| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Garfield, 13 Falls, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Gale River Road, Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Franconia Brook Trail, Twin Brook Trail, Frost Trail, Gale River Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, January 12, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at 5 Corners, where there is a large plowed area. Winter Garfield Trail parking is blocked by a big tree, but a couple of cars could fit in front of it. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All snow bridged or easy rock hops |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blowdowns here and there. Lots of branches down from recent high winds, most noticeable on lower Garfield and Gale River Trails. Flicked a bunch off trail. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Found a plaid red and black glove on Twin Brook Trail. Carried out. |
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 | Comments: |
Feel like I won the snowshoe lottery today. The snowshoeing was near perfect on most of the trails I hiked: 1-2 inches of powder over a smooth, consolidated base and no postholes! I floated along 95% of the time, sinking in 3-4 inches here and there the other 5%.
Garfield Trail was barebooted down low but not deep enough snow to truly posthole. Guy in front put on snowshoes about halfway up, as did I. Tagged Garfield (because, sigh, G4), then headed down untouched, pristine snow to Franconia Brook Trail. About the best snowshoeing I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing on Garfield Ridge. The waterfall section was completely covered in snow. I descended very, very carefully in snowshoes, sometimes facing in, assuming that each step was thick ice underneath the thin layer of snow.
Franconia Brook Trail to 13 Falls was easier to follow than I'd expected (no blazes in designated Wilderness). Resorted to GPS only once. SO many animal tracks in here, including fresh moose prints and poop, fox, coyote, squirrel, ? vole, grouse, etc. Heard pine siskins and chickadees.
Twin Brook Trail was an absolute joy. I've been wanting to snowshoe this trail for many years, and it was just as good as I knew it would be, except for that half mile of pronounced sidehilling in the upper reaches. Ouch, my bunion did not like. Had to use GPS a half dozen times because there are no blazes and the trail makes a few weird turns. Nice views up to SW Twin, S Twin and the rocky little peak in between and south to Owls Head.
No one had been on Frost Trail in the past couple of days. Just me and the gray jays and sunny skies at Galehead Hut. I reluctantly left for the long schlep down Gale River Trail and Road. Met a guy going up in snowshoes as I descended. The part of Gale River Road that has been plowed is very icy.
Great hike, probably my favorite so far this winter. |
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 | Name: |
Snowflea |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-01-12 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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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