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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Garfield, Galehead Mountain, South Twin, North Twin, NH
Trails
Trails: Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Frost Trail, Twinway, North Twin Spur, North Twin Trail, bushwhack, herd path
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Gale River Road (bare as far as we could see) and Haystack Road (snow covered at trailhead) gated. Room for parking at Gale River Road west lot and at end of Little River Road. 7 Dwarfs was closed this morning. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow - Spring Snow 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: On Gale River Road, bridge #1 has been repaired. Bridge #2 has a makeshift ladder. Bridge #3 isn't crossable, so brook needs to be crossed - hoppable today, but water getting high. On Garfield Trail, crossings were open - running a bit high, but rock hoppable with wet boots. On North Twin Trail, crossings appeared to be snowbridged, however the snowbridges were toast and would collapse with even a pole touch. Little River #3 crossing was tricky. Smaller brooks above and below it (on herd path and on North Twin Trail) were tricky due to higher than normal volume and large snowbanks on either side. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A lot of work has been done on the North Twin and Garfield Trails, however there are blowdowns on all mentioned trails. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Water crossings may be a bit much for dogs right now. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Little to no snow (a few patches of slush ice, as well as some mud) from US 3 to the second Garfield Trail water crossing. From there, we snowshoed almost all the way to Little River Road - spring snow the entire way, with some postholes and blue ice on Garfield Ridge. Garfield Trail in decent shape after the second water crossing. Lots of snow up high, snowshoes necessary. Climb up Garfield Ridge Trail to summit was a slight bushwhack in places to avoid blowdowns. Garfield Ridge Trail was broken out across to Galehead Hut...blue ice bulges on the steeps below the campsite, but there was enough snow to skirt around them for now. Crampons could be necessary after more melting. Frost Trail to Galehead is more of a bushwhack - be sure to stick to the right up high, as there is a route leading to a false summit. Twinway from hut to South Twin was in good shape - snowshoes ideal. From South Twin to North Twin, packed route deviates from the trail for maybe 50% of the length. Lots of snow on North Twin. From lower viewpoint, trail deviates once again, eventually ending up as a fall line bushwhack for perhaps as much as 1,000 vertical feet (too far west) before hitting trail. Below the bottom water crossing on the North Twin Trail, significant portions of the trail have turned into a brook. Below that extended wet area, it was monorail pretty much all the way to Little River Road.  
Name
Name: rocket21 
E-Mail
E-Mail: rocket21 at franklinwebpublishing dot com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2010-03-20 
Link
Link: https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos/NewHampshire/mtgarfield-2010-0320.php 
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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