A hike up to the clouds

White Mountains National Forest boasts one of the most challenging daily hiking adventures I have done so far.

The hike up to Franconia Ridge is not for faint-hearted (or faint muscled). It is a rigorous, adventurous, demanding but beautiful hike (parking lot to the Greenleaf hut is about 2.9 miles, but steep elevation and difficult terrain slows you down considerably) that leaves you tired but with a feeling of extreme accomplishment.

It took us about 7 hours to walk up from the car to the start of the ridge trail on top of the mountain and back. The views at the top took my breath away and made all the sweating and swearing that we did while climbing up there totally worth it!

Be on the look out for some wildlife, and say hello to fellow hikers that you meet on the trail. We got great tips on things to see and be aware of from total strangers that we run into while hiking. Special shout-out goes to Greenleaf Hut. It sits just below the top-most point of the hike, and welcomed us warmly (literally!) with hot soup and tea, assortment of snacks, and I even got a t-shirt for myself as a memo.

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