Ed'n Lauky
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- Feb 15, 2007
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The plan was to do the Twins and Galehead and meet my wife at the Galehead trailhead. Unfortunately, I hadn't properly done my homework. It was my sixth trip up the North Twin trail and I'd never had a problem with the crossings. The rain had only left an inch of water in Bridgton so I figured with a day and a half to drain there wouldn't be any problem with the crossing. I headed up with out any type of water shoes and pants that didn't really lend themselves to wading. The first two crossings could not have been rock hopped but I kept telling myself it would be OK when I arrived at the third crossing. Not so. Obviously it had rained a lot more in the Whites. There was no way to rock hop today. I could have just walked across but wasn't interested that early in the hike in wearing "lead weights" on my feet the rest of the day. I also couldn't see where I could, with my "tender" feet, conveniently and safely go barefoot, so after walking both up stream and down stream I decided the Twins and Galehead were out for today.
On the way back, while trying to think of how I could salvage the day I decided to try the Fire Warden's trail up Hale. I'd never gone that way. What a great trail. For a trail that I believe is not maintained it was in surprisingly good condition. There were a few trees down along the way, but not that many. There were a few overgrown spots, but not for any extended distance and the trail, while unmarked, was always easy to follow. The trail has been used enough to make it easy to follow, but not enough to cause the erosion that we generally encounter on trails in the Whites.
We met a number of people on the summit, but none on that trail.
There was a good phone signal on the summit and I was able to call my wife to tell her I was on top of the wrong mountain so she didn't need to pick me up.
Note that there is a major blowdown on the North Twin trail about 500' from the trailhead.
Elevation gain for Hale via FW trail -- about 2300
EDIT: I just received a PM informing me that there is a group that unofficially maintains the FW trail. That explains why it is in such good condition.
On the way back, while trying to think of how I could salvage the day I decided to try the Fire Warden's trail up Hale. I'd never gone that way. What a great trail. For a trail that I believe is not maintained it was in surprisingly good condition. There were a few trees down along the way, but not that many. There were a few overgrown spots, but not for any extended distance and the trail, while unmarked, was always easy to follow. The trail has been used enough to make it easy to follow, but not enough to cause the erosion that we generally encounter on trails in the Whites.
We met a number of people on the summit, but none on that trail.
There was a good phone signal on the summit and I was able to call my wife to tell her I was on top of the wrong mountain so she didn't need to pick me up.
Note that there is a major blowdown on the North Twin trail about 500' from the trailhead.
Elevation gain for Hale via FW trail -- about 2300
EDIT: I just received a PM informing me that there is a group that unofficially maintains the FW trail. That explains why it is in such good condition.
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