the Green Mountains.

This is where the group of snowshoers turned back. The crossing at the top of the steep gully that descends to the left would have been dangerous while being buffeted by the wind, especially coming down the pitch on the way back.

I noticed that there was a possible work-around to the right, through a gap in the trees, and I was able to bypass the gully crossing and part of the pitch above.

I emerged partway up the steep pitch beyond the gully and engaged in a tussle with the strongest winds I've encountered in many years. It took a good 15 minutes to traverse the 80 yards along Flume's narrow crest to the high point. Take a step, brace against the gusts. Repeat. Hug along the scrub line, mindful of the big dropoff close by on the left. A couple of gusts knocked me into the drifts amidst the diminutive trees. It seemed that the wind was blasting into the steep face of the mountain and accelerating. My guess is that the wind was at least in the 50 mph range; at that time there were gusts to 110 mph on Mount Washington, 2000 feet higher. No way to take any pictures along here while trying to merely stay upright; this is a view of the crest on a calmer day a few years ago.

I finally staggered to the summit and hunkered down briefly in a little depression amidst the scrub.

A peek at the Twin-Bond Range, Owl's Head and Mount Garfield from my hiding spot.

Franconia Ridge in its wintry glory. If anything, the trek back across the exposed crest was more difficult. When I reached the steep pitch that led down to the bypass around the gully, I deemed it too dangerous to descend in the wind. Instead I bushwhacked around this stretch through snow-caked conifers and rejoined the trail beyond the lowest ledges. I must admit I felt a little overmatched with the wind on this traverse with its airy exposure.

It was a relief to get into the protection of the woods and descend on an excellent snowshoe track.

Evening light on the Twin-Bond Range at the top of the ladder section.

Shadows creeping into the heart of the Pemi. From here I made a careful, controlled snowshoe/butt slide down the ladder section, then enjoyed fine snowshoeing down the ridge.

I covered the last few miles by headlamp with an assist from the full moon, seen here peeking through the trees.