Join us on Saturday for one of the most beautiful hikes in the Whites: The Franconia Ridge Loop. We will be hiking to Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette (~9 miles with roughly 4,000–4,200 ft of elevation gain). The ridge is fully above treeline, so you will need reliable above-treeline layers, wind protection, and full face covering (balaclava or equivalent). Route is here.

Prerequisites: Because this hike involves above-treeline travel and typically winter conditions, it's important for safety to maintain a moderate, steady pace with limited breaks. You don't need to be a professional athlete, but should have some confidence that you can hike this distance and elevation with a pack that is slightly heavier than you would carry in the summer.

You also will need to be a Winter School leader or have attended MITOC Winter Safety lectures within the past year, and have at least some winter hiking experience. If you have any questions or uncertainty about your preparedness, please reach out to us!

Logistics: We will have a mandatory pre-trip meeting this Thursday (6pm) over Zoom/ in-person. You can rent missing gear (such as microspikes, snowshoes) during Thursday office hours. We will depart Cambridge early Saturday morning.

Drivers and Lottery: If you can drive your own car or are willing to drive, please update your lottery preferences to reflect this. Only mark “willing to drive/rent others” if you can commit to round-trip driving from the Boston/Cambridge area.

Costs: Please budget for a $5 trip fee, $30–50 for carpooling costs, any personal gear rentals (capped at $15), and any food you purchase along the way. We will use the MIT car cost calculator and share costs equally among participants.