BIGEarl
Well-known member
December 29, 2010: Garfield
Trails: Gale River Road, Mt. Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail
Summits: Garfield
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), Peakbagger (Dennis), and me
Monday was lost to the storm and Tuesday was lost to a four-letter word, this was our first chance to hike in a couple weeks and we were ready. Over two feet of snow caused a change in our planned hikes for the week and this was one of the scaled-back days. Originally we were planning a Bonds Traverse. As it turns out we were wise to make the change.
We met Peakbagger at the trailhead but the sign was up indicating it was still closed. We didn’t want to walk from Beaver Brook to hike Garfield but we also didn’t want to leave our vehicles parked in an area that would interfere with the bridge construction on Gale River Road. We decided to park at Five Corners as a compromise. It worked out great. We stayed to the side of Trudeau Road and out of the way. The road is quite wide there and we were pretty sure there would be no problems.
In a few minutes we had our gear and were walking back to the winter trailhead lot for the Mount Garfield Trail. From there to the first of the three washed-out bridge locations the road is plowed. We bare-booted the hike in to the 1st bridge and found the stream to still be open. On the left side of the opening, a large beam has been placed to span the stream. The beam is very wide and comfortable to walk across. After reaching the far side we pulled out the snowshoes and remained on them until returning to this area.
From this location across the 2nd and 3rd bridges and on to the snowmobile trail we had a broken trail to enjoy. Somebody had passed through the day before and opened things up. We were essentially performing a grooming operation. Using alternating foot placement techniques we were able to leave a nice smooth snowshoe track in our wake. Soon we hit the snowmobile trail and then the summer trailhead. Surprisingly, the broken trail continued toward Garfield. We’re having a very lucky day.
Peakbagger was still in the lead setting a terrific pace for the day, as he had been from the start. We were able to enjoy a broken trail to the area of the stream crossings. There, we followed the broken route which was not on the trail. It bushwhacked up the east side of the stream. Eventually, we landed back on the trail and made the third crossing with no troubles at all. Still, we’re enjoying a broken trail to groom.
Above the third crossing we started getting into higher amounts of snow cover. We also began to find the broken trail starting to get drifted in. Eventually, we reached the switchbacks and the trail became generally drifted in but still clear enough to follow. Sue was now in the lead and able to stay with the trail. Roughly half-way through the switchbacks all signs of the trail were gone, but the trail corridor was fairly clear. We kept climbing. Reaching an area where the trail was consumed by deep drifts I stepped out in front to take a shot at leading the way. Immediately, I was up to my waist in snow. I started the day by adding the extension tails to my MSR’s but even with those in place my snowshoes didn’t offer adequate flotation for the conditions. I needed more, or my snowshoes needed less. I wallowed around in the deep snow for a while and finally Peakbagger and Sue stepped past. I was able to get back on the track they left and was able to continue.
Roughly .2 miles below the junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail we stopped. Peakbagger needed to tend to a foot problem. After some dry socks and additional boot warmers he called it a hike and decided to head back down. He told us to continue on knowing we would be coming back out the same way we went in and would eventually catch him if there were problems.
Sue and I continued to the summit. First we finished the ~.2 miles to the Garfield Ridge Trail. After leaving the area of heavy drifting we slowly made our way to the trails junction. There was no sign of traffic from east or west on the Garfield Ridge Trail. The final .2 miles to the summit was a pretty tough climb. The snow consistency provided very little traction and the depth prevented us from reaching anything solid underneath to use for traction. We slowly kicked steps into the surface of the snow and managed to make progress toward the summit. I was getting some pictures along the way, and stopping to catch my breath. Sue moved out ahead of me but knew I would be right along. Eventually, I found Sue relaxing on the ledge near the summit clearing. Except for a final walk across the summit clearing, we had made it. Ahead we could only see a ghost of the summit area through the cloud cover. We made our way to the summit, got our usual summit pictures, and u-turned out. The conditions were not very comfortable and we were really interested to get back into the shelter below the summit.
Soon, we were making our way back down the steep pitch to the trails junction. We made the turn and started our exit walk on the Mt. Garfield Trail. We completed quite a bit of trail grooming on the way in and continued to work on leaving a nice track as we left. By the time we made our way back to the summer trailhead there was a nice snowshoe track all of the way to the summit. Overnight drifting could easily fill it in but we did what we could.
We hit Gale River Road, made the turn, and headed for the 1st crossing and a plowed road. Soon, we were walking along without snowshoes and headed for Five Corners and our waiting truck. We found evidence of Peakbagger walking out ahead of us but never caught up with him. At the truck he had left a note in the snow on the windshield indicating he was out and safe. Nice!
Thanks Peakbagger and Sue. The first snowshoe of the season is usually a tough one because of the added weight on each leg. In this case, two-plus feet of snow made it a tough hike.
I’ve posted some pictures from the day.
BIGEarl's Pictures
Straight to the slideshow
Trails: Gale River Road, Mt. Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail
Summits: Garfield
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), Peakbagger (Dennis), and me
Monday was lost to the storm and Tuesday was lost to a four-letter word, this was our first chance to hike in a couple weeks and we were ready. Over two feet of snow caused a change in our planned hikes for the week and this was one of the scaled-back days. Originally we were planning a Bonds Traverse. As it turns out we were wise to make the change.
We met Peakbagger at the trailhead but the sign was up indicating it was still closed. We didn’t want to walk from Beaver Brook to hike Garfield but we also didn’t want to leave our vehicles parked in an area that would interfere with the bridge construction on Gale River Road. We decided to park at Five Corners as a compromise. It worked out great. We stayed to the side of Trudeau Road and out of the way. The road is quite wide there and we were pretty sure there would be no problems.
In a few minutes we had our gear and were walking back to the winter trailhead lot for the Mount Garfield Trail. From there to the first of the three washed-out bridge locations the road is plowed. We bare-booted the hike in to the 1st bridge and found the stream to still be open. On the left side of the opening, a large beam has been placed to span the stream. The beam is very wide and comfortable to walk across. After reaching the far side we pulled out the snowshoes and remained on them until returning to this area.
From this location across the 2nd and 3rd bridges and on to the snowmobile trail we had a broken trail to enjoy. Somebody had passed through the day before and opened things up. We were essentially performing a grooming operation. Using alternating foot placement techniques we were able to leave a nice smooth snowshoe track in our wake. Soon we hit the snowmobile trail and then the summer trailhead. Surprisingly, the broken trail continued toward Garfield. We’re having a very lucky day.
Peakbagger was still in the lead setting a terrific pace for the day, as he had been from the start. We were able to enjoy a broken trail to the area of the stream crossings. There, we followed the broken route which was not on the trail. It bushwhacked up the east side of the stream. Eventually, we landed back on the trail and made the third crossing with no troubles at all. Still, we’re enjoying a broken trail to groom.
Above the third crossing we started getting into higher amounts of snow cover. We also began to find the broken trail starting to get drifted in. Eventually, we reached the switchbacks and the trail became generally drifted in but still clear enough to follow. Sue was now in the lead and able to stay with the trail. Roughly half-way through the switchbacks all signs of the trail were gone, but the trail corridor was fairly clear. We kept climbing. Reaching an area where the trail was consumed by deep drifts I stepped out in front to take a shot at leading the way. Immediately, I was up to my waist in snow. I started the day by adding the extension tails to my MSR’s but even with those in place my snowshoes didn’t offer adequate flotation for the conditions. I needed more, or my snowshoes needed less. I wallowed around in the deep snow for a while and finally Peakbagger and Sue stepped past. I was able to get back on the track they left and was able to continue.
Roughly .2 miles below the junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail we stopped. Peakbagger needed to tend to a foot problem. After some dry socks and additional boot warmers he called it a hike and decided to head back down. He told us to continue on knowing we would be coming back out the same way we went in and would eventually catch him if there were problems.
Sue and I continued to the summit. First we finished the ~.2 miles to the Garfield Ridge Trail. After leaving the area of heavy drifting we slowly made our way to the trails junction. There was no sign of traffic from east or west on the Garfield Ridge Trail. The final .2 miles to the summit was a pretty tough climb. The snow consistency provided very little traction and the depth prevented us from reaching anything solid underneath to use for traction. We slowly kicked steps into the surface of the snow and managed to make progress toward the summit. I was getting some pictures along the way, and stopping to catch my breath. Sue moved out ahead of me but knew I would be right along. Eventually, I found Sue relaxing on the ledge near the summit clearing. Except for a final walk across the summit clearing, we had made it. Ahead we could only see a ghost of the summit area through the cloud cover. We made our way to the summit, got our usual summit pictures, and u-turned out. The conditions were not very comfortable and we were really interested to get back into the shelter below the summit.
Soon, we were making our way back down the steep pitch to the trails junction. We made the turn and started our exit walk on the Mt. Garfield Trail. We completed quite a bit of trail grooming on the way in and continued to work on leaving a nice track as we left. By the time we made our way back to the summer trailhead there was a nice snowshoe track all of the way to the summit. Overnight drifting could easily fill it in but we did what we could.
We hit Gale River Road, made the turn, and headed for the 1st crossing and a plowed road. Soon, we were walking along without snowshoes and headed for Five Corners and our waiting truck. We found evidence of Peakbagger walking out ahead of us but never caught up with him. At the truck he had left a note in the snow on the windshield indicating he was out and safe. Nice!
Thanks Peakbagger and Sue. The first snowshoe of the season is usually a tough one because of the added weight on each leg. In this case, two-plus feet of snow made it a tough hike.
I’ve posted some pictures from the day.
BIGEarl's Pictures
Straight to the slideshow
