Roxi
Active member
Mt. Garfield 5/27/2006
The Garfield Trail has been described as one of the easier trails to hike, so I thought it would make another good spring training hike after Mt. Hale (and to enjoy the halfway point 24/48). The weather was overcast, but warm. Bugs were few and far between and sighted mostly near the trailhead. The trail itself was wet and muddy is some places from recent rain, but spring’s new bright green leaves adorned the trees. This trail’s beauty reminded me so much of the Skookumchuk Trail. The stream crossings were doable, although having an inseam of only 30 inches made it a little more challenging for me than it would for someone with longer legs. Note to self: “Do not step with wet boots onto smooth round log!”
I was AMAZED at how quickly the first 4.8 miles went by! Small isolated patches of ice showed up just prior to the junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail. The remaining 0.2 mile to the summit contained more snow/ice patches, but the summit itself was dry...and gray. It figured. It was the first time in over a year I actually remembered to bring my camera (Sticks would be so proud of me!), and there was nothing but gray to photograph! Summits are actually anticimatic for me anyway. The journey is the reason I love hiking and this trail delivered. It was so beautiful and so much fun to hike, I'll be traversing it again and catching a view on another day.
The Garfield Trail has been described as one of the easier trails to hike, so I thought it would make another good spring training hike after Mt. Hale (and to enjoy the halfway point 24/48). The weather was overcast, but warm. Bugs were few and far between and sighted mostly near the trailhead. The trail itself was wet and muddy is some places from recent rain, but spring’s new bright green leaves adorned the trees. This trail’s beauty reminded me so much of the Skookumchuk Trail. The stream crossings were doable, although having an inseam of only 30 inches made it a little more challenging for me than it would for someone with longer legs. Note to self: “Do not step with wet boots onto smooth round log!”
I was AMAZED at how quickly the first 4.8 miles went by! Small isolated patches of ice showed up just prior to the junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail. The remaining 0.2 mile to the summit contained more snow/ice patches, but the summit itself was dry...and gray. It figured. It was the first time in over a year I actually remembered to bring my camera (Sticks would be so proud of me!), and there was nothing but gray to photograph! Summits are actually anticimatic for me anyway. The journey is the reason I love hiking and this trail delivered. It was so beautiful and so much fun to hike, I'll be traversing it again and catching a view on another day.
