Date(s) Hiked: October 9, 2006
Trails(s) Hiked: Gale River Trail (4.0 miles) to Garfield Ridge E (.6), then Frost to Hut and Galehead Mountain (.5 miles).
Total Distance: A Moderate 10.2 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Conditions: Stream Crossings were fine (though the bridge is gone) and there was some mud, but otherwise, a relatively easy hike. Visibility was very good...some haze at about 40 miles, but not too much.
Special Required Equipment: Map, The latest info from Dave Metsky's Site. Comfy boots are a big help and poles are good too.
Trip Report: I returned to the Whites right where I left off....in the headwaters of the Gale River just outside of Twin Mountain Range. As you recall, Trailboss had a great, wet day on the Twins and had considered making the short, but tough climb down and up to Galehead. So I was back to take it today...anticipating a mellow, but long hike, to the hut and the mountain. I got what I bargained for.
I made good time and got to the lot a little after 9am. It was packed
and the fall foliage was still very, very good. I waited for some of the other hikers to move ahead before I began my trip.
The trail descends from the lot, crosses a small tributary stream to the Gale, and walks a on a peninsula in between the two rivers that afforded some nice fall foliage with the relaxing sound of the rivers. That was until I came upon the two hikers ahead of me, pulled over on the side of the trail while the husband was having a full blown conversation on his cell phone :blink: :roll: Trailboss' rule of thumb: turn your phone OFF before hiking! :wink: Enjoy the wilderness.
So from here I made great, great time, getting to the upper stream crossing in about an hour (2.5-3 miles in). The trail crossed the Gale twice as well as some minor side streams. The foliage was amazing and the temps were warming up nicely. The trail was within earshot of the river and spent a good bit of time within reach of the water. It was a pleasant, gradual hike. After the last river crossing, which was doable but a bit tricky, the ttrail did get a bit rougher and a bit steeper, but nothing too bad. It slabbed along the banks of the river before coming to a nice view of the upper Gale River and the remains of a gravel slide. North Twin, and its dramatic cliffs, rose above the valley on one side and a smaller ridge off Garfield on the other side.
From here the trail angled to the right and began to gain more vertical. After crossing one last boundary stream, one leaves the watershed and climbs up stone steps. It eases a bit in the middle before the final push, which really was only 10 minutes or so. I met a lot of people leaving the hut including a herd of Quebecois on this steep section (which provided a good excuse for a rest). I pressed on only to find that I had hit the ridge in just under two hours :beer: So not too much climbing at all....
The Garfield Ridge Trail offered some limited views toward the NEK (Burke, Kirby, East Mountain, etc) and back towards North Twin. It rambled along the ridge before making a small ascent to the junction with the Frost Trail.
I made it to the hut at 11:50 am, about 2:20 from the start. Good time considering the stops I had made.
I enjoyed my lunch with a father-son hiking duo from Connecticut. We talked about White Mountain Hiking (of course), current events, baseball, and Scouting. Both were involved in scouts. After the Scout handshake, I was free to explore the almost empty hut and then head up to the might Galehead.
After going into the hut, I stashed my bag and went light with my camera to the summit. The trail dips down from the hut, crosses some rock slabs, and then begins a moderately steep climb up the mountain. About half way up there is a great overlook that takes in the Pemi as well as the surrounding mountains. The view sweeps down towards Loon and Osceloa. I took some pictures of the view, as seen on Mr. Metsky's site and then continued on to the real summit, which is wooded as Mr. Metsky and others can attest with no views at all. I did try to peer over the trees, but the only thing that could be seen from that vantage point was the very top of Lafayette. I placed a rock on the cairn and descended back to the outlook and the hut.
The view from the hut takes in the Pemi, Owls Head (or a little bit of it), Galehead, Garfield, Loon, Osceola, Scar Ridge, Flume, Tenney, and some of the Waterville region peaks. The Twins and Guyot loom high above the cabin.
I enjoyed some nice conversation with a gentleman from Nova Scotia who was hiking the AT and wanted to know the news since he had been on the trail for five weeks. I also spoke with some nice young ladies from Maine and members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club, or MOAC for short. We talked about hiking, their club, Maine (since TB may be moving there...stay tuned), and relationships that do and do not involve outdoor recreation. My thanks to them for snapping a picture of me at the camp and for giving me info on their club.
They soon headed down the trail and I went inside to get my own souvenier patch, a Trailboss tradition for each hut he visits. At about 2:10 I made my descent and got to the car just after 4pm with some generous stops. The foliage was still nice and the trail was quiet, save for a few hikers heading the hut (4 at the most). The sun gave way to clouds as I began the drive home.
Another good hike. A mellow day. A nice way to spend Columbus Day.
Trails(s) Hiked: Gale River Trail (4.0 miles) to Garfield Ridge E (.6), then Frost to Hut and Galehead Mountain (.5 miles).
Total Distance: A Moderate 10.2 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Conditions: Stream Crossings were fine (though the bridge is gone) and there was some mud, but otherwise, a relatively easy hike. Visibility was very good...some haze at about 40 miles, but not too much.
Special Required Equipment: Map, The latest info from Dave Metsky's Site. Comfy boots are a big help and poles are good too.
Trip Report: I returned to the Whites right where I left off....in the headwaters of the Gale River just outside of Twin Mountain Range. As you recall, Trailboss had a great, wet day on the Twins and had considered making the short, but tough climb down and up to Galehead. So I was back to take it today...anticipating a mellow, but long hike, to the hut and the mountain. I got what I bargained for.
I made good time and got to the lot a little after 9am. It was packed
and the fall foliage was still very, very good. I waited for some of the other hikers to move ahead before I began my trip. The trail descends from the lot, crosses a small tributary stream to the Gale, and walks a on a peninsula in between the two rivers that afforded some nice fall foliage with the relaxing sound of the rivers. That was until I came upon the two hikers ahead of me, pulled over on the side of the trail while the husband was having a full blown conversation on his cell phone :blink: :roll: Trailboss' rule of thumb: turn your phone OFF before hiking! :wink: Enjoy the wilderness.
So from here I made great, great time, getting to the upper stream crossing in about an hour (2.5-3 miles in). The trail crossed the Gale twice as well as some minor side streams. The foliage was amazing and the temps were warming up nicely. The trail was within earshot of the river and spent a good bit of time within reach of the water. It was a pleasant, gradual hike. After the last river crossing, which was doable but a bit tricky, the ttrail did get a bit rougher and a bit steeper, but nothing too bad. It slabbed along the banks of the river before coming to a nice view of the upper Gale River and the remains of a gravel slide. North Twin, and its dramatic cliffs, rose above the valley on one side and a smaller ridge off Garfield on the other side.
From here the trail angled to the right and began to gain more vertical. After crossing one last boundary stream, one leaves the watershed and climbs up stone steps. It eases a bit in the middle before the final push, which really was only 10 minutes or so. I met a lot of people leaving the hut including a herd of Quebecois on this steep section (which provided a good excuse for a rest). I pressed on only to find that I had hit the ridge in just under two hours
:beer: So not too much climbing at all....The Garfield Ridge Trail offered some limited views toward the NEK (Burke, Kirby, East Mountain, etc) and back towards North Twin. It rambled along the ridge before making a small ascent to the junction with the Frost Trail.
I made it to the hut at 11:50 am, about 2:20 from the start. Good time considering the stops I had made.
I enjoyed my lunch with a father-son hiking duo from Connecticut. We talked about White Mountain Hiking (of course), current events, baseball, and Scouting. Both were involved in scouts. After the Scout handshake, I was free to explore the almost empty hut and then head up to the might Galehead.
After going into the hut, I stashed my bag and went light with my camera to the summit. The trail dips down from the hut, crosses some rock slabs, and then begins a moderately steep climb up the mountain. About half way up there is a great overlook that takes in the Pemi as well as the surrounding mountains. The view sweeps down towards Loon and Osceloa. I took some pictures of the view, as seen on Mr. Metsky's site and then continued on to the real summit, which is wooded as Mr. Metsky and others can attest with no views at all. I did try to peer over the trees, but the only thing that could be seen from that vantage point was the very top of Lafayette. I placed a rock on the cairn and descended back to the outlook and the hut.
The view from the hut takes in the Pemi, Owls Head (or a little bit of it), Galehead, Garfield, Loon, Osceola, Scar Ridge, Flume, Tenney, and some of the Waterville region peaks. The Twins and Guyot loom high above the cabin.
I enjoyed some nice conversation with a gentleman from Nova Scotia who was hiking the AT and wanted to know the news since he had been on the trail for five weeks. I also spoke with some nice young ladies from Maine and members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club, or MOAC for short. We talked about hiking, their club, Maine (since TB may be moving there...stay tuned), and relationships that do and do not involve outdoor recreation. My thanks to them for snapping a picture of me at the camp and for giving me info on their club.
They soon headed down the trail and I went inside to get my own souvenier patch, a Trailboss tradition for each hut he visits. At about 2:10 I made my descent and got to the car just after 4pm with some generous stops. The foliage was still nice and the trail was quiet, save for a few hikers heading the hut (4 at the most). The sun gave way to clouds as I began the drive home.
Another good hike. A mellow day. A nice way to spend Columbus Day.
