| 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: |
Sunday, January 8, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking is clean. Not snow-free, but it's all packed down firmly. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Thompson Brook is perhaps deeper and wider than you'd like, but it's certainly doable. Everything gets easier the higher up you go. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blow-downs on the fire road, but they're easily walked around. One of them is a walk-under if you're 5'8" or less, a minor duck-under if you're taller. The snow cover on the road isn't much of anything at the moment, maybe a couple inches at the most. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
One very friendly pup out having a fine outing. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I heard there's a storm coming later this week, which will be a bother. Right now, the trail is pretty nice, and you can make great time with just spikes. (Yes, I know this is in sharp contrast to my previous rantings about snowshoes and postholes.) Snow cover all the way to the summit is in the range of a trace to 2-3 inches (dirt outright pokes through in several places near the trailhead) and the trail is very well packed down. Not a posthole in sight. The only caveat is that some of the rocks and roots that you'd have preferred either to be very exposed and obvious, or well and truly covered under several inches of snow, are neither. Mind where you step in a few places, but those should be obvious. Some seeps and drains run down the trail in places, but it's not a big deal at all.
Besides that, the mountain is its usual superb self. Commanding views of the Pemi, saw out to Maine and Vermont, enjoyed bright stars overhead on the walk back to the car. What else does one need?
Photos and a more detailed report are on my blog, as always. Share and enjoy! |
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 | Name: |
Protean Wanderer |
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 | E-Mail: |
hiker@proteanwanderer.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-01-09 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.proteanwanderer.com/2023/01/10/trip-report-steppin-out-on-mt-garfield/ |
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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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