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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: Sunday, December 7, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Gale River Road closed. Small berm getting into the winter lot and a couple inches of snow in the lot too, but fine in low-clearance 2WD if you get a minor run at it. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All were open but hoppable in snowshoes with care. Some bridges starting to form but nowhere near able to support hiker weight yet. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A few minor (until we get major snow depth) blowdowns in the switchbacks. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: None out today, rather cold, but nothing tough for them. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Snowshoes went on early on the roadwalk and stayed on until we were back at the car. The snow depth was a bit thin on the initial ridge out of the summer parking lot, but quickly picked up to reasonable depths. Pretty much all rocks are buried now, just a few here and there to contend with, all easily navigated with the snowshoes. A snowshoe trench is already forming on the upper half of the trail. There was even good snow coverage on the final 2/10 to the summit on the Garfield Ridge Trail, a few more rocks here but again not bad to deal with.

We recorded 0 degrees F and estimated 20mph wind gusts on the summit, backed up by a fellow hiker. So, we actually were able to hang out for a few minutes up top to shoot some pictures through the thin clouds coming and going. One or two other snowshoers appear to have hiked this summit on Saturday, and aside from the two of us, 3 others did a round-trip to the summit in snowshoes, and a pair of backpackers (one in snowshoes) headed down the trail today, so it is in pretty good shape.

Good to run into John and June again today, along with meeting Bill. Thanks Patrick for coming along today and helping me finish off a 2014 round of the 48.  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-12-07 
Link
Link: https://mattshikes.blogspot.com 
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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