Liberty and Flume had been on our list for years, and the idea of taking the Flume Slide Trail had been off the table for almost just as long. (We're just not that adventurous.) So the hike was planned as a two peak out-and-back via the Liberty Spring and Franconia Ridge trails. [Best and closest parking: hiker lot just past the Flume Gorge Visitor Center, heading north on rt 3. From there, hike 0.6 miles on the Pemi Tr, which empties onto the Whitehouse Tr (paved bike path), and comes to a signed junction with Liberty Spring Tr a few minutes later.]

The temperature was good that day, ranging from low 60's to high 70's (colder on one summit), but the air was thick with humidity as the mountain prepared for, and later revelled in, the expected morning rain. We embraced it too, as nature's cooling agent, and kept moving, knowing the weather would clear. After the rain petered out, we could see a fair amount of steam rising from the earth and from each other. (Yes, White Mountains, we see your rain forest impersonation. It's very good.) Liberty Spring Tr was consistently rocky and often steep, but void of scrambles, and beautifully surrounded by somewhat open forest. 0.3 miles after turning right on the Franconia Ridge Tr, we came to Liberty's beautiful summit, quickly donned extra layers, and sat down for lunch. The winds and clouds kept moving and provided us with a new view every few minutes.

The col between Liberty and Flume was one of the muggiest spots on the trail that day (nothing like White Mountains Muggy to make you question you life goals), and it dipped a lot lower than my psyche was expecting. But it was all worth it. What a view! Though we were in for a long hike back to the car, conversations with various fellow hikers confirmed we had made the right trail choice that day. Lots of sweating, lots of stopping for food and water, and a good day overall.