| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Galehead Mountain, South Twin Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Gale River Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Frost Trail, Twinway |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, September 15, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Maybe two thirds full at 9AM. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Standing/Running Water on Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Initial brook crossing, as well as tributaries, were rock hoppable. Garfield Stream (crossed on the relo) was running high, but crossable on some logs and branches. Heard from folks who stayed overnight that it was difficult to cross yesterday. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trailhead sign on parking lot spur missing. Cut out one blowdown just before the relo. One stepover remains just after the first water crossing (could probably be dragged off the trail by two people). Relo from Garfield Stream north is a disaster - nonstop mudpit. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Minimal |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Trails were wet and mucky. First (original) part of Gale River Trail was wet with avoidable mud, but drying up a bit later in the day.
If you ever wondered what the result of an all you can eat bean burrito buffet would look like, the next section of trail gives a graphic image of it. The relo is essentially a nasty 6" deep continuous mud pit from near it's northern side to just before it crosses the Garfield Stream. I don't see anywhere near enough good rock or soil nearby to fix this, so I suspect it'll either need a bunch of bog bridging or else another relo if they want this to be a halfway decent section of trail. South of the stream it's quite muddy, not nearly as bad in comparison.
Once back on the old trail, there was running water, occasional mud, and slippery rocks. The Garfield Ridge Trail section, though featuring PUDs, has improved footing as compared to say half a decade ago, thanks to some staircases and waterbars.
The Frost Trail had some mud pits and slippery rock.
The Twinway had some slippery rock as well.
Brisk temperatures on South Twin, but excellent views, stretching south to the Belknaps, Kearsarge South, and possibly Monadnock, as well as northwest to Jay Peak.
Temperatures were more pleasant at the hut, so I decided to see what it's like to be a geezer and sat on the front porch for an extended amount of time. I was lacking a rocking chair and Werther's Originals unfortunately. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-09-15 |
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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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