Mt. Lafayette via Greenleaf, Old Bridle Path, Bike Path (White Mountain National Forest)

Mt. Lafayette via Greenleaf, Old Bridle Path, Bike Path (White Mountain National Forest)

Hike Type: Reverse Lollipop Loop

Distance: 9.83 miles

Elevation: 3,681 feet

Time: 6 hours, 28 minutes (5 hours, 31 minutes moving)
Parking: Park at Cannon Tram parking lot.

Hiking Challenges: N/A

The Hike 

LAFAYETTE (cue the rest of the lyrics from Hamilton). The forecast basically begged for us to climb a big mountain, so we had to oblige! Sarah and I met at the Burlington Mall at 4:30 to head on up the Whites. We had a sleepy, but not as sleepy as it could have been, drive up to Hooksett for breakfast and we both PANICKED. They changed the layout! They're currently expanding the general store on the northbound service plaza to match that of the southbound, so they moved the hot food to the new section, which really threw us off. Thankfully, we're warriors and persevered through the challenge and got our food safely. Thankfully, the sun is rising earlier and earlier this time of year, so we were soon in daylight and making our way up. Skies were crystal clear and the peaks of Franconia Notch were dusted in snow!

It was in the 20s, which felt cold after the warm weather we'd been having, but it was still nothing to worry about. We did both start in FULL layers becuase we're babies, though. We parked in the Cannon Tram parking lot, got suited up quickly to not get too cold, and started our adventure!

[7:13am - Start of Hike]

Our plan was to do either an out-and-back via Greenleaf, reverse lollipop via Greenleaf, Old Bridle, and the Bike Path, or get crazy and do a big loop with Falling Waters (which we quickly vetoed when we remembered how much... water... there is on Falling Waters. We followed signs for the Greenleaf Trail from the parking area and soon entered the woods just off the on-ramp for I-93.

[7:16am - Greenleaf Trail]

There was a light coating of 1-2" of snow on the Greenleaf Trail, with only one other set of footprints, which made for some choice footing. Nothing was overly slippery, but we did have to take our time just in case. We passed a few good looking rocks and some nice seasonal tree views out toward the Profile on Cannon Mountain.

After 15ish minutes our layers started to come off as the gentle hike started to gain a little bit of elevation. We did have one small stream crossing that was absolutely coating in icicles, which was really pretty to see!

The Greenleaf Trail began to climb more steadily with an occasional zig-zag through increasingly coniferous forest. Unfortunately, Sarah is shorter than I am, so even though she led for much of the climb, I still caught a good amout of snowy branches!

[8:25am - Greenleaf Trail/Eagle Pass]

After a more rugged section of trail, things calmed down and flattened out as the Greenleaf Trail entered Eagle Pass, which I remembered reading about in the White Mountain Guide, but I was prepared for how cool it was going to be! We had high cliffs on on the left with some unique views out to what I think is the ridge near the Skookumchuck Trail ahead. The only bummer was that the snow was SKETCHY here. Very narrow monorail was covered by drifted fresh snow, so every step required some good poking with poles to make sure it was on stable ground.

The trail dipped slightly from here, which was even sketchier, and then started a long, slow ascent. up to the Greenleaf Hut. The temperature felt much colder up here, but the tree views on the left were absolutely lovely! Sarah and I kept it relatively solo in this stretch, as one of us would stop and the other could continue on to keep warm and so on. The climb was never overly steep, but it just kept on climbing with careful footing so it felt slowwwwww.

Salvation briefly came when we got high enough to have the sun on it, which felt absolutely delightful. 

I passed a friendly bird and did the thing I do where I begin to take on speed when I can feel I'm close to a view, so naturally I gassed myself out. I continued hiking into the sunlight and then I saw the Forest Protection Area sign!

[9:28am - Greenleaf Trail/Greenleaf Hut Forest Protection Area]

I screamed for Sarah in joy! We loosely decided that going down this way would be unadvisable. We did cross paths with two younger French Canadian guys who spent the night in the scrub and said the sunrise and sunsets were beautiful, but they were having a not-so-great time descending, so we were probably going to opt for the reverse lollipop loop option.

The trail calmed down after the sign and we caught a few tree views to the Alpine Zone near the sign for Sunset Rock. The spur path was unbroken, and there were a couple blowdowns to deal with so I decided I'd wait for another day. Just after the spur we made it to the sun-drenched hut with a spectacular view up towards Lafayette!

[9:42am - Greenleaf Trail/Greenleaf Hut]

We took a nice 15-ish minute break at the hut and in the sun. We spent time yapping and staring into the void while stuffing our faces with food. The one food I saved for the top was a cookie, though! We couldn't beleive how beautifully witneresque the mountain was looking from here (and from the woods, in fairness) - it was such a wonderful day! We could just barely make out a duo climbing up in the Alpine Zone from the hut, which was also fun to see. Eventually, we gathered ourselves and started our final climb up!

[10:04am - Greenleaf Trail]

The Greenleaf Trail descended from the hut to cross the outflow of the Eagle Lakes on a wonderful, wide bridge, and then begins to climb again, first in the trees, but then soon out in the open with wonderful views across the ntoch toward the Kinsmans, Lonesome Lake, and the top of Cannon. 

Lincoln and Little Haystack are revealed next on the right, with Moosilauke making an appearance behind the Kinsmans. The trail continued back into the woods before reaching the Alpine Zone.

[10:20am - Greenleaf Trail/Alpine Zone]

The trail had a narrow, but stable monorail in the trees, but it was for sure a welcomed change when we finally broke out into the trees and we had a similar snowy trailbed to that of midwinter. The rest of our climb involved hiking 10-15 feet, turning around, going WOW, and then repeating that process. The view towards the Kinsmans Ridge and the Greenleaf Hut was just spectacular, and we could make out all five Vermont high peaks, plus Jay!

The cairns higher up were blasted with rime ice, which looked just incredible with the blue-sky backdrop. I eventually got into my groove and got a bit ahead of Sarah with my classic case of summit fever. We rounded a false summit and continued the climb. I think when it comes to hiking above treeline, I am actually pro-false summit. I have learned to always assume there's more to climb, so I never really feel disappointed whe nI reach one, and it actually gives me a little micro-goal as I suffer my way up.

We were greeted by a faint cloud-bow, which I assume was made as the sun shined through the ice crystals in the sky. We could make up the false peaks of North Lafayette along the Garfield Ridge and I loved connecting the dots along ridge the Greenleaf Trail ascends. We could make out Eagle Pass and noticed that Artist Bluff/Bald Mountain seem to be a part of this same land mass, sans a bit of glacial carving. The slopes on Cannon looked deceivingly inviting (it was just dust on grass), and to my absolute joy, I soon saw the sign at the summit!

[10:58am - Mt. Lafayette Summit]

I was ahead of Sarah by a few minutes to the summit, so I waited to boop the sign and just looked around for a bit. It was CHILLY up top! I dropped my stuff in a corner of the old foundations and simply gawked at the views twoards the Bonds and the Presidentials - it was such a spectacularly clear and beautiful day! The summit sign was caked in a couple of inches of rime ice, which made things even cooler.

Sarah soon joined in on the "oh. my. god"'s, and we then parked for some food. Naturally, I took about a million photos in all directions, enjoyed a DELICIOUS Common Man S'mores cookie, but to my dismay, we were running out of time. The ascent took longer than planned due to the trail conditions. Originally, I was hoping to turn around at 11am, but I also hate rushing Sarah off of a summit (she's historically much better at enjoying summit time than I am). I presented the conundrum to her - we both decided there was no use in going down Greenleaf, since the only tracks were ours and the Canadians, but there were still six-ish miles back to the car via Old Bridle and the Bike Path, and her ankle does not allow her to safely speed down a mountain, so I proposed that I blast off to grab the car and meet her at the Old Bridle Path trailhead. The conversation felt a little tense, but we both agreed it was the best way to get back in time. 

[11:22am - Greenleaf Trail]

My descent on the upper Greenleaf Trail was fast, and I spent a lot of time in my own head. I had not-the-best-night™ last night and was already in my own head about that, and now I was feeling bad about stressing Sarah out on our hike. I went through waves of being VERY mean to myself in my head to slightly more rational thoughts - the most rational was I needed to be more transparent and communicative about hikes when I have firm turn around times so we can plan for that so she doesn't end the hike feeling disappointed. It wasn't a great time, I'd say this first part of my hike was borderline a bad time, but it did make things go faster, at least!

[11:39am - Greenleaf Trail/Greenleaf Hut Forest Protection Area]

I continued back into the non-alpine zone and popped out for some last views across the Notch and to the Hut before crossing the Eagle Lakes outflow and climbing back up to the hut. I THINK I caught a photo of Sarah hiking down from the hut, but it's hard to tell with the distance. I crossed paths with 6-10 others making their way up on my way down, and I would soon cross paths with a bunch more slowly making their ways up!

[11:47am - Greenleaf Trail/Greenleaf Hut/Old Bridle Path]

[11:53am - Old Bridle Path/Old Bridle Path Forest Protection Area]

The upper strech of the Old Bridle Path had spectacular views of the ridge on the left, with many pull-offs to enjoy them, but also was a moderate nightmare to naviage with every possible trail condition. Hard packed monorail, rotting monorail, puddles of slush, puddles of mud, running water, and glare ice. Not to mention the spicy scrambles were indeed spicy! The upper stretch was slow, but the views helped.

There were a few realtively brutal eroded stretches, too. I think I added and removed my spikes four of five times before finally hitting the friendlier grade down low. Once I was on the friendlier grade, my spikes stayed on for a while and I was truly able to blast off. The new stretches of trail are an absolute DREAM. There were only a few old, eroded stretches left, and they weren't even that bad.

Eventually, my spikes came off for good as I hit the final bit of trail, which was more of a river. In fairness, I thought most of the hike would be like this, so I was fine doing an extended rock hop!

[12:54pm - Old Bridle Path/Falling Waters Trail jct.]

The Old Bridle Path dried out in the final stretch and soon joined Falling Waters Trail for a super easy jaunt to the trailhead! My hike was not over yet, though - I still had a power hike along the Bike Path to get the car (my secret goal was to make it back before Sarah).

[12:57pm - Old Bridle Path-Falling Waters Trailhead/Franconia Notch Bike Path]

The official mileage back to the car was 2.5 miles (I think it ended up being closer to three). My spikes were off and I was officially in power hiking mode. I went under I-93 to the Lafayette Campground and crossed a bridge over the Pemi, which had a nice view to Cannon Cliffs and up to Lincoln. The road alternated between dry concrete to 3" of snow, but I never needed my spikes. The only bummer was that a lot of the path was uphill, and I was tired!

It was neat to walk the bike path. One of the pull-offs that I had never been to had a rock climber registration box and a great view of the craggy landmass that connects to Eagle Pass. The Bike Path crossed under I-93 again opposite of Profile Lake and provided a nice view of Cannon's profile. I crossed under I-93 again near a beaver pond for the final push past the Old Man Historic Site parking and eventually made it back to Sarah's car!

[1:38pm - End of Hike]

Back at the car, I kept all my nasty clothes on, threw my sit pad down on her driver's seat and drove south on I-93, turned around at the Flume Gorge exit, and then drove back north to the Old Bridle trailhead. I was there for maybe three minutes before she landed - perfect timing! We both had a round of apologies for each other - we both were having bad brain days - but thankfully we're able to talk through things well. The drive home was pretty painless with a chicken cutlet sandwich from Hooksett, and soon we were right back to yapping about what our next adventure would be!

Step-by-Step

- Park at Cannon Tram parking lot.

- Follow signs for Greenleaf Trail.

- Start hike on Greenleaf Trail.

- Follow Greenleaf Trail to the summit of Mt. Lafayette.

- At summit, turn around.

- At Greenleaf Hut, turn left onto Old Bridle Path.

- At terminus, cross parking lot and turn right onto Franconia Notch Bike Path.

- Follow Franconia Notch Bike Path back to Cannon Tram Parking.

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