On Saturday, February 12, 15 of us (myself, Joe, Kevin 1, Kevin 2, Rick, Scott, Rob, John, Tom, Neil, Ben, Ken, Ram, David, and Matt) and 2 canines (Wonder and Sunny) met at the Basin parking lot for a loop hike to Lonesome Lake Hut.   It can be confusing which parking lot to meet in as there are parking lots on both sides of the Franconia Notch parkway, but everybody made it to the right parking lot, although Rick joined us at the start of the Basin Cascades trail instead as he parked in the lot on the other side.   

We lucked out with the weather as it was in the high 20s, so it actually felt warm walking uphill.       It was definitely high winter, with lots of snow.   Joe and Neil decided to join David in driving up to Lafayette campground and hiking up the shorter Lonesome Lake trail, planning to meet us at the hut for lunch, and then go back down the same route with us.      Going up the Basin Cascades trail, the cascades were frozen and snowcovered, and the waterfalls were frozen too (but still pretty to look at).      The stream crossing that can be difficult in high water (in previous trips we led of this loop hike, a snowshoe was lost in crossing it in April 2009, and in October 2010 we had to cross barefoot) was no problem at all as it also was completely frozen and snowed over.    After the Basin Cascades trail, we continued on the Cascade Brook trail up to Lonesome Lake, where we saw Joe, Neil, and Dave walking across the frozen lake to the hut, so it ended up being perfect timing.    On the way up to the hut on the Basin Cascades and Cascade Brook trail we had passed no other people.  

We had lunch in the hut, and although it’s not heated during the day, it’s warmer than outside, and no wind.    A highlight of the trip involved Rob and Scott.  Rob and Scott met on the Lonesome Lake snowshoe trip that we led in April 2009, and at the hut on today’s trip while we were having lunch, Scott presented Rob with an engagement ring.     Congratulation to both of them!

We all walked down the more popular Lonesome Lake trail, passing a Boy Scout group and several others.     After regrouping at Lafayette Campground, we did the final 2 miles along the relatively flat Pemi trail back to the Basin.  The stream drowned out noise from the Franconia Notch parkway, but not quite the sound of snowmobiles.   This last section along the Pemi trail actually was one of the more difficult parts of the whole trip as the snow was not packed down as much due to fewer people using it.   The guys that did the shorter route up to the hut decided to continue with us back to the Basin, and then Kevin and John gave Dave a ride back to his car at Lafayette campground.    

About 12 of us decided to go to dinner at Woodstock Station, where we all continued to enjoy good conversation, along with good food and assorted beverages.          

Thanks to everyone that joined for a great hike.    It was fun to see familiar faces again, and to meet new people.     I really enjoyed everybody on the hike, and look forward to seeing everyone on a future adventure.   

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