Mount Garfield (4500')

Overview:

Amy, Tim, Leela, and I climbed Mount Garfield (4500') starting from Gale River Road via the Garfield Trail (with the final 0.2 mile leg to the summit on the Garfield Ridge Trail), retracing our steps to get back:

• TIME: 5 hours 55 minutes (with breaks)
• DISTANCE: 10 miles (round trip)
• ELEVATION GAIN: 3,000 feet
• DATE: 7/10/2011

Here's an interactive Google Map I made of the trails we used.  Routes and distances are approximate (I did them freehand while looking at a topo map).  Note that I did not bother to show the Garfield Ridge Trail intersection.  You go right when you get to it on the way up.  The map is fun to view in Earth mode (will require plugin).


View Mount Garfield in a larger map

Trail Conditions:
This trail is excellent.  Not too difficult, long but easy to move fast.  There were a few small blowdowns in some spots, but nothing that caused a nuisance.  We did pass people with a dog that had been in an altercation with a porcupine (quills in face!), so be aware of that if you have a dog.  Leela didn't find any, but you never know.   Near the summit it gets tougher, with a lot of quick gain in elevation on larger rocks.  The difficulty increases a lot on the Garfield Ridge trail, which finally got me breathing heavy.  But it was a short stretch and not really that hard at all, looking back on it.  All in all, fantastic conditions.

Comments and Photos: 
I think my trail conditions basically covers how I feel about the trip up (and down) the mountain; I enjoyed it.  I'll point out that there are basically no views until you get to the summit.  Tim said without hesitation that Garfield had the best summit of all of the 4ks we've done so far, and I think I agree with him.  Unlike Carrigain, there are not a lot of trees in the way at the top, thus no tower is required.  There is a lot of space to spread out if it were crowded, too, making for a nice lunch.  We actually spent nearly an hour at the top, easily doubling any summit breaks we've had thus far.  And we had a new perspective on many of the 4ks in the area, having never hiked around there before, and Garfield is in relatively close proximity to some great mountains.  Lafayette towered over us to the west, and as you turn your gaze south you can see three more 4ks in a row: Lincoln, Liberty, and Flume.  Owl's Head, the notorious 16-18 mile hike, was dead south of Garfield, and you could easily see it's full prominence.  Washington's summit was just visible, as well as most of the northern presidentials.  OK enough listing, here are the photos.

The first entrance to Gale River Road was closed, so we had to go further up Route 3 to get to the other end of the loop.  Don't worry if you feel lost, just turn right at the hiker sign and continue for a while past the Gale River Trail TH, and then you'll find the Garfield Trail TH, shown here.

Amy & Leela at one of the brook crossings.  All crossings were easy.

Beautiful day in the woods.

A sweeping panorama along the Garfield Trail (click it to see it larger)

Here's the intersection with the Garfield Ridge Trail.  Go right to go to the summit of Garfield.

I took this picture because the Garfield Ridge Trail was in such contrast to the Garfield trail, in that it was steep and very rocky.

4ks, right to left: Lafayette, Lincoln, Liberty, Flume, and closer to us was Owl's head all the way to the left.  More are visible in the distance.

Amy looking east at the Twins and the Presidentials (in the distance), and Galehead, lower and closer to us.

This hike brought all 3 of our NH 4k counts to 12, meaning we are 1/4 of the way through them!

Tim at the summit structure.

Leela loved this summit, but ended up hurting her paws a little bit on the rocks.

Owl's Head, with the Osceolas in the background, among others

We could even see the top of Cannon

Flume (left) and Liberty (right)

Kind of guessing, but I think that's Passaconaway on the left and the Tripyramids to the middle/right

Looking up at the summit.

Leela looking down to Amy with the view to the north in the background.

Back on the way down, in a birch forest.  My new camera has a sweeping panorama feature, and this is the first time I decided to use it up to down.  Not great for traditional monitors.

Birch forest

Leela getting her last all natural drink of the hike.

Final Thoughts
I think Garfield was a great hike, and we made the best time so far, averaging over 2mph.  I'm not sure how tough it would be for those not accustomed to hiking, but my guess is it would not be too strenuous, considering the distance.  In the words of my brother, this hike is a treat.