7-5-13 North and South Kinsman, Fishin Jimmy Trail, Lonesome Lake, Kinsman Quartz Monzonite

After celebrating the Fourth of July with a night of fire works in Gorham I was seriously thinking of hiking up into King Ravine early Friday morning. It had rained heavily the evening before and Mts. Madison and Adams (seen here from the Durand Rd. in Randolph) were enshrouded with mist including a smooth lenticular cloud poised above Mt. Adams.  On the west side of the range heavy mist was descending into the valley.  One plan I had was to hike through Kings Ravine and come down via Castellated Ridge but I opted for something different.

I had a yen for a hike worthy of a perfect summer day and, instead I headed west choosing North and South Kinsman, by way of the Lonesome Lake Trail and the Fishin' Jimmy Trail. This ancient yellow birch in the photo stands guard at the bottom of the Lonesome Lake Trail. It's a little over 3 feet in diameter, a giant in this region, and hundreds of years old.

A yellow birch that had the misfortune to start its life on top of a rock.

I had the trail to myself....

...until the height of land and got in proximity to the lake and the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Lonesome Lake Hut  where I began meeting other hikers who had spent the night at the hut and were out early. Hot weather over the past week had been generating afternoon thunderstorms across the region. This young woman was heading to Greenleaf Hut via the Franconia Ridge and got an early start to avoid being caught in a thunderstorm on the ridge. (In the White Mountains the word "thumper" is often used to mean "thunderstorm". Derivation unknown but probably crew members of the AMC huts.)

That was also the case for these two. They were nervous about being caught on Franconia Ridge in a "thumper" after hearing wild stories of what it's like on the unprotected, knife-like ridge crest in severe storms. They asked for my advice, but they're own plan: to get out early, keep a steady and moderate pace, try to get up to the ridge around noon, and be off the summit of Lafayette around 3:30, or 4:00 pm at the latest, was brilliant. When I used to guide this trip--from Lonesome to Greenleaf via the ridge on a hot July day--I would try to do exactly what these two hikers were planning, but not without some near misses. Most of those had their humorous sides like the trip member who dragged along because of the hot, humid weather, making us later and later, protesting that they were going as fast as they possibly could, until we were on the ridge and suddenly there was this ripping, tearing crashing, booming, terrifying peal of thunder right over our heads and I have never, ever seen such a tired, woeful person suddenly have the vitality of a quarter horse and beat us all to the hut by a mile. Fear is sometimes a wonderful motivator.

This group had the same apprehensions about thunderstorms and were considering the odds (on Friday) of encountering a thunderstorm as they hiked the exposed, two-mile length of the ridge. Thunderstorms in the mountains are scary, particularly if there's absolutely no protection. When and where storms are likely hikers have to move efficiently, safely, staying together, and using common sense. Franconia Ridge has two exit trails at either end: Falling Waters Trail which descends from the summit of Little Haystack Mt, at the southern end of the ridge, and the Greenleaf Trail at the north end which descends from  the summit of Lafayette down to Greenleaf Hut. The advantage the hiker has on Franconia Ridge is visibility. You can see and hear storms coming from a long way off and have enough time to make key decisions, but if you are caught out on the ridge when one hits and, if its safe, you can descend into the trees but only on the east side of the ridge and down just a few feet,  until you're below the height of the ridge, and sit down, preferably on something dry (or at least something that's a poor electrical conductor like a backpack, etc), and wait the storm out. Leaving the trail and descending more than a few feet has its own risks. Also, statistics over the years have underlined that it's NOT safe to seek shelter in caves.

They were not particularly concerned about lightning.

Kinsman Quartz Monzonite aka Kinsman Granodiorite. From Lonesome Lake Hut west, including the Kinsmans, you are walking on what's now called Kinsman Quartz Monzonite and what used to be referred to as Kinsman Granodiorite (KGD). The name changed sometime between 1935 and 1970.

One comparison to make with the Conway granite is that the KZM is rougher in texture and offers better traction for climbing than the Conway granite which has a finer, smoother texture. In the photo you can see the larger grains on quartz and the rough texture.

A map from Charles William's 1935 study of the geology in the Franconia qaudrangle. The blue circle, (Ed: I drew both of the colored circles on this man) represents the Conway granite (CG) that Cannon Mt. and several other mountains in the region were formed over long periods of time. The area outside the blue circle is dominated by the Kinsman grandodiorite as identified by Williams and now called Kinsman Quartz Monzonite (KQZ). The green circle represents the position of Lonesome Lake relative to the area of Conway granite based on William's mapping in 1935. In 1970 Brian Fowler suggested from his own field work (Appalachia June 1970, pg. 108) around Lonesome Lake, particularly his "stone counts", that the southern edge of the Conway granite was right meaning right under the hut and about a 1/4 mile closer to the joint between the Conway granite and the Kinsman quartz monozite that was originally suggested by Williams.

A miraculous set of stairs!

Williams, in his June 1934 Appalachia article (p. 69) does a good job of outlining the geologic history of the Franconia quadrangle and particularly the the history of these two rock types. He goes back to the early Paleozoic, which by its name alone we know is a long, long time ago, and a period of mountain building called the Appalachian Uplift (roughly 480 million years ago). We know now that the uplifting, or folding of the crust, was caused by continents crunching into each other at their edges. (Continental Drift, or Tectonic Plate Movement). Williams observed that "at the time of the folding which contorted the bedded (sedimentary) rocks large bodies of magma invaded the crust from below, although did not reach the surface existing at that time." The bodies of magma were 10-12 miles long and 3-6 miles wide. It consolidated there under the crust, a few miles down, forming a granodiorite which has been called the Kinsman granodiorite. (or its modern name Kinsman quartz monozite the name we'll stick with). That's KZM in the photo on these steep slabs. There are large exposures of it on the North and South Kinsman summits. 

The first time up or down these stairs requires a few moments to actually trust them because they appear to be sitting there and not attached to anything, or maybe by some bubble gum,  but they're completely safe and trustworthy.

Following the arrival of the Kinsman granitediorite and as more molten rock came into the area but not quite to the surface the Bickford granite, Scrag granite and the Franconia breccia, are all deposited in the area and are incorporated into the Kinsman granitediorite. These minor periods of volcanic activity finally bring us to ones discussed earlier in this blog in the Moat Mountain article a few years ago, which elaborates on the dramatic periods of volcanic activity which involved major flows of lava now found in the Ossipees, the Belknaps. on Mt. Kearsarge, Moat Mt., Owl's Head, Mt. Hale, and North Twin. Williams further describes the large magma reservoir below the crust in this area that, when it cooled, resulted in the numerous ring dikes in what is now central New Hampshire and found in the Ossipee and Belknap Mountains, the Percy Peaks, as well as in the Franconia region. The ring dikes in the Franonias, compared to the other areas, are poorly preserved due to more cutting by magma surging upwards below the crust. This last bit brings us to the arrival of the Lafayette granite porphyry which is visible from Lafayette to Little Haystack, and on Mts. Liberty and Flume, and it outcrops on South Twin, around Galehead hut, and the Bond Cliffs. Finally, this brings on the formation of the Conway granite, which occurred as a subsidence down below the crust when huge blocks of the minerals described above melted, dropped into the cauldrons of molten magma forcing the lava higher into the crust where it cooled slowly. It's gradually exposed on the surface as a result of several hundred million years of erosion, particularly, but not exclusively, by the great ice sheets that slid by here during the Pleistocene Era, between 2.6 million and 12,000 years ago.

Does this look steep? It's a bit deceiving in the photo but it is inclined at a steep angle. The stairs were omitted in one section because it's possible hike up and down along both edges of the long escalator-like slab.

The Fishin' Jimmy Trail takes its name from Fishin' Jimmy Brook. The trail was designed and built by Paul Jenk, Charles Blood, and others between 1929 and 1930. You have to be impressed by the enormous amount of work involved when you see how rugged the terrain is, the steepness, and the amount of rock exposed. The trail became one of Paul's and Charles' pet projects, like the Garfield Ridge Trail that they opened together in 1914-1916. They had quite a bit of help in establishing the "line" which must have involved a lot of bushwhacking. At it's inception the idea behind the trail was recognition that Greenleaf Hut was under construction, the Lonesome Lake Cabins had been leased and were being used as a hut by the AMC so that the AMC Trail committee wanted to create more access to the Kinsman Ridge Trail and to create a direct link between Lonesome Lake and the Appalachian Trail to the south.

Walking on water. After the staircase the trail emerges on Kinsman Ridge and winds south towards the pond and the Kinsman Trail Junction.

Board walk empire. In other places along the ridge the trail winds through open woods of balsam and red spruce.

A group of four thru hikers heading north.

Super heavy duty ladder.

Shelter Caretaker, with friend, ready to leave on his days off.

Oxalis montana, or Mountain Wood Sorrel. The flowers are veined with pink.

Trail up North Kinsman,

More of the trail up North Kinsman.

Using the trail names "Carjacker" and "Manchild" these two AT thru hikers were eager to get to Lincoln to collect mail, eat a big, calorie loaded meal, and attend to equipment repairs.

 

Lonesome Lake

South towards Sandwich Range.

Cornus canadensis,  or Bunchberry.

South Kinsman from North Kinsman

South Kinsman with Moosilauke, center, in the distance.

Trail between North and South Kinsmans

A delightful character who plies the trails as a volunteer for the AMC to impart information to hikers and hut guests.   

Summit of South Kinsman looking east with Tripyramid and Oseola in the center distance, Big Coolidge Mt., closer in center, and the Hancocks, Tecumseh, Hitchcock, etc

 Ledum groenlandica, labrador tea. Member of the heath family.

Looking back and North Kinsman from South Kinsman.

North Kinsman from South Kinsman. The trail between the two summits is like a sagging clothes line and is excellent for running to save time.

As often happens in the space of a few minutes a change in weather can occur. In this case it got very dark and rained a few drops just as I got back to the summit of North Kinsman.

South Kinsman, left in distance, and North Kinsman over Kinsman Pond.


The dark clouds cleared off and sun came out and with it any respite from the heat with the exception of the pond.

A gorgeous summer day!

12-3-11 Kinsman Ridge (complete)

South (long ridge on the right) and North Kinsman (looking taller than South Kinsman on the right) above Lonesome Lake. South Kinsman is 4358 feet in elevation and North Kinsman is 4293 feet in elevation.

As I drove North on I-91 early Saturday morning I wasn't sure of my destination. It was forecast as a lovely mountain day and I was thinking about Mt. Adam or Mt. Washington, but they both engender two extra hours of driving when coming from the West. I thought of Franconia Ridge but with the perfect weather the trail was going to get crowded. I had a yen to hike somewhere quiet and out of the way; somewhere I hadn't been for a while. As I drove over Sugar Hill, in Franconia, I looked over at Cannon Mt., the Cannon Balls and the Kinsmans and decided that Kinsman Ridge would be a perfect hike on such a perfect day. It's been at least 30 years since I've been on the Kinsmans and I have fond memories of previous forays into this little known realm.

Getting to the Kinsmans from the east is easiest via the Fishin' Jimmy Trail that starts behind Lonesome Lake Hut which, in turn, is about 1 1/2 miles from I-93 in Franconia Notch via the Lonesome Lake Trail.

It was astonishing to not see more snow. The lake ice was still thin but is smooth enough for skating later, when it gets thicker. Hopefully it will be smooth as glass and a foot thick by New Years Eve! Franconia Ridge, with Mt. Lafayette on the far left, Mt. Lincoln (center) and Little Haystack (to the right).

Cannon Mt. with Coppermine Col (deep notch to the left) at the north end of Lonesome Lake.

The Fishin' Jimmy Trail starts at Lonesome Lake Hut and in 2 miles gains a saddle on Kinsman Ridge at the bottom of North Kinsman where Kinsman Pond and Kinsman Shelter are located. The trail is steep and rough in places but threads through a primeval landscape, including this dark forest where only a small amount of light reaches the floor.

The forest quickly alternates with more open areas like this birch grove where a lot of sunlight reaches the floor. Certainly one of my primary objectives in hiking the Kinsmans was to become immersed both in solitude and this rich, buttery, winter sunlight, now close to its ebb, and enjoy the colors and the stillness.

An open grove of young and old balsam firs that is flooded with sunlight. (This might be called a perfect picture of biotic succession with healthy young and old trees and lots of nutrient represented by all the detritus, e.g. dead wood, on the ground.)

A glacial erratic that looks just like half loaf of bread. It's large; about 8 feet high by 10 feet across at the face. It's mentioned in the guide book as the beginning of the steep section that extends up to the ridge. It made me want some french toast! With lots of butter and maple syrup.

In 30 years I had forgotten a lot about the Fishin' Jimmy Trail including how steep it is. This icy pitch is an example and was steep enough to require some rock climbing techniques.

Icicles on a rock face next to the trail catching the early morning sunlight.

An oasis.

In between steep sections there are short, level places where you can stretch out your calf muscles, but.....

quite quickly another steep section presents itself. I didn't photograph all the steep bits because I was too busy with hands and feet but this is one example of a long stretch of granite slab at about a 45 degree angle and 40 yards long. Towards the top you can see a set of steps placed magically

on the rock and tilted to one side so water can run off. In spite of the intent the steps were still icy and a little hair raising as you aren't quite sure what is holding them up.

I call sections of trails like this "escalators" and I prefer them to the wood step affairs because they're good and solid and offer better purchase in ice and snow.

Below the ridge the forest became dense and coniferous, or boreal in structure and specie, and with a light edging or rime in the December light they were jewel-like. The photos that follow are examples of the lyrical quality of the low-angled sunlight.

Photo taken in the vicinity of Kinsman Junction where the Fishin Jimmy Trail meets the Kinsman Ridge Trail. The woods were enchanted...

with rime coated scenes like this....

and this.

The ridge was a warren of shaded dells carpeted with thick sphagnum moss.

A close up of the rime which is really tiny ice pellets that are formed in wind that, due to its velocity and the ambient air temperature, has become super chilled. The tiny ice pellets become glued to everything the wind brushes. Rime formations are sometimes dramatic and are icons in the areas above timberline in the White Mountains.

This is the new Kinsman Pond Shelter constructed in the summer of 2011 and it's quite spiffy. Shelters made from local materials last about 25 years in severe high mountain environments. This one was designed to last a bit longer with it wide eves and steep roof to move the water away from the logs walls.

A side view. The shelter, like the one it replaces, can comfortably hold 12 people although there will be nights when it will shelter 20, or more. In addition to the shelter there are four large tent platforms nearby.

Kinsman Pond looking towards South Kinsman (4358' asl) with North Kinsman (4293' asl) to the right. I sat on a wide ledge of granite on the shore line and spent a wonderful hour there eating lunch and basked in the surprisingly hot sun in a vast silence. The only sounds came from occasional bands of garrulous chickadees darting through the spruce and balsams near the shore and the mysterious cracking of the ice.

Just below the North Kinsman summit.

The Kinsman Ridge Trail heading north has a wild, lonely appearance with its old log "bridges" that protect the bog-like ground. The Appalachian Trail (AT) descends the ridge via the Fishin Jimmy Trail so that the Kinsman Ridge Trail, of the two, is the one less traveled. It's a lovely trail with wild, roller coaster undulations as it rolls over the Cannon Balls and Cannon Mt. The clefts between these lesser, rounded summits, are steep and deep making legs groan and spirits flag.

There are rare glimpses of surrounding mountains like this one from the second Cannon Ball of towards Franconia Ridge in the distance and Cannon Mt. on the left where you can see the top of the summit building.

This is what I meant by primeval landscape. The only logging that has ever been done along this part of the ridge is by the fierce winds that come down out of the northwest and first strike this ridge before plowing across the successive ranges and only Mt. Lafayette gets the full bore of the wind that the Kinsman Ridge experiences.

This may be close to what the northern boreal forest looked like until the 1880s when the methodical butchering of the forest began in central and northern New Hampshire (all of northern New England is more accurate) as mechanized logging was introduced and continued into the early 1920s. If you enlarge this photo and the one below and just look at them for a moment and consider the beauty that's there, and wonderful sense of wildness and timelessness evoked by the interplay of light in the trees, the forest floor, the roots and the stones along the beckoning path.

Looking back and the Kinsmans from the second Cannon Ball.

On the last Cannon Ball I found this wild scene (above photo and below), also primeval, of a wind devastated forest coated with rime.

It was hard to tell when this damage occurred but it was from a storm that approached the ridge from the north, possibly from the northeast, but the repairs to the trail were minimal.

The Lonesome Lake Trail joins the Kinsman Ridge Trail at the bottom of the last cleft, or notch, between the Cannon Balls and Cannon Mt. I was happy to see see it. With all of my rejoicing about the winter light I had also been a little on edge because, judging only by the sunlight, it felt like it was quite late, almost evening, when it reality it was only 2 pm, or so.

As fair warning, two of these notches, this one between the last (or first going south on the ridge) and Cannon Mt. itself in particular), are very steep and require extra time in trip planning. They can be run quickly using hands and feet but with packs they require extra care. On my traverse there was some ice on the steep sections but navigable without traction. In winter you should expect a good bit of ice on the trail throughout.

The descent from Coppermine Col to Lonesome Lake is rapid. The trail is basically a brook wending its way under and around these large felsenmeer like blocks of granite. The geology of this region is fascinating and well worth perusing. There are a number of texts available. Charles R. Williams, a student of Marland Billings at Harvard, published Geology In the Franconia Region, and edited version of his doctoral thesis, in the June 1934 Appalachia. It sounds technical but it's a good place to start if you're interested in the glacial history of the Kinsmans and Lonesome Lake area as well as the local geology.

Speaking of glacial history this is an extensive area of muskeg that's in slow succession and may be reminiscent of the landscape here at the close of the last glacial period 11,000 years ago. I timed my hike to return to Lonesome Lake as the sun completed its arc here and descended behind the Kinsmans to enjoy the sunset from the lake shore.

Looking east across Lonesome Lake towards Mt. Liberty in the distance.

Looking back up at Coppermine Col and the steep, southwest side of Cannon Mt.

The "Round the Lake" Trail utilizes these board walks for much of its circling around Lonesome Lake and particularly the west side.

Looking down towards the south end of Lonesome Lake from the lake trail.

Franconia Ridge at sunset from the west side of Lonesome Lake.

The Kinsmans at sunset.

The fast ebbing of the lovely, last bits of light (reflected from the lake) along the trail down.

I had the great pleasure of hiking back down to the highway with Beth and Mack who were at Lonesome Lake Hut on some official business. Beth has the highly coveted position of Hut Checker for the winter which translates into being a 'professional hiker' as she makes regular, unscheduled visits to all the huts that are aimed, hopefully, at reducing vandalism. Mack has worked in the huts for several summers and is on his way West for the winter, possibly Colorado or California, looking for snow.

Bib: Charles Williams, Geology In the Franconia Region, June 1934 Appalachia. Email macphail.alexander@gmail.com to request a copy.

Paul Jenks, The Fishin' Jimmy Trail, December 1930 Appalachia