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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Galehead Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Gale River Road, Gale River Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Frost Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Thursday, January 14, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parking at Trudeau Road was plowed nicely. No impedances of any significance. The fire road is in decent shape at the moment. For the first half, there are truck tyre tracks to make passage a bit easier. For the second half, the snow's not deep.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Not at all a bother. Most are one-hop wonders, three have puncheon bridges. There's two that need a stepping stone (supplied!) to cross, and a little care not to step through some ice that's on the thin side. But if you do take a little care, you won't be held up by these for even a moment.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Overall, the trail was in fine shape. There was a single blow-down blocking the trail, but 15 minutes with my folding saw, and now that's no longer a concern. I put in wet trail and mud-minor/avoidable just because there are a couple small sections. They're easily avoidable. Snow today was sticky, and balled up readily underfoot. Choose your traction with this in mind if the weather is hovering around the freezing mark. That said, there's only a couple inches or so. No such thing as post-holing! 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: One happy pup out with a fairly large group of intrepid hikers coming over from the Twins.  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: The only fly in the ointment was that the snow balled up underfoot relentlessly, even to the point where it overshadowed the fact that clouds wiped out any kind of a view today. Everything else? It was a fine day to be in the mountains. Weather was clement, trail in great shape. Parking and access to the trailhead were both very straight forward. And if you get up there fairly soon, the branches in the higher elevations are all droopy with snow, and look quite lovely.

Photos and a more detailed report are on my blog, as always. Please consider subscribing!  
Name
Name: Protean Wanderer 
E-Mail
E-Mail: hiker@proteanwanderer.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-01-14 
Link
Link: https://www.proteanwanderer.com/2021/01/15/trip-report-closed-in-on-galehead/ 
Bookmark and Share 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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