| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Garfield, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Gale River Road, Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, January 22, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Room for 6-8 cars, a few more if everybody tightens up a bit. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All bridged & easy. It will be getting colder this week so the ice bridges should all be solid & stable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None today. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
One hiker ahead of me also in micro spikes. We switched to snowshoes at about the same spot a little over a mile past the brook crossings. Very powdery higher up with 3-5" of new snow and another 2" fell while on the trail. Snowshoes recommended for the upper half!
I was the 2nd one on the trail today. Started in micro-spikes, air temp in the low 20's. The road walk was soft with 3" of fresh powder but no need for snowshoes unless you prefer them. Once on the trail there was 2-3" of fresh snow mixed with sections of really thin cover until the first crossing. After that it was powdery but the base was very solid and well-established so I didn't change to snowshoes until the snow got a little deeper, about 1 mile above the last brook crossing. Snowshoes made the going a lot easier and higher up there was 5" of new snow with a tiny bit of drifting in spots. There was just enough grip to move quickly until the steep summit pitch which was dry powder with no grip going up or down. Met Mark at the Garfield Ridge jct as he was coming down from the summit. No views today but still a peaceful moment at the top with only light wind. Made it from the car to the summit in 2:55 even though I was just keeping a relaxed, steady pace. Kept snowshoes on for the descent. Met 2 'mystery' girls and later Brian, Frank & Phil who were all on the way up. Decided to keep snowshoes on all the way down because 1-2" of new snow had just fallen and it also made the road walk much more enjoyable. Descent time from summit to car was 1:55 and I'm telling you I wasn't moving all that fast, certainly not running. Total time for the entire 12.4 mile round-trip was 4:50. The trail is never steep (except for the .2 summit pitch) and it's solid and should only get firmer as the week progresses. This marks 4000' peak #25 in my quest for the single-season Winter 48. There will surely be days when I feel my age but today wasn't one of them! |
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 | Name: |
Bob H |
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 | E-Mail: |
hynoskyb@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-22 |
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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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