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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
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<title>AMC Lonesome Lake Hut, NH</title>
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<h1>Lonesome Lake Hut, a Hiker's Guide</h1>
</div> <!-- header div -->
<div id="main">
<!-- table of contents start -->
<h2><a name="toc" id="toc"></a>Table of Contents</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref0">Lonesome Lake Hut in Winter</a></li>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref1">Getting to Lonesome Lake Hut</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref2">Lonesome Lake and Cascade Brook
Trails</a></li>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref3">Basin-Cascade and Cascade Brook
Trails</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref4">Hikes from Lonesome Lake Hut</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref5">Walk Around the Lake</a></li>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref6">Kinsman Pond</a></li>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref7">The Kinsmans</a></li>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref8">Cannon Mountain</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref9">Routes to Neighboring Huts</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="lonesome-lake-hut.html#tocref10">Routes to Greenleaf
Hut</a></li>
</ul></li></ul>
<!-- table of contents end -->
The Lonesome Lake Hut (elevation 2,760 feet) is the most accessible
of the huts, and so is an excellent introduction to the White
Mountains, very popular with families wanting to introduce their
children to the outdoors. The lake is a major attraction, and there
is a small sandy beach near the hut. A very attractive trail goes
all around the lake, and those desiring more challenging hikes can
go to Kinsman Pond, or the nearby summits of
<a href="kinsman.html">the Kinsmans and Cannon</a>.
<p>This is a very popular location, and on a nice summer weekend
you may well wonder why this lake was ever called "Lonesome"!</p>
<p>The AMC web site has a page on the <a
href="http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/huts/huts-lonesome.cfm">Lonesome Lake Hut</a>, with information on the hut,
season of operation and rates. Here I give hiking information that
supplements what they offer, describing the most frequently used
access routes (with distances, elevation gains and <a
href="faq1.html#booktime1">book time</a>), and <i>some</i> of the
trips that can utilize the hut, including hut to hut trips.</p>
<h2><a name="tocref0" id="tocref0"></a>Lonesome Lake Hut in
Winter</h2>
<p>Staring in December 2002 it has been open in winter on a "self
service" basis:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>At AMC Self-service huts, guests
provide their own food and have full use of the hut's stove, oven, and
cookware to prepare their own meals. Bunks, mattresses, and pillows are
provided, but blankets are not. Be sure to bring a warm sleeping bag if
you're staying at a self-service hut.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The cooking and dining areas are heated (moderately!) in winter,
but the remote bunkhouses are not. Temperatures may be expected to
be about as cold as in a tent, so a real winter bag, rated to about
-20°F, is advisable.</p>
<h2><a name="tocref1" id="tocref1"></a>Getting to Lonesome Lake
Hut</h2>
<h3><a name="tocref2" id="tocref2"></a>Lonesome Lake and Cascade
Brook Trails</h3>
<p>The most common approach starts from Lafayette Place and uses
the Lonesome Lake Trail to reach the northern end of the Lake,
rising almost 1,000 feet through open hardwoods most of the way.
The mountain slope is steep, but a pair of switchbacks eases the
grade substantially. This part is especially pleasant in winter,
when the fallen leaves allow good views across the notch to the
Franconia Ridge. On reaching the lake the Cascade Brook trail
follows the east shore to the junction with the Fishin' Jimmy Trail
which leads to the hut (ow: 1.6 miles, 950 feet, 1:15). The return
trip is downhill all the way (ow: 1.6 miles; 0 feet; 0:55).</p>
<h3><a name="tocref3" id="tocref3"></a>Basin-Cascade and Cascade
Brook Trails</h3>
<p>A longer, and more interesting, approach is by the Basin-Cascade
and Cascade Brook trails (2.6 miles, 1,200 feet, 1:55). This starts
at The Basin, and follows the scenic Cascade Brook closely for most
of the distance, and passes by some interesting cascades. There are
two stream crossings, and both may be difficult at high water or
when icy. While the grades are easy the footing is often rough
except, of course, when it is covered with snow. The return trip
involves no elevation gain (ow: 2.6 miles; 0 feet; 1:20).</p>
<br />
<div class="C">
<table cellspacing="0" border="3" cellpadding="3">
<caption>Routes to Lonesome Lake Hut</caption>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Route</th>
<th>Distance</th>
<th>Elevation Gain</th>
<th>Book Time</th></tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="L">Lonesome Lake Trail, to hut</td>
<td>1.6</td>
<td>950</td>
<td>1:15</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">Basin-Cascades Trail, to hut</td>
<td>2.6</td>
<td>1,200</td>
<td>1:55</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">Lonesome Lake Trail, from hut</td>
<td>1.6</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0:55</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">Basin-Cascades Trail, from hut</td>
<td>2.6</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1:20</td></tr></tbody></table>
</div>
<p>For routes to Lonesome Lake Hut from Greenleaf Hut please refer
to the <a href="greenleaf-hut.html">Greenleaf Hut</a> page.</p>
<h2><a name="tocref4" id="tocref4"></a>Hikes from Lonesome Lake
Hut</h2>
<p>Hikes of all levels are possible from the hut. The easiest is a
flat walk around the lake. Those wanting more lakes can do a round
trip to Kinsman Pond and back, while the more ambitious can hike up
to Cannon Mountain, the Cannonballs or the Kinsmans, alone or in
combination. I will only describe a few of the many possible
trips.</p>
<p>All of these hikes are fairly short, and instead of returning to
the hut most people will want to return to their cars. Add about an
hour to book time if returning by the Lonesome Lake Trail, about
1:30 if returning by the Cascade Brook Trail.</p>
<h3><a name="tocref5" id="tocref5"></a>Walk Around the Lake</h3>
<p>This is a delightful walk of about 0.8 miles of flat terrain.
The west side of the loop starts out over a wet section (with log
bridges), then continues close to the lake to its north end, where
there is a nice clearing near the junction of the Lonesome Lake and
Cascade Brook trails. There are good views of the Kinsman Ridge
from that clearing. The remainder of the loop is much wetter, with
many log bridges. To compensate there are far more openings which
allow excellent views of the Franconia Ridge to the east.</p>
<p>In mid-winter, when the ice is solid, crossing the lake gives
wonderful views in all directions. Beware of potentially thin ice
near the outlet!</p>
<h3><a name="tocref6" id="tocref6"></a>Kinsman Pond</h3>
<p>The Fishin' Jimmy Trail climbs 1,200 feet over 1.8 miles from
the hut to Kinsman Junction, from which the Kinsman Pond Trail goes
south for about 0.1 miles to the shelter at the north end of the
pond. There are many ups and downs along the trail, with a couple
of steep sections (rt: 3.8 miles; 1,400 feet; 2:35).</p>
<h3><a name="tocref7" id="tocref7"></a>The Kinsmans</h3>
<p>After reaching Kinsman Junction follow the Kinsman Ridge trail
(part of the AT) south. It climbs rather steeply to North Kinsman,
then descends to a col and rises again to South Kinsman. There are
excellent views from a ledge just south of the summit of North
Kinsman, while the south knob of South Kinsman's summit is bare,
with 360° views.</p>
<h3><a name="tocref8" id="tocref8"></a>Cannon Mountain</h3>
<p>There are two trails that can be used to reach the summit of
Cannon Mountain from the hut, and they can be combined as a loop.
Both trails have the same distance and elevation gain. I will
describe the loop, you can make a round trip using either branch.
From the hut follow the Basin Cascade Trail along the west shore of
the lake to the junction with the Lonesome Lake and Dodge Cutoff
trails at the north end of the lake. Take the Dodge Cutoff to the
Hi Cannon Trail, then follow the Hi Cannon Trail to its junction
with the Kinsman Ridge Trail. This section of the Hi Cannon Trail
is steep and rough, and uses a ladder to go up a ledge. Once you
reach the Kinsman Ridge Trail follow it north to the summit.</p>
<p>To return take the Kinsman Ridge Trail to its junction with the
Lonesome Lake Trail (beyond the junction with the Hi Cannon) and
follow the Lonesome Lake Trail down to the lake. To complete the
loop follow the east shore of the lake to the hut. The section of
the Kinsman Ridge Trail going down to the Lonesome Lake Trail is
steep and rough.</p>
<p><b>Note</b>: However you climb Cannon Mountain expect steep
slopes and rough footing. The summit of this mountain is less than
3 miles and 2,500 feet from the road, but all three trails that
lead to it are far less easy than these numbers would indicate!</p>
<br />
<div class="C">
<table cellspacing="0" border="3" cellpadding="3">
<caption>Trips from Lonesome Lake Hut</caption>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Route</th>
<th>Distance</th>
<th>Elevation Gain</th>
<th>Book Time</th></tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="L">Around the Lake</td>
<td>0.8</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0:25</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">To Kinsman Pond</td>
<td>3.8</td>
<td>1,400</td>
<td>2:35</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">To North Kinsman</td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td>1,950</td>
<td>3:30</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">To South Kinsman</td>
<td>6.8</td>
<td>2,600</td>
<td>4:40</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">To Cannon Mountain</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td>1,400</td>
<td>3:00</td></tr></tbody></table>
</div>
<h2><a name="tocref9" id="tocref9"></a>Routes to Neighboring
Huts</h2>
<p>Since Lonesome Lake Hut is at the western end of the chain, it
has only one neighbor, the <a href="greenleaf-hut.html">Greenleaf
Hut</a>.</p>
<h3><a name="tocref10" id="tocref10"></a>Routes to Greenleaf
Hut</h3>
<p>The normal way of going from Lonesome Lake Hut to Greenleaf Hut
is to descend by the Lonesome Lake Trail to Lafayette Place. There
are two choices from this point.</p>
<p>The shorter is to go up the Old Bridle Path to the hut. This
route has some excellent views from many outlooks along the upper
part of the trail. There is a steep section, known as the Agonies,
but overall the grades are rather easy.</p>
<p>The longer, and far more scenic, route goes up the Falling
Waters Trail to Little Haystack, then traverses along Franconia
Ridge over Mount Lincoln to the summit of Mount Lafayette, then
descends to the hut by the Greenleaf Trail. In good weather this is
one of the most scenic (and most crowded) routes in the White
Mountains. <!--
<P>A much longer, and less often used, route is to follow the AT down
from the hut along the Cascade Brook Trail, cross under I93, and climb
up to Franconia Ridge along the Liberty Spring Trail. From its
junction with the Franconia Ridge Trail go north over Little Haystack,
Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette, then leave the AT to descend to the
hut by the Greenleaf Trail.
-->
</p>
<br />
<div class="C">
<table cellspacing="0" border="3" cellpadding="3">
<caption>From Lonesome Lake to Greenleaf Hut</caption>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Route</th>
<th>Distance</th>
<th>Elevation Gain</th>
<th>Book Time</th></tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="L">By Old Bridle Path</td>
<td>4.5</td>
<td>2,450</td>
<td>3:30</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="L">Falling Waters and Franconia Ridge</td>
<td>7.5</td>
<td>3,850</td>
<td>5:40</td></tr></tbody></table>
</div>
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