| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Garfield, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Gale River Road, Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, December 30, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The west entrance of Gale River Road was solid ice. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Partially ice bridged; crossable with care. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
We cut out a couple of blowdowns up high. Some larger ones down lower. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Shoulder season conditions in calendar winter.
Gale River Road walk was very icy; spikes were ideal.
The initial ridge of Garfield Trail was snow free, as it often can be. Some ice monorail. Spikes were on and off.
Once off the ridge and onto the old road, there was patchy ice and snow through most of the hardwoods. Spikes ideal.
Snowpack quickly increases once in the softwoods. Plenty of postholes. Still some open perks with water running down them. We stuck with spikes, but the top couple of miles are a sugar snow that will get very soft when temperatures near freezing in the coming hours. We carried snowshoes and I would carry them again because of this (snowpack is probably 3 feet on average up here; postholing would be painful and leave a disaster for those to come after).
No tracks heading east on Garfield Ridge Trail.
Garfield Ridge Trail to the summit was fully covered, but some blue ice was turning up as a result of buttsliders. Spikes could be inadequate for descent here soon, but an aggressive snowshoe would be fine.
Nice weather today with barely any wind. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-12-30 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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