Return to Cannon Mountain

I woke up way too early as normal and headed towards White Mountains National Forest. This time however, I planned to spend a long weekend and attempt my longest backpacking adventure to date – check out my next post for details on my grueling 22 mile journey.

Today however, I was doing a warm up hike in preparation for the piece de resistance. At 4,100 feet, Cannon Mountain is on the shorter side of the 4,000 footers. At just 1.9 miles from trailhead to peak, it is also one of the shortest hikes as well. Piece of cake, right?

I’ve actually been to the peak of Cannon the year prior. I took some family from out of town to do some light hiking and we ended up taking the tram to the top of the mountain where there’s an observation tower. However, this hardly counts as actually hiking Cannon, so I returned to finish what I had started.

I arrived at the ski resort’s parking lot a little after 8 and things were already starting to buzz with activity. Like Tecumseh, Cannon is one of the most accessible of the 4,000 footers and the crowds I encountered later was a testament to that.

Looking back, the hike up Cannon couldn’t have been more different than what I would encounter the next day climbing Bondcliff. While Bondcliff was actually a very easy hike with plenty of flat sections and gently sloping ledges with few vertical sections, Cannon was all vertical from the start. Makes sense considering when you need to climb 4,100 feet in less than 2 miles, the only direction you can go is up.

Overall, this was actually a pretty difficult hike. Much of the trail consisted of loose dirt that I’m convinced become mud chutes in a downpour. The rest of the trail consisted of bare rock you have to scramble up at a steep angle. One misplaced step and you’d be certain to fall on your ass or worse.

To the Peak

Little after a mile into the hike, the majority of the elevation gain was behind me and the trail leveled out considerably. While there were plenty of hopping from boulder to boulder, there were also some great lookout spots with beautiful views of the Franconia Ridge.

Near the peak was very spacious with a lot of enclaves with great viewpoints. I made it to the observation tower and made my climb. I was rewarded with 360 views of Mt Lafayette, the Kinsmans and even Vermont in the far distance.

I ate a quick brunch, including a surprisingly delicious sriracha chicken Epic bar, took my fill of the views and headed back down the mountain.

Since Cannon is a ski resort and very accessible, as with Tecumseh, I encountered throngs of hikers making their way up the mountain – many in not all that great of shape to be hiking even one of the shorter 4,000 footers.

Iron Furnace Brings the Heat

After my climb, I made my way just a few miles to Iron Furnace Brewing in Franconia, NH. The brewery is based out of a farmhouse type building with covered seating in the barn area while their front yard has been transformed into a beer garden due to the pandemic. I opted to sit out front in a comfy Adirondack chair and looked through the menu.

I ordered a flight along with a panini with a side of nachos and salsa, and I kicked backed and basked in the warm summer weather. Soon my beer arrived to join me in my relaxation as I watched a steady stream of patrons arriving.

The panini – called The Eagle – consisted of melted cheese over chicken and jalapenos. Lets just say sandwich didn’t last long.

It was only 1 pm at this point and I didn’t have to check in at my hotel until 4, so I enjoyed the day as much as I could. Even after it started dripping, I wasn’t concerned, well protected under a tree from the worst of the rain. However, a drip became a downpour as the heavens opened up, soaking the patrons of the beer garden – myself included. 

Thankfully, our server – Carly – handled the situation masterfully as she herded everyone into the well sheltered barn area.

As I sipped my beer, looking out at the deluge of rain outside, I thought of the hundreds of hikers still making their way up Mt Cannon and how the slippery rocks and mud chutes likely made for a miserable, if not dangerous climb. I was extremely lucky to complete the entire hike before noon.

I also reminded me that this is the White Mountains, where weather doesn’t play by the rules and can change at a moment’s notice. I actually did not prepare for rain at all during my weekend hike. Taking heed of the unexpected sudden downpour, I headed off to an outdoors store to pick up a light rain jacket.

Before I left Franconia, I stopped by the old iron furnace historic site to learn more about the brewery’s namesake. Located on the opposite bank of the Gale River, the 19th century stone furnace would smelt iron mined from nearby mountains. While the industry would eventually die out in NH, the furnace remained – its remnants a reminder of Franconia’s historic past.

On Tap at Iron Furnace Brewing

• Lady Slipper – Farmhouse Ale – This saison inspired farmhouse ale had a light twinge of spice that didn’t overpower the drink. The perfect beer to start things off while the sun lasted.
• Three Gnomes – Belgian Tripel – despite the high abv, this tripel went down easy. Really well done all around.
• Tramline – Brown Ale – This Earthy and roasty brew went well with my chicken panini. Like the tram at Cannon Mountain, this beer kept things going.
• Phool for Love – Sour – This fruity and tart beer was my favorite of the day – I’m such a sucker for a good sour. The refreshingness made the unexpected downpour all the more bearable.

Final Verdict

Despite being founded in 2017, Iron Furnace has become a stalwart of Franconia, much like its namesake that stands as a sentinel over the hamlet. This brewery is very convenient if you’re exploring the Franconia notch – it a mere ten minute drive from the visitors center, Cannon Ski Resort and many trailheads.