Raven
Well-known member
23 April 2015
Mount Garfield via the Mount Garfield Trail and Garfield Ridge Trail
Trail conditions: the trails overall had about seven good blowdowns. 2 caused walk arounds, 2 step overs, 3 duck unders. Otherwise ground conditions began with the road walk in which was free of snow for the most part. The first part of the trail was in good shape and had little or no snow. This is the section along the wooded ridge as it begins. Following this, the trail became very wet and muddy with running water in sections. This switched over to a mix of mud and water and patches of snow/monorail. For the upper half of the trail, it was monorail/rotten snow followed by a pretty good base of 4 inches new, sand-like snow on a solid base in the center of the trail. Crossings were not bridged and involved a little thought and using some submerged rocks, but they were not too bad.
Special equipment: I used snowshoes most of the day after bare booting through the muddy stretches. They did a nice job on the uneven, but soft snow. Rain gear and pack cover were good for the rather wet conditions and wet snow which fell nearly all day. Gaiters would have been good but I didn't bring them.
Comments: a fairly typical wet April hike. Got chilled from the wet cold by the end, but it was a good day. The summit was windy enough to not hang out long at all. Didn't see anyone else out there today.
Mount Garfield via the Mount Garfield Trail and Garfield Ridge Trail
Trail conditions: the trails overall had about seven good blowdowns. 2 caused walk arounds, 2 step overs, 3 duck unders. Otherwise ground conditions began with the road walk in which was free of snow for the most part. The first part of the trail was in good shape and had little or no snow. This is the section along the wooded ridge as it begins. Following this, the trail became very wet and muddy with running water in sections. This switched over to a mix of mud and water and patches of snow/monorail. For the upper half of the trail, it was monorail/rotten snow followed by a pretty good base of 4 inches new, sand-like snow on a solid base in the center of the trail. Crossings were not bridged and involved a little thought and using some submerged rocks, but they were not too bad.
Special equipment: I used snowshoes most of the day after bare booting through the muddy stretches. They did a nice job on the uneven, but soft snow. Rain gear and pack cover were good for the rather wet conditions and wet snow which fell nearly all day. Gaiters would have been good but I didn't bring them.
Comments: a fairly typical wet April hike. Got chilled from the wet cold by the end, but it was a good day. The summit was windy enough to not hang out long at all. Didn't see anyone else out there today.
