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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Garfield, Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln, Little Haystack Mountain, Mt. Liberty , NH
Trails
Trails: road walk, Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Liberty Springs Trail, bushwhack, bike path
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, January 11, 2015
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at end of Gale River (packed snow) and a car spot at Basin (plowed). 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All frozen over. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Cleared a few blowdowns on Garfield Ridge. Franconia ridge between Little Haystack and Liberty is quite narrow in spots. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Plenty of parking available at end of Gale River Rd. Lot is not plowed, but packed snow. Barebooted for the road walk on a packed track, and for start of Garfield trail. We switched to spikes after the stream crossings. Trail is well-packed all the way up to summit.

From Garfield to Lafayette, no evidence of recent travel, snow depths varied from a 6-8" up to 1.5 feet and frequent deeper drifts. Trail now broken by 3 sets of snowshoes. Pleased to see corridor was easy to follow, cleared a few blowdowns and a few leaners remain. Above treeline on North Lafayette, little significant snow, mostly mix of ice and bare rock, we switched back to spikes. Similar conditions until past Little Haystack. Switched back to snowshoes, for the stretch to Liberty. About a foot of fresh powder - great snowshoeing through here. Evidence of 1 barebooter through here - we smoothed it out. Packed trail at Liberty Springs junction and up to summit. Microspikes and bareboots for walk out.

Fabulous day on these trails - just what we were looking for, a good workout, lots of trail breaking, checking in on our adopted trail, playing in the winds above treeline and hitting a few of our favorite peaks. Thanks to Laurie for wonderful company and a great hike.  
Name
Name: Jeff & Karine 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2015-01-11 
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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