| 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: |
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot is free of ice and snow. Plenty of room - only two cars there when I arrived. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Water is running high and the first crossing would be tricky using just rocks at the normal crossing point. But 50 yards upstream a large birch tree with multiple leaders has fallen across the river. It provided good hand holds while stepping on the rocks in the river below it. The second crossing was an easy rock hop. Or, as Bradygirl1 has pointed out, you could use the old snowmobile bridge to avoid the first crossing entirely. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The first mile of trail has several trees across the trail, but they are all easy step-overs and are not a high maintenance priority. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
None yet. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The lower portion of the trail was a mix of dry, and running water & mud.
The first patches of snow were encountered at 2300 feet and coverage was consistent by 2800 feet. The snow was hard-packed granular and provided plenty of grip with bare boots. I put on micro-spikes when the trail became steeper in the switchbacks, and they stayed on to the summit and back down to where the snow disappeared. Snowshoes never left my pack. As others have pointed out, there is still a significant amount of snow at higher elevations. I did not need snowshoes today, but they will be essential gear to carry for some time to come. |
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 | Name: |
Tom Harris |
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 | E-Mail: |
tdharris911@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-04-16 |
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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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