Dennis Dixon is heading North!: My 8th (Cannon Mountain) 4,000 footer!

After vacations on the Vineyard and up in Canada, and some rain-delays, I'm itching to get back to the mountains! The last hike (Mount Willey, Mount Field, and Mount Tom) are grouped together in Crawford Notch State Park in the "middle group" (in the green circle), while today's hike (Cannon Mountain) is in the red square:

Cannon Mountain is on the west side of 93 in Franconia Notch

Since I wanted to start down at the Lafayette Camp Ground (trailhead for the Lonesome Lake Trail), go swimming at Lonesome Lake, then over to Cannon Mountain summit, and return down the Kinsman Ridge Trail, I parked near the Aerial Tramway Base and rollerbladed down the Recreational Trail. Parked, with the Franconia Range in the background:

and heading down the Recreational Trail:

WARNING - even though it is a black-topped bicycle path, it does have some steep sections. I needed to walk on the grass a few times. The 2.57 miles took 29 minutes, and I put the blades and helmet behind a tree.

I used Map My Walk - the whole trip took 3 and 1/3 hours (7.02 miles hiked) and covered about 4,220 feet in climbing elevation (2260 up, then 1960 down to the car):

Starting out at the trailhead

Hiking up the Lonesome Lake Trail seemed pretty easy

Lonesome Lake is beautiful (and my swim was fun!)

Nice boardwalk around the northeast side of Lonesome Lake:

But the trail turns into a "climbing trail" to get up to the summit:

The Observation Tower/Fire Tower on Cannon Mountain:

my selfie:

Views from the top of the tower:

coming back down the Kinsman Ridge Trail:

the Kinsman Ridge Trail going through some blown-out areas in the woods:

and that's all for today! Thank you God for a GREAT DAY!>

Monday, August 18, 2014
Boston, MA
40 miles -- Manchester-by-the-Sea to Tewksbury (1 hour)
122 miles -- up 93 North to Exit 34B to Tramway parking lot (2 hours)
2.57 miles rollerblading on bike path -- to Lonesome Lake trailhead (29 minutes)
7 miles -- hiking (3 1/3 hours)
2.57 miles/10 minutes -- back to pick up rollerblades and helmet
3 hours -- to get home

here is today's playlist:

I wanted to listen to some live music today, specifically live Neil Young!