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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Garfield, NH
Trails
Trails: Gale River Road, Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 10, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The gate on Gale River Road is still closed. Parked in the lot near the gate - there were a few cars when we got there and a few more (including a tour bus) when we got back.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable) 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All crossings are open for the season. The Thompson Brook and Spruce Brook crossings were close to impassable - fast current and deep. No exposed rocks to hop on. Took a left and "bushwhacked" along the left bank to reach the snow mobile bridges - the first to cross Thompson Brook and the second to cross Spruce Brook. After crossing the second bridge took a left and "bushwhacked" along the right bank to get back to the trail.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: There were a number of large blowdowns along the lower portion of the trail. Easy to get around but will require more than the small saw I carry in my pack. There were too many spots to count where leaves and debris prevented water from draining off of the trail. We removed some stuff but we could have spent all day just doing this.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Didn't see any dogs today.  
Bugs
Bugs: Still no bugs.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing lost or found.  
 
Comments
Comments: Hiked this one for Colin's NH48 finish. Was hoping to find the gate open but no such luck - it's not a long road walk but the roads are dry and ready to be open. We left the snow shoes in the car bit brought the spikes.

The first third of the Garfield Trail was dry, the middle third was wet (running water in the trail) and muddy (ankle deep in sections), and the final third was covered in ice and snow (stable and unstable monorail). The entire section of the Garfield Ridge Trail was snow covered (hip deep if you ventured off of the stable monorail).

We were able to do the hike with nothing more than spikes - snow shoes could have been used but weren't necessary, and since we all had downsized to our spring packs we left them in the car. There were only a few deep portholes - mostly when you ventured a little ways off of the monorail.  
Name
Name: Michael & Monica 
E-Mail
E-Mail: akafuzzjones@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-05-10 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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