| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Garfield, Mt. Lafayette (attempt), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Gale River Road, Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, February 22, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Space for 10 or so cars at Gale River Loop Road gate, easy access from Rt. 3 |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All bridged |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Couple leaners on Mount Garfield Trail, no biggie |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw man nor beast up there today |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
Our goal for the day was Garfield plus Franconia Ridge. We got as far as just above the Skookumchuck intersection before the wind turned us around and we went back the way we came. We didn't bother ascending Garfield a second time, but walked across Garfield Pond and then whacked out to Mount Garfield Trail where it turns up to the GRT intersection.
So here's the deal: we spiked all the way up Garfield, but those days are over. Sorry! The same wind that turned us around has also blown big drifts across the trail pretty much everywhere above 2500'. In the space of 4 hours the wind turned a superhighway up to the Garfield Ridge Trail into a windblown frozen desert landscape. 2 to 3 foot drifts everywhere. The lower reaches of the trail are still very firm and you could spike 'em, but by midway up the trail you'll need snowshoes for forward progress.
The Garfield Ridge Trail towards Lafayette _was_ in surprisingly good shape after a couple people went through doing a Pemi, not to mention our outbound excursion. However the wind has blown so much snow in there that you're back to square one. |
|
 | Name: |
Muench |
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 | E-Mail: |
erik.coder@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-02-22 |
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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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