Galehead Mountain 7-4-07
Galehead Mountain 4024’
Gale River Trail/Garfield Ridge Trail/Frost Trail
10.2 Miles 2450’ Elevation gain
Kevin, Judy and Emma
We try to always hike on the 4th of July. I can think of no better way to celebrate our freedom than a hike in my favorite White Mountains. This year we hiked to Galehead Mountain. We took the Gale River Trail to its junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail, which we then followed for a mile east to the junction with the Twinway. From here we took the Frost Trail to the summit of Galehead Mountain. There is an AMC Hut of the same name at the western end of the Twinway where the Frost Trail begins.
On the trail in we saw many hikers on the way out who had spent the night at Galehead Hut. The weather was humid, but not particularly hot, and Emma was glad to have the trail more or less follow the Gale River and its many tributaries. The cool water is always a welcome relief to dogs and sweaty humans alike. I like to rinse out my bandana and soak it in the cool stream before putting it back on. It's the next best thing to an icepack. Sometimes I'll stick my head in, sometimes I'll wade in and splash water all up and down my arms and neck, and when it's real hot, in I go, just like the dog. This was a splash water on myself day, not hot enough to go in.
There was a good breeze again on this hike as there had been on our previous hike on the Tripyramids, but the the air was so full of humidity it didn't really help. It did keep the bugs down for most of the day, and it was actually a little too cool when we sat for lunch on the overlook above Galehead Hut. The summit is a cairn in the woods with no views, but there is an excellent view of the surrounding mountains to the south, east and north from this overlook, as well as a bird's eye view of the hut. The Frost Trail, which is a half mile and 250' elevation gain to the summit from the hut, first leads to this overlook, then on to the summit. The overlook is about a ten minute hike from the hut, and the summit is about five minutes past there.
The hut was decked out for the 4th with a large American flag on the front porch. Though we saw many hikers leaving on our way in, the hut was beginning to fill up again as we descended from the overlook and began our hike back out, following the Gale River Trail again. The sky had threatened rain while we were on the summit, but it cleared again as we were leaving and the weather became hotter as the afternoon wore on. This brought out the bugs and they became a nuisance on our way out, but it was still a great hike, despite the bugs and humidity.
Read MoreGale River Trail/Garfield Ridge Trail/Frost Trail
10.2 Miles 2450’ Elevation gain
Kevin, Judy and Emma
We try to always hike on the 4th of July. I can think of no better way to celebrate our freedom than a hike in my favorite White Mountains. This year we hiked to Galehead Mountain. We took the Gale River Trail to its junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail, which we then followed for a mile east to the junction with the Twinway. From here we took the Frost Trail to the summit of Galehead Mountain. There is an AMC Hut of the same name at the western end of the Twinway where the Frost Trail begins.
On the trail in we saw many hikers on the way out who had spent the night at Galehead Hut. The weather was humid, but not particularly hot, and Emma was glad to have the trail more or less follow the Gale River and its many tributaries. The cool water is always a welcome relief to dogs and sweaty humans alike. I like to rinse out my bandana and soak it in the cool stream before putting it back on. It's the next best thing to an icepack. Sometimes I'll stick my head in, sometimes I'll wade in and splash water all up and down my arms and neck, and when it's real hot, in I go, just like the dog. This was a splash water on myself day, not hot enough to go in.
There was a good breeze again on this hike as there had been on our previous hike on the Tripyramids, but the the air was so full of humidity it didn't really help. It did keep the bugs down for most of the day, and it was actually a little too cool when we sat for lunch on the overlook above Galehead Hut. The summit is a cairn in the woods with no views, but there is an excellent view of the surrounding mountains to the south, east and north from this overlook, as well as a bird's eye view of the hut. The Frost Trail, which is a half mile and 250' elevation gain to the summit from the hut, first leads to this overlook, then on to the summit. The overlook is about a ten minute hike from the hut, and the summit is about five minutes past there.
The hut was decked out for the 4th with a large American flag on the front porch. Though we saw many hikers leaving on our way in, the hut was beginning to fill up again as we descended from the overlook and began our hike back out, following the Gale River Trail again. The sky had threatened rain while we were on the summit, but it cleared again as we were leaving and the weather became hotter as the afternoon wore on. This brought out the bugs and they became a nuisance on our way out, but it was still a great hike, despite the bugs and humidity.
Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)
GaleheadPartridgeberry Mitchella repensSummerhikingwildflowers
