Cannon Mountain day hike

This day hike started at the parking area just south of the Cannon Mountain tramway parking area and involved hiking the Kinsman Ridge Trail up the east side of Cannon Mountain. After about 1.5 miles the trail reaches the ledges near the summit of Cannon Mountain and joins the loop trail which links all of the trails on the summit with the top of the tramway. From there we continued left, heading first east and then southwest about 1 mile to the summit of Cannon Mountain. On the return we took the shorter (about 0.5 miles) and much less scenic route past the tramway back to the trail junction.

Parking area - 2,030' Cannon Mountain scenic loop - 1.5 miles - 3,650' Cannon Mountain summit - 2.5 miles - 4,080' Kinsman Ridge Trail - 3.0 miles - 3,650' Parking area - 4.5 miles - 2,030' Total distance round-trip - 4.5 miles Total elevation change - 2,050' Trail map - 515 x 541 - 156K

The starting point for this hike was the parking area just south of the Cannon Mountain tramway parking area, off of the southbound side of the Franconia Notch Parkway (I-93).

The purpose of this hike was for Pam to claim peak number 48, the final peak on her White Mountain 4000-footer list and for Katie to claim peak number 35. We had a nice group of people along for this one. Pam had a couple of friends, Ryan and Tom, join in on her final 4000-footer and Robbie, who we met during my final 4000-footer trip on The Owl's Head back in October, also joined in with a couple of his friends.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 The group at the start of the hike 600 x 400   1024 x 683 The group at the start of the hike 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam & Katie 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam, Katie, Tom & Ryan 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Icicles 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Robie 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ryan 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Eastern slope of Cannon Mountain 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Eastern slope of Cannon Mountain 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ice flows 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Katie 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Notch view 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam & Katie 600 x 400   1024 x 683 The trail

We started hiking a little before 9:00 on a trail with just a little snow and some icy patches. The snow got deeper the higher we climbed but it was all well packed snow with a scattering of icy patches. The microspikes on our boots were very helpful and I would not have wanted to be on this trail without them. About an hour into the hike we actually encountered a small party that had decided to turn back because they did not have anything but their hiking boots and the trail was just too slippery.

After a little more than an hour of hiking the trees started to thin out and we started getting some really spectalular views of Franconia Notch and Franconia Ridge on the other side.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Echo Lake 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Cannon Mountain 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Eagle Cliff 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Katie & Pam

After hiking a little while longer we finally broke out above the taller trees and the views were truly spectacular. The trees up there were plastered with snow which made for some incredible scenery. We had an absolutely cloudless sky in the most incredible shade of blue and the contrast between the dark blue and the bright white was awesome. It was very cold but as long as we kept moving it wasn't really a problem.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Snow-covered trees 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 View point 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam hamming it up 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Cannon Mountain summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Katie & Pam 400 x 600   683 x 1024 Katie, Bob & Pam 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ryan & Tom 600 x 400   1024 x 683 View towards Cannon Mountain summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge, Mount Lafayette 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge, Mount Lincoln 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge, Mount Liberty

After a brief photo stop at some snow-covered ledges overlooking Franconia Notch we continued up the final segment of trail which would bring us to the loop trail that circled the Cannon Mountain summit.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ice crystals growing on the snow 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ice crystals growing on the snow 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ice crystals growing on the snow 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Katie 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Snow-covered trees 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mighty Moose 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Katie, Tom & Pam 600 x 400   1024 x 683 On the trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 On the trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ice crystals growing on the snow 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Critter tracks in the snow

Above the tree line the views were pretty much outstanding in any direction you looked. We really lucked out in having such a beautiful day for this trip. We stopped a couple more times along the rim trail for more photos.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Snow-covered trees 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mighty Moose & Brian 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mighty Moose & Brian 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge

When we arrived at the final stretch of trail to the Cannon Mountain summit several of us raised our hiking poles to make a little arch for Pam to walk under for her final 4000-footer summit. From there it was just a short walk to the actual summit which is directly below the watch tower and observation platform on top of the mountain.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 The final leg to the summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam on the summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam on the summit

After taking a few photos on the actual summit we all climbed the stairs to the observation deck on top of the tower for a little party and, of course, to take some more photos.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge, Mount Lafayette 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge, Mount Washington in the distance 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge, Mount Lafayette 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam on top of the watchtower 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bob & Pam on top of the watchtower 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Fun with pyrotechnics 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Champagne 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam opening a second bottle 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam still trying to open a second bottle 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam's 4000-footer shirt 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam's 4000-footer shirt 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Kinsman 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Katie's #36 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Have some more champagne, Pam 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Group photo on top 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Champagne, Mighty Moose 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam, champagne, Mighty Moose

We were on top for a little less than an hour and it was very cold up there if you didn't keep moving. Someone actually packed up a couple bottle of champagne and we had our lunches up there and there were other goodies to share. It was a fun time.

We didn't stop much on the way back down at all and just flew down the trail and back to the parking lot.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pam 600 x 400   1024 x 683 "Dunkin" 600 x 400   1024 x 683 "Dunkin" & Pam

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