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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Twin Mountain (attempt), NH
Trails
Trails: Beaver Brook XC ski trail, Gale River Road, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, February 26, 2022
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at Beaver Brook XC lot. Lot was plowed and plenty of parking available. Restrooms are boarded up. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Unpacked Powder 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Gale River was pretty much impassable for miles. Bushwhacked for quite a ways along side and never found a spot to cross. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: No pups today. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: We started on the XC trails for a mile before turning right and crossing to the ski mobile trails. Just before crossing over the bridge, we turned left into the woods. 1st mistake: following someone's tracks and making assumptions...yeah we all know what assuming gets ya. We originally planned to hike just Galehead and assumed these tracks were someone doing the same with perhaps some water crossing intel...so we followed. However, after following these tracks for a while, we never found a passable spot. Their tracks turned left and climbed to a ridge. We decided to continue along the river to find a place to cross. Woods got thicker, river banks got steeper. Could not find a safe pace to cross.
We had no other choice but to hike up to the ridge and from there, had the brilliant idea to, instead of trying to spend even more time looking for a place to cross, why not try the bushwhack to North Twin. We thought it was such a better idea. Well it wasn't. PLEASE DO NOT FOLLOW OUR TRACKS INTO THE PEMI WILDERNESS BECAUSE THEY GO FOR MILES AND END UP NOWHERE...just like we did.
This was NOT the day for us to attempt this for a plethora of reasons that are all logical and make sense. Once we got through beautiful hardwoods, our bearing was off and we were headed to PATN. Not ok. Needed to adjust and get to N. Twin. We adjusted but also had to descend thick woods and back into the open hardwoods.
Next we encountered ice covered ledges and we shimmied through boulders, yes with snowshoes on, and got through. Climbed steep grades of dense woods and let me tell you that it's pure luck we never poked an eye out. Kept sliding down as we hiked up because there was ice under the snow. Kept pushing forward and then we hit forest so dense it was impassable. Not even room to push through and step because the trees were so tight. Never experienced a bushwhack anything like this and we are on 97 of our NEHH. Even Elephant wasn't this bad.
It was 2pm and we knew we had a long way to North Twin if we tried and what we didn't know, was what lie ahead. This was the tipping point for us to bail and head back. So many lessons for us on this day. Good ones. Sucks turning around but I rather sit here on my computer typing this embarrassing account of our mishap than...well, you get my drift.
As mentioned - please do not follow our tracks. They will not lead you to the promised land or any land other than deeper into the pemi.
Happy trails!  
Name
Name: mountain girl 
E-Mail
E-Mail: jcmg2012@comcast.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2022-02-27 
Link
Link: https:// 
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