Back Door to Cannon

Monday January 2 2012

    It was a nice day for the first hike of 2012. It was almost too warm for a winter hike. I drove across town to pick up Chris and Moses the hiking dog. It was 44° in town as we left at 6:15. We figured it would be about 20 degrees colder on the mountain. As I drove the two hours to Franconia Notch I was wondering how I’d do today. It’s been over two months since I hiked because of a surgery in late October and then the Holidays and two mandatory overtime Saturdays. I was concerned too, about the hip belt from my pack irritating the site of the incision. Turned out, as usual, I was worried about nothing. There is a trail that goes up the same side of Cannon as the ski slopes but though it is shorter, it is very steep so we elected to take the long way up the back side.
    We got to the Lafayette Place parking lot around 8:15 and were on the trail a few minutes later.

Lonesome Lake Trail goes from the campground to the Kinsman Ridge Trail. The trail first climbs a ridge for a few hundred feet of elevation gain and then drops down to a trail junction on the East shore of Lonesome Lake.

 We took a short break for snacks and photos. Taking  the left for four tenths of a mile leads you to Lonesome Lake hut which can be seen from the East shore and is open year round. The right, which we took, is a continuation of the Lonesome Lake Trail. It skirts the northeast side of the lake on a series of bog bridges then veers North to ascend the Kinsman Ridge at a moderate rate. The trail joins the Kinsman Ridge Trail on the  saddle between Cannon and Northwest Cannonball.

It follows the saddle along and then ascends Cannon steeply on the West side. There are several places where a slip could result in a nasty fall but nothing death defying. Moses, as usual negotiated everything with ease. One area of boulders we went through were covered with ice that froze in some unusual patterns on the undersides.

  Once on the upper ridge the grade moderates and for the next half mile it’s a pleasant walk in the woods.

Just before the summit, we stopped to add some warm layers to fight the cold wind we’d experience on the tower platform.  My new down parka kept me very warm.

    As I said, there is  platform on top of Cannon. Four set of stairs lead you up to a large observation platform. Everything at this elevation is covered in rime ice. The views from there are very nice.

Some clouds obscured Lafayette and Mount Washington but pretty much everything else was in view. After a round of photos, we headed down to a more sheltered place to have lunch. We spoke to several groups going to and from the summit. There are several hiking trails and a couple of ski lifts that provide access to the summit. We saw probably 30 people on the trail today, an indication of how popular hiking in the Whites has become. We headed back down the trail and within a couple of hours we were back at the parking lot. Another wonderful day in the mountains of New England.



Tips and hints

 Layer and body heat management

Controlling your  body temperature in winter is essential to being safe. Everyone's inner furnace runs a bit differently so it is important to find out what works best for you. On a twenty degree day I see everything from people who put on all their insulating layers in the parking lot and keep them on all day, to people who, as I often do, putting on  light layers in the parking lot and then removing them in 15 or twenty minutes after the furnace really fires up.

My layers in winter consist of ; A poly-pro liner sock and a pair of medium weight wool socks. Poly-pro long johns top and bottom. A pair of nylon hiking shorts (for the pockets and modesty). A pair of Gore-tex gaiters. A medium weight zip neck pullover of wool or poly-pro. A light pair of wool gloves. This is what I wear in temps down to 15 or 20 degrees if there is not much wind. In temps below that I'll add a light fleece zip pullover. When above treeline or for longish breaks I'll put on Gore-Tex pants and hooded jacket. In severe cold and wind I also put on a hooded down parka, a balaklava and Gore-Tex over-mitts. I also carry but have never worn, a pair of fleece pants for extra insulation. I also have a neoprene face mask and goggles that I wear in severe conditions.

 Gear management takes practice. In very cold windy conditions, you need to be quick about getting on extra layers so your core temp doesn't drop too much. A balky zipper or buckle, when it's relatively warm is a pain but in severe conditions it is dangerous. Getting used to getting clothing as well as traction devices out of your pack and getting them on as quickly as possible is an essential skill in winter conditions. I try to familiarize myself with any new piece of gear before I need to use it on the mountain.