Loop Lafayette-Lincoln

[md1486]

Hi,

I have a 1 week vacation and I'm heading to the Whites on saturday (tomorrow) and the weather forecast doesn't seems great.
I would like to do the loop Lafayette-Lincoln and I'm asking myself if I can do it with a rainy/cloudy weather or if I should wait to have a sunny day, with regard to the pleasure (the views) and the safety of the hike.

Thanks

[Slo-go'en]

Looks like pretty good chance of thunderstorms most of next week. The Franconia ridge is not a good place to be in a thunderstorm. Being caught in heavy rain and high wind up there is not fun. You could get lucky and have them miss you - or not.

[peakbagger]

Wait for a sunny day and go hike to a few waterfalls. Unfortunately tomorrow is supposed to be a great day but you will be driving If the forecast is for late afternoon showers, start real early and you can get down off the ridge before the bad weather move in. It would be shame to do this loop in cloudy weather just to check it off a list.

There are several nice waterfall hikes in the whites for a rainy day. Nancy Cascades, Franconia Falls, Arethusua, Cascade Brook trail (on the other side of the parkway) are all nice rainy day hikes.

[Traveler]

This weekend weather forecast from Mt Washington shows;

Today (6/19) Chance of AM shower, Sun/cloud mix balance of day, temps to 53*, tonight clear, temps to 34*, winds NW 10 to 20 mph

Saturday (6/20) Mainly sunny, some afternoon clouds, temps to 60* winds SW 10-20 mph, Sat night mostly cloudy w/showers developing - chance of rain 40%, temps to 46*, winds SW 10-20 mph

Sunday (6/21) Thunderstorms - chance of rain 100%, temps to 60*, winds SW 15-20 mph, Sun night variable clouds, scattered thunderstorms - chance of rain 60%, winds W 10 -15 mph

Only you can assess your abilities to move over that terrain and the gear you will have for weather protection. Going on the loop in showery or cloudy weather would not necessarily be a concern, though visibility would be low, there are other attractions there beyond a view. Thunderstorms however, in Sundays forecast (which could change by the time I finish this) would give me pause depending when I was starting and if I was going to be above timberline at the time they are predicted to roll in.

[md1486]

Thanks for answers guys, I thinking about taking the road early tomorrow toward the Whites so that I can hike the loop tomorry in a sunny day If I begin the hike at around 11am, will I be ok to complete the hike in daylight or its a little to short ? I dont want to be "stress" by how much daylight remaining to complete the hike.

[peakbagger]

Hitting the trail by 11 is not a problem a hiker in good shape can easily do the loop by dark. I would suggest going up Falling waters as it gives you Greenleaf as a plat to stop later in the day. My normal preference is up old bridal path but in this case, up Falling Water makes sense.