SteveR
New member
After leaving a vehicle at Beaver Brook XC parking area we arrived at the end of Little River Rd., (a little late for us), in the hopes that some strong soul(s) would have already broken out the trails. Not to be! Two of us and a k-9 left the trail head at 7:45 AM with aspirations of summitting both Twins and Galehead before exiting to Gale River Rd., but since we were potentially breaking trail the whole way we left our options open.
It took 4 hrs. 15 min. to summit North Twin on a completely unbroken trail with occasional waist deep drifts and a few bottomless snowshoe sucking spruce traps. After a meeting of the minds at the summit we decided to go for broke, even though we would be racing daylight by the end of our hike. On the traverse to South Twin new snow depths varied, some wind packed and still more incredible drifting. South Twin summit was reached in approximately 1 hour. Another 50 mins. and a riotous, steep, deep snow descent with occasional wipeouts brought us to Galehead hut. Still finding no tracks except those of forest animals, we dropped our packs at the hut and broke out the Frost trail and returned in 35 mins.
We left Galehead hut at 2:30 PM to face the long exit back to Beaver Brook and busted some deep drifts on Garfield Ridge trail till we reached the Gale River trail at 3 PM. Other than an occasional wipeout in the steep, unbroken snow, Gale River trail was uneventful but arduous, reaching Gale River rd. at 5 PM. We were tickled to find the XC ski trail at the back of camp site #3 well broken out, which aided our return back to the parking lot by 5:25 PM.
Total trip time 9 hr 40 mins. to break out the Little River herd path, North Twin trail, North Twin spur, Twin Way to the hut, Frost trail, a section of Garfield Ridge trail, and the Gale River trail.
These were winter summits 33, 34 & 35 for us as well as Kibo, and we earned them all!
It took 4 hrs. 15 min. to summit North Twin on a completely unbroken trail with occasional waist deep drifts and a few bottomless snowshoe sucking spruce traps. After a meeting of the minds at the summit we decided to go for broke, even though we would be racing daylight by the end of our hike. On the traverse to South Twin new snow depths varied, some wind packed and still more incredible drifting. South Twin summit was reached in approximately 1 hour. Another 50 mins. and a riotous, steep, deep snow descent with occasional wipeouts brought us to Galehead hut. Still finding no tracks except those of forest animals, we dropped our packs at the hut and broke out the Frost trail and returned in 35 mins.
We left Galehead hut at 2:30 PM to face the long exit back to Beaver Brook and busted some deep drifts on Garfield Ridge trail till we reached the Gale River trail at 3 PM. Other than an occasional wipeout in the steep, unbroken snow, Gale River trail was uneventful but arduous, reaching Gale River rd. at 5 PM. We were tickled to find the XC ski trail at the back of camp site #3 well broken out, which aided our return back to the parking lot by 5:25 PM.
Total trip time 9 hr 40 mins. to break out the Little River herd path, North Twin trail, North Twin spur, Twin Way to the hut, Frost trail, a section of Garfield Ridge trail, and the Gale River trail.
These were winter summits 33, 34 & 35 for us as well as Kibo, and we earned them all!
