I had never yet done the Galehead plus Garfield hike. Several years ago I planned on leading an AMC trip over both summits, starting by going up Garfield. It was lateish fall, and the icy descent from the summit of Garfield was painful. By the time we reached the Gale River Trail everyone (leaders and participants) wanted to bail out, which we did.
The forecast for today was again excellent, and I felt fit enough to give it a try. Parked at the Gale River trailhead. The ascent of Galehead was uneventful, a well known trail that requires no trip report.
I know, both from my previous attempt and from a subsequent trip to bag the two Garfield Ridge peaks (NHHH) that the trail between Galehead Hut and the summit of Garfield is rough. It is also one of those ridges with many bumps; the trail goes over every one of them
The section between the hut and the Franconia Brook Trail has little cumulative elevation gain (350' according to the WMG) and the footing is, by and large, reasonably good. Almost immediately after the Franconia Brook junction the trail starts climbing, gaining 1,050 feet in 0.9 miles. This is much like the climb from Galehead Hut to South Twin, but it seemed to me to be rougher and to have a few steeper sections, as well as many that required some use of hands. With the added distance it seems to me to be a tougher proposition than the classic Galehead plus South Twin or the Galehead plus both Twins loop.
The descent, of course, is much easier. After about 0.3 miles of steep rough hiking down the Garfield Ridge Trail we get to the Garfield Trail, with its easy grades and by and large excellent footing. Very fortunate, as by then I was feeling the miles and the elevation gain!
A logging road (formerly a snowmobile trail) crosses the Garfield Trail between the upper and middle stream crossings, I have previously reported on my explorations of it, it got me back to my car a bit faster than following the trail to the road would have done.
All in all another great day in the mountains!
The forecast for today was again excellent, and I felt fit enough to give it a try. Parked at the Gale River trailhead. The ascent of Galehead was uneventful, a well known trail that requires no trip report.
I know, both from my previous attempt and from a subsequent trip to bag the two Garfield Ridge peaks (NHHH) that the trail between Galehead Hut and the summit of Garfield is rough. It is also one of those ridges with many bumps; the trail goes over every one of them
The section between the hut and the Franconia Brook Trail has little cumulative elevation gain (350' according to the WMG) and the footing is, by and large, reasonably good. Almost immediately after the Franconia Brook junction the trail starts climbing, gaining 1,050 feet in 0.9 miles. This is much like the climb from Galehead Hut to South Twin, but it seemed to me to be rougher and to have a few steeper sections, as well as many that required some use of hands. With the added distance it seems to me to be a tougher proposition than the classic Galehead plus South Twin or the Galehead plus both Twins loop.
The descent, of course, is much easier. After about 0.3 miles of steep rough hiking down the Garfield Ridge Trail we get to the Garfield Trail, with its easy grades and by and large excellent footing. Very fortunate, as by then I was feeling the miles and the elevation gain!
A logging road (formerly a snowmobile trail) crosses the Garfield Trail between the upper and middle stream crossings, I have previously reported on my explorations of it, it got me back to my car a bit faster than following the trail to the road would have done.
All in all another great day in the mountains!
