Twenty eight of those 48 4000-footers, done, adding two more with this trip bringing our many-time returning guest to 29 and 30. But first they had to get it done. The plan for this trip led by Redline Guide Mike Maciel was to hike a classic out-and-back in the interest of safety by avoiding the treacherous Flume Slide Trail. This is accomplished by hiking up Liberty Spring Trail (A.T.) to the ridge, taking Franconia Ridge Trail south, first to Mt Liberty, then to Mt Flume, then backtracking, re-summiting Liberty before heading back to the entry trail and exiting. Some do this as a loop starting up Flume — hence the “Fliberty” moniker — but when conditions are more favorable. Right now trail conditions are icy. Probably by the time you’re reading this, however, the snows will have begun instantly changing the character of the season — in a good way.
