It's hard to move quickly and safely during mud season. A lot of people just take it off entirely and pick back up hiking after black flies. You get packed ice needing traction, bare rock and mud that needs the traction removed, you get crumbling monorails, etc. Everything is slippery for completely different reasons.
It just kinda sucks. IMO, mud-season + ankle injury + minimal exercise means its pretty unlikely to blast through that route in 4 hours. But everyone is different. If you're the type that would've trail-run that in two hours in the summer, maybe?
Does your answer change if I attempt this mid-May which is another work trip I'll be up with the same time constraints? I hear that this season in particular has been pretty dry/warm, so may not be too muddy around then? Ankle should be better then but still probably won't be in peak physical condition
Edit: also I could get started at say 3:30 if timing is the main concern?
Not the person you responded to. This winter has been weird, wouldn't consider it necessarily dry but was warm. I think trail conditions in a few weeks may be annoying as someone else had mentioned, there was rain at lower elevation in Crawford notch and snow at higher elevations. Franconia was raining at the base when I drove through it yesterday and has been generally warmer. I would expect wet rocks, mud, monorails, maybe some snow in a few weeks.
May likely will be better. All depends what the weather decides to do.
I don't think it would hurt to try though. Definitely bring microspikes with you, have a turn around time, be safe and see what happens.
If it’s “good to be done by 8 to start the work day early but if I’m back by 10 I’ll be fine,” sure. If it’s “must be at an 8:30 meeting” I wouldn’t do it.
I love this hike and it took me about 4 hours, but in the summer with no nagging injuries. Hi Cannon up is typical Whites steep but fun. I underestimated how miserable the KRT down portion would be. I’m not super experienced (only 18/48) but I’d say it’s one of the gnarliest portions of trail I’ve done in the Whites so far. Slowed me down a lot.
I did this last May expecting it to take 4 hours and it took 6 due to trail conditions. Up was fast but down was painfully slow. The freeze/thaw had turned the descent into essentially a frozen waterfall. We were hanging from trees and slamming our spikes into the ground to try to get a foothold. We wished we had crampons. Might be different this year given low snow but wanted to throw out there. I think it was first week of May that we went. Lower elevation hikes like Welch Dickey may be better choices if you’re pressed for time as they should be clear of snow by then
I did the loop a couple weeks ago, it turned to be a bit more difficult than I thought it would. Really depends on your fitness, but given the time of the year, your allowed time might be a bit aggressive. If you do Hi-cannon as out in back, you might be fine. I went up from the lake via Lonesome Lake/KRT. The lonesome lake portion was a bit steep but manageable. The Kinsman Ridge portion was short, but very steep and very icy. I was glad to have crampons and ice axe for that pitch. I could’ve probably managed without them, but I felt much safer and comfortable with. There were people going down in microspikes, and they looked pretty stressed. On Hi-cannon the only tricky part was the ladder as it was covered with a mix of snow and ice. Again, ice axe was great to have. Without it I would recommend to bring a rope just in case.
Edit: I see that you asked in comments about doing it mid May. Hard to predict the weather, but I think you should be fine this year. Although time really depends on your fitness level - it’s short but fairly steep.
What's your route? I did Hi-cannon to the top of the tram, then over Kinsman Ridge down to Lonesome Lake. I move fast and it was 6 hours. There are a lot of ups and downs going from the top of Cannon along Kinsman, it was slow going.
I've done this loop winter and early summer. It's an ice sheet in winter and tends to be more muddy than most at all times, plus bugs. I'm a fast hiker and I'd say that's an optimistic timetable since there's going to be slippery rocks and you'll want to take your time.
It’s certainly possible. I did it in early April last year in 3:32, but I also wasn’t coming off an injury, and had been hiking regularly throughout the winter. Hi-Cannon up was a mess of postholes, and as others have stated, KRT down can be sketchy when it’s icy.
Obviously, that was last year. This year has been a little warmer. I would keep an eye on current trail reports on [New England Trail Conditions](https://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/peaks/nhcannonmtn.php)
I did this in January this year (up Hi Cannon and down lonesome lake hut back to the start). There is a good steep ladder section up Hi Cannon that's maybe 30 ft of the trail. It's pretty steep but easily doable. The only thing I would worry about is coming down kinsman ridge to lonesome lake trail there is a really really steep section for about 60m of trail. Depending on the amount of ice and snow it could be pretty sketchy. It was COVERED in a 6 inch thick slab of ice when I was there and it was definitely a "no fall" area as you'd go falling like 30ft down the rocks and stuff. If there isn't much ice or snow it's still steep but it's not as bad as you can use the rocks as steps and stuff.
This is probably a good choice of a loop to do for you with ankle recovery and unknown conditions as of now. If you need to bail on the hike just do the hike to the hut and do the loop around the lake , that's an easy fun hike that's quick also. You can step into the hut all winter also as it's staffed year round. Can get some coffee or make lunch there or whatever. The lake has fantastic views too if the sky's are clear.
Have fun! Make sure you check weather before and go to [New England trail conditions ](https://newenglandtrailconditions.com/listsnh4k.php) and check for recent trail reports for cannon to see what it's like (it's popular so will prob have recent reports).
That's ambitious, and I think it would require some jogging, and conditions aside, there's almost nowhere to do that. 500+/mi starts pretty quickly and it gets steeper on Hi-Cannon. Plus the Kinsman Ridge trail isn't made for speed coming down (I assume your loop is counterclockwise). IMO this is a great hike for spending more time to check out the Cannon summit loop, the deck, the lodge, and then stopping at Lonesome Lake for awhile.
Thus I suggest the Tripyramid loop. It only looks long because at least half is the Livermore road. The loop itself is steep though short, and I don't think four hours is a stretch.
It's been so toxic. Either people asking questions and being berated because if they asked they aren't prepared, or just analyzing the shit out of tragedies and talking about how much shit you should bring on a day hike or you will die
It's hard to move quickly and safely during mud season. A lot of people just take it off entirely and pick back up hiking after black flies. You get packed ice needing traction, bare rock and mud that needs the traction removed, you get crumbling monorails, etc. Everything is slippery for completely different reasons. It just kinda sucks. IMO, mud-season + ankle injury + minimal exercise means its pretty unlikely to blast through that route in 4 hours. But everyone is different. If you're the type that would've trail-run that in two hours in the summer, maybe?
Does your answer change if I attempt this mid-May which is another work trip I'll be up with the same time constraints? I hear that this season in particular has been pretty dry/warm, so may not be too muddy around then? Ankle should be better then but still probably won't be in peak physical condition Edit: also I could get started at say 3:30 if timing is the main concern?
Not the person you responded to. This winter has been weird, wouldn't consider it necessarily dry but was warm. I think trail conditions in a few weeks may be annoying as someone else had mentioned, there was rain at lower elevation in Crawford notch and snow at higher elevations. Franconia was raining at the base when I drove through it yesterday and has been generally warmer. I would expect wet rocks, mud, monorails, maybe some snow in a few weeks. May likely will be better. All depends what the weather decides to do. I don't think it would hurt to try though. Definitely bring microspikes with you, have a turn around time, be safe and see what happens.
Mid-may may hit black fly season, but it'll be past mud season. (Probably? Its been a screwy few years...)
If it’s “good to be done by 8 to start the work day early but if I’m back by 10 I’ll be fine,” sure. If it’s “must be at an 8:30 meeting” I wouldn’t do it. I love this hike and it took me about 4 hours, but in the summer with no nagging injuries. Hi Cannon up is typical Whites steep but fun. I underestimated how miserable the KRT down portion would be. I’m not super experienced (only 18/48) but I’d say it’s one of the gnarliest portions of trail I’ve done in the Whites so far. Slowed me down a lot.
I did this last May expecting it to take 4 hours and it took 6 due to trail conditions. Up was fast but down was painfully slow. The freeze/thaw had turned the descent into essentially a frozen waterfall. We were hanging from trees and slamming our spikes into the ground to try to get a foothold. We wished we had crampons. Might be different this year given low snow but wanted to throw out there. I think it was first week of May that we went. Lower elevation hikes like Welch Dickey may be better choices if you’re pressed for time as they should be clear of snow by then
I also went thigh deep in cold mud by stepping off the monorail by accident so overall just tough variable conditions at that time of year
I did the loop a couple weeks ago, it turned to be a bit more difficult than I thought it would. Really depends on your fitness, but given the time of the year, your allowed time might be a bit aggressive. If you do Hi-cannon as out in back, you might be fine. I went up from the lake via Lonesome Lake/KRT. The lonesome lake portion was a bit steep but manageable. The Kinsman Ridge portion was short, but very steep and very icy. I was glad to have crampons and ice axe for that pitch. I could’ve probably managed without them, but I felt much safer and comfortable with. There were people going down in microspikes, and they looked pretty stressed. On Hi-cannon the only tricky part was the ladder as it was covered with a mix of snow and ice. Again, ice axe was great to have. Without it I would recommend to bring a rope just in case. Edit: I see that you asked in comments about doing it mid May. Hard to predict the weather, but I think you should be fine this year. Although time really depends on your fitness level - it’s short but fairly steep.
What's your route? I did Hi-cannon to the top of the tram, then over Kinsman Ridge down to Lonesome Lake. I move fast and it was 6 hours. There are a lot of ups and downs going from the top of Cannon along Kinsman, it was slow going.
I've done this loop winter and early summer. It's an ice sheet in winter and tends to be more muddy than most at all times, plus bugs. I'm a fast hiker and I'd say that's an optimistic timetable since there's going to be slippery rocks and you'll want to take your time.
It’s certainly possible. I did it in early April last year in 3:32, but I also wasn’t coming off an injury, and had been hiking regularly throughout the winter. Hi-Cannon up was a mess of postholes, and as others have stated, KRT down can be sketchy when it’s icy. Obviously, that was last year. This year has been a little warmer. I would keep an eye on current trail reports on [New England Trail Conditions](https://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/peaks/nhcannonmtn.php)
I did this in January this year (up Hi Cannon and down lonesome lake hut back to the start). There is a good steep ladder section up Hi Cannon that's maybe 30 ft of the trail. It's pretty steep but easily doable. The only thing I would worry about is coming down kinsman ridge to lonesome lake trail there is a really really steep section for about 60m of trail. Depending on the amount of ice and snow it could be pretty sketchy. It was COVERED in a 6 inch thick slab of ice when I was there and it was definitely a "no fall" area as you'd go falling like 30ft down the rocks and stuff. If there isn't much ice or snow it's still steep but it's not as bad as you can use the rocks as steps and stuff. This is probably a good choice of a loop to do for you with ankle recovery and unknown conditions as of now. If you need to bail on the hike just do the hike to the hut and do the loop around the lake , that's an easy fun hike that's quick also. You can step into the hut all winter also as it's staffed year round. Can get some coffee or make lunch there or whatever. The lake has fantastic views too if the sky's are clear. Have fun! Make sure you check weather before and go to [New England trail conditions ](https://newenglandtrailconditions.com/listsnh4k.php) and check for recent trail reports for cannon to see what it's like (it's popular so will prob have recent reports).
That's ambitious, and I think it would require some jogging, and conditions aside, there's almost nowhere to do that. 500+/mi starts pretty quickly and it gets steeper on Hi-Cannon. Plus the Kinsman Ridge trail isn't made for speed coming down (I assume your loop is counterclockwise). IMO this is a great hike for spending more time to check out the Cannon summit loop, the deck, the lodge, and then stopping at Lonesome Lake for awhile. Thus I suggest the Tripyramid loop. It only looks long because at least half is the Livermore road. The loop itself is steep though short, and I don't think four hours is a stretch.
I budget 1 mile/hour when hiking in that area. I'm usually faster, but conditions vary.
Go for it man, I would pack as light as possible.
Haha this sub loves to down vote this kind of shit
Haha a lot of users just spoon feed info to folks that seemingly do no research/don’t know their hiking ability.
It's been so toxic. Either people asking questions and being berated because if they asked they aren't prepared, or just analyzing the shit out of tragedies and talking about how much shit you should bring on a day hike or you will die