“Every spring, on one glorious sunny day, New Englanders with no climbing experience at all emerge from their offices, Cape Cod-style homes, and Colonials, and get the sudden urge to go hiking. The warmth of the sun leads them out into their driveways with high hopes and little gear, ready to take on something totally new. And much like my home life, it will be a total mess.”
— from 4000s by 40
This page shares photos from Chapter 16 in 4000s by 40. Lafayette and Lincoln are part of a quintessential 4000-footer loop—a classic, rugged New Hampshire hike. It’s not easy, but the views are stunning. I had climbed them before, but I wanted to do every 4000-footer anew for this quest. To read what it’s like to climb the 4000-footers, you can get the book [here]. And to go along with the photos below, I’ve added a quick retelling of events, along with quotes, to give a small sense of what you’ll find in the book. Enjoy!
Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here
I had other plans. I was hoping to climb Mount Osceola, which had already thwarted me twice—once due to weather conditions, and now again because the Tripoli Road was still closed for the winter. With limited time, I didn’t deliberate for a second and headed straight to the Lafayette parking area for a fast ascent of Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln.
It probably wasn’t the most reasonable decision, considering I only had a four-hour window to complete the climb before heading home. But I was fueled by my frustration over missing out on Osceola again, and the fact that I had already climbed these two mountains before, so I had some idea of what to expect.
Old Bridle Path on Mount Lafayette
Starting off on the Old Bridle Path, I made my way towards the Greenleaf Hut, which presents an inviting scene at the foot of Mount Lafayette. Having this hut situated here is super helpful for lowering the amount of water you need to carry up to this point. A quick stop in and you can replenish your supply at no charge.
It’s also a great place to find shelter, like I did on another climb here with my son. We got caught in a rainstorm that had us chilled to the bone.
For this particular journey I hadn’t run into too many hikers yet, but given the number of cars in the lot at the trailhead, I knew I’d be running into them soon enough.
Old Bridle Path and the Greenleaf Hut
Ascent of Mount Lafayette on the Greenleaf Trail
Don’t get me wrong, Mount Lafayette is a great mountain. And I get why it’s so popular—it gets you an unencumbered view above treeline for a very long time. But I always find the rocky slopes of Lafayette to be particularly painful on the knees. Every time I climb it, I’m always wondering why other mountains in New Hampshire aren’t more famous than this one. You can still get above treeline on plenty of other ones without having to take the bludgeoning Lafayette gives ya. But that’s me. I have friends who climb it every year and couldn’t do without it.
This was May, and as I approached the summit, I came across plenty of rime ice and a sharp chill in the air, despite the sunny skies. It was seventy degrees back home in southern New Hampshire, but with the wind, it felt like it was in the thirties up here. It made me think of some friends who like to camp out on Little Haystack (a summit that’s included in this loop hike) during the wintertime! Yikes! Maybe I’ll try that sometime.
Looking back at the Greenleaf Hut.
Rime ice and trail signs greeted me at the top.
Ascent of Mount Lincoln Along the Franconia Ridge
Ok, you might start to think I don’t like Mount Lafayette after this, but I do. Truly. It’s just that even right next to Lafayette is a mountain I enjoy a lot more: Mount Lincoln.
In summer, the approach to Lincoln has a greener, more inviting appeal than Lafayette’s rocky summit. The ridgeline leading to it is stunning—exactly what comes to mind when you picture a classic New Hampshire mountain ridge walk. In fact, I’ve seen plenty of photos online labeled as Mount Lafayette that are actually of Mount Lincoln. Mount Lincoln is the one you want, people! But since you can’t get that view without climbing Lafayette first, I suppose it’s a moot point.
After you climb Lincoln, it’s on to Little Haystack, which is over 4,700 feet but doesn’t get included in the 4000-footer list because it doesn’t have enough prominence from Lincoln. To qualify as a separate peak on the list, a mountain has to have over 200 feet of prominence from its neighboring peak. Little Haystack doesn’t make the cut—but it’s still pretty damn big, though.
I mean, look at those views! Lincoln is king.
Falling Waters Trail Descent
“I couldn’t understand how nobody could see the peril they were in, but perhaps when everyone around you is making the same mistake, you fail to see it. Every year, people need to be rescued off Lafayette, and today looked like it was going to be a busy one for the New Hampshire Mountain Rescue Service.”
It wasn’t until I started descending from Little Haystack Mountain on the Falling Waters Trail that I began to find all of the hikers—and boy, did I find them. They weren’t the owners of the cars back at the Lafayette parking area either, because these hikers were all still heading up. Not only were they going up, but they were the most woefully unprepared throng of hikers I had ever seen.
I counted thirty to forty of them, none of whom were carrying a backpack or extra water. Most were in jeans and a T-shirt, and only a couple of them were wearing proper footwear. Most of them were in Keds or other flat-soled shoes that wouldn’t be appropriate for a treadmill. One particular idiot was heading up the mountain in flip-flops. What is going on today?
Apparently, the good weather back in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire had lured people to the mountains, leading them to believe they would experience the same weather here. I recently got to speak with a SAR member who said it’s a common occurrence each spring in the Whites. I know there are some big rescues each winter in New Hampshire, but I started thinking we might hear about twenty or twenty-five this day. It was a mess.
Given my past experiences on the trail, I always carried an extra pair of Yaktrax in my pack, just in case my spikes broke. I started offering them to every person who was grasping at trees, trying not to fall on the ice. But nobody took me up on my offer. Sometimes people just have to learn the hard way, I guess. (Ahem.)
Falling Waters, indeed.
“Late spring, in my opinion, is the most dangerous time to climb, and I suspect the busiest time for mountain rescue teams. There are way too many people out there who won’t accept help, or advice, until the situation is desperate.”
The 48 New Hampshire 4000-Footers
4000s by 40 was an adventure of several climbs, some of which weren’t about mountains at all. Using the 4000-footers as a backdrop to explore middle age, parenting, and unrealized dreams, 4000s by 40 was about climbing all of the 4000-footers, sure. But it was also a quest for a better way to approach life.
To see more photos of New Hampshire’s “48” 4000-footers, head on over to the Visual Companion to 4000s by 40.
View from Mount Lincoln
Ascent Details – Mount Lafayette & Mount Lincoln Loop
- Route: Old Bridle Path → Greenleaf Trail → Franconia Ridge Trail → Falling Waters Trail
- Summits: Mount Lafayette (5,260′), Mount Lincoln (5,089′), Little Haystack Mountain (4,760′)
- Total Mileage: ~8.9 miles
- Elevation Gain: ~3,900 feet
- Trailhead Location: Old Bridle Path Trailhead in Franconia, NH
Starting from the Lafayette Place parking area, ascend via the Old Bridle Path, a steady but rocky climb leading to the Greenleaf Hut. From there, take the Greenleaf Trail up the final push to Mount Lafayette, where you hit treeline and are rewarded with sweeping views of Franconia Notch.
Following the Franconia Ridge Trail, traverse the open ridgeline to Mount Lincoln and then to Little Haystack Mountain, soaking in some of the best summit views in the White Mountains. The descent follows the Falling Waters Trail, a steep, rugged path that passes multiple waterfalls before leading back to the parking area.
Peakbagging Resources for Lafayette & Lincoln
If you’re planning to hike Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln as part of the Franconia Ridge Loop, these resources can help with trip planning, trail conditions, and safety information:
- 4000Footers.com – Franconia Ridge Loop – Detailed route description, maps, and elevation profiles.
- New England Trail Conditions – Recent trail reports from hikers.
- Peakbagger – Mount Lafayette & Mount Lincoln – Ascent stats, route logs, and climber reports.
- NH State Parks – Franconia Notch – Park regulations, trailhead parking, and seasonal updates.
The ascent up Mount Lafayette on a brisk, May day.