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Mt. Garfield
Bethlehem, NH, Franconia, NH
Trailheads, measurements, times, distances, and maps are all approximate and relative to the hike(s) as shown below.
Looking up the Garfield Trail
Route: Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, (Mt. Garfield), Garfield Ridge Trail, Garfield
After over year, I decided it was time to hike Mt. Garfield again. While I knew it would involve a roadwalk with three bridges out, I figured I'd find a way to the trailhead.
Parking at the end of Trudeau Road, I took a leisurely stroll west on US 2 and then down Gale River Road (not plowed). While the first three bridges I encounted were messed up, they appeared to be structurally sound (abutments bad washed out, but otherwise okay). Since each of the water crossings were completely snowbridged, I decided to opt for the easy way around the bridges, rather than try to pull some sort of MacGuyver stunt with my snowshoes.
Finally at the trailhead, I was quickly on my way up the Mt. Garfield Trail. As I remembered from my previous hike, it was a long, fairly flat, and rather dull ascent.
Arriving at the Garfield Ridge Trail junction, there were some powerful wind gusts. While it had been about 1 degree when I started the hike, temperatures had climbed dramatically, likely reaching the mid 20s at this point. Thus, I was able to continue my ascent in just a long sleeve shirt. Reaching the top of Garfield after the short, steep section of the Garfield Ridge Trail, I was greeted with decent views and strong wind gusts. Too lazy to take off my snowshoes, I somehow scrambled up the bare ledges to the highpoint.
After taking some photos, I was ready to call it a day. Doing my best to zone out, I essentially went nonestop (as I had while ascending) back to the trailhead and then parking area. Not a bad day to be out on the trails!
Hike Ratings |
Getting To Trailhead: |
Difficult |
Destination: |
Mt. Garfield |
Length: |
Difficult |
Steepness: |
Difficult |
Navigation: |
Easy |
Views: |
Excellent |
Crowds: |
Minimal |
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Hike Stats |
Date Hiked: |
Saturday, February 7, 2009 |
Hike Commenced: |
8:09 AM |
Parking Elevation: |
1,343' |
Destination: |
Mt. Garfield |
Ascent Commenced: |
8:42 AM |
Summit Reached: |
10:54 AM |
Time Elapsed: |
02:12 |
Trailhead Elevation: |
1,535' |
Summit Elevation: |
4,500' |
Distance: |
5 miles |
Vertical Gain: |
3,055' |
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Hike Ended: |
1:16 PM |
Hike Time Elapsed: |
05:07 |
Hike Vertical Gain: |
3,462' |
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The Garfield Trail trailhead
Looking at Mt. Lafayette from the Mt. Garfield summit
Directions to trailhead: Take US 3 South from US 302. In winter 2008-09, one could park (on the right heading southbound) at the Trudeau Road-US 3 junction, then walk southbound on US 3, taking a left onto Gale River Road. The Garfield Trail is 1.2 miles up Gale River Road, on the right shortly after the forth bridge.
Back to Mt. Garfield Profile
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