Hiked the Pemi Loop last weekend and realized the Franconia Ridge section is way more exposed than any map makes it look

I knew it was open above treeline but between the wind gusting at 40mph and the trail narrowing to maybe two feet wide with drops on both sides, I spent a solid 2 hours just focused on every single step instead of enjoying the view - has anyone else been caught off guard by how sketchy that ridge actually feels in person?

2 comments

2 Comments

ellis.rose7d ago

Actually I had the opposite experience. Franconia Ridge felt exactly like what I expected from the photos and trip reports. The exposure is definitely real but that's kind of the whole point of hiking there. If you want a forest walk with no wind, you can skip the exposed ridges entirely.

bethj447d ago

Oh man, that's exactly how I felt about it too... once I actually got up there. The wind was no joke but that's what makes it feel like you earned the view, right?