| 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: |
Saturday, March 30, 2024 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking area at the gate was nearly full when I started, |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Two: one was easily crossed, and the other (at around 1800ft) was easily avoided. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Two, well-behaved. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Nil |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Somebody had left two hiking poles at the trailhead. They looked new. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Many thanks to those who had been up Garfield in snowshoes over the last few days, the trail was ideal: firm and virtually free from post holes. I bare-booted up to the trailhead, and used rock spikes from there to the summit, as the trail was frozen and firm. Garfield and Moosilauke are special for me, with unpredictable summit experiences. Today was no exception: the hike up was fine, but the summit was vicious - high wind and suddenly much colder. A couple of minutes was all I could take. I got pretty chilled up there, so be prepared! Lower down, on the descent, it had warmed up and the trail was much looser; so I used my snow shoes for the last section, just to help firm things up for the next day.
One comment: near the top I encountered a skier. This is the second time I've run into somebody skiing down a 4000-footer (not literally), but is this a trend? If so, it's a very troubling trend, because (obviously) these trails are narrow and not built for skiing. |
|
 | Name: |
Mark |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-03-31 |
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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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