Winter Hiking Galehead Mountain (4,024')

HIKE STATISTICS

Total Distance: 12.2 miles

Elevation Gain: 2,620 feet

Hiking Time: 6 hours and 45 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Curious to learn more about this peak during the summer time when there is no snow? Click here!

Want to feel what it is like to experience this peak? Watch our vlog which you can find here!

HIKE DATE: 03/14/2020

Description: Galehead Mountain is a part of the Twin Range. The summit itself has no views, but there is a nice viewpoint near the summit that offers a nice vantage point, along with another one near the Galehead Hut. In the winter, Galehead is much more challenging as the road to the trailhead is closed for the season.

Trails Used: To get to the trailhead, park at Beaver Brook XC Ski Area and take the Beaver Brook XC Trail to a short path that leads to Gale River Loop Road. Walk on the road for a bit before arriving to the summer trailhead. From here, take the Gale River Trail to the Garfield Ridge Trail and head towards Galehead Hut. At the hut, take the Frost Trail to the summit of Galehead. Descend by turning around and going back the same way you came up.

Trail Summary: Since the Gale River Loop Road is closed in the winter, you have two options for getting to the trailhead. The most common way to ascend Galehead in the winter is by parking at the Beaver Brook XC Ski Area off of Route 3. Here you will take XC ski trails to the Gale River Loop Road. Alternatively, you could park at the start of the Gale River Loop Road and walk the entire road to the trailhead. Since it is shorter to use the XC ski trails and more enjoyable than walking on the road the whole time, we opted for starting from Beaver Brook XC Ski Area. Once at the parking area, you will follow signs for the Beaver Loop XC Ski Trail by going right at the first junction. Continue to stay to the right as you pass by another junction. When you get to the blue sign with an arrow pointing left, you will want to bear right and follow the clearing. This short path will take you to one of the campsites on the Gale River Road Loop. After exiting the campsite, take a left to head up the road and then take a right at the hiking sign to get to the summer trailhead. To get to the trailhead, it is about 1.2 miles and 160 feet of elevation gain. Even though we were here in March and the true winter season, it certainly did not feel this way! There was almost no snow on the XC trails or the road, so we were able to bareboot the whole way to the trailhead.

Once you reach the Gale River trailhead, you are ready to make your way towards the peak! The Gale River Trail climbs easily for the first 1.4 miles - it will feel like you are hardly gaining elevation. There are several small water crossings - some with bridges and some not - but none of them are difficult. We put our spikes on at the start of the Gale River Trail in order to not slip on the small patches of ice, but when we got to the first crossing, it was flowing fast so we took them off to cross so the spikes wouldn’t get wet and clump snow later in the day. During this first section the trail was quite a mess. The snow looked packed, but we would be surprised with postholes as the snow melted beneath us. Additionally, the trails were very wet and at times we had no choice but to walk through some slushy snow. Good thing for waterproof boots! After another 1.8 miles, you’ll be above the stream and face a steeper portion of the trail. The ascent from this point to the junction becomes steep, but it goes fast as you gain elevation quickly. The trail was nice and hard packed at this point, so we felt like we had enough traction with our microspikes. Once at the junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail, take a left and you’ll be at the Galehead Hut in 0.6 miles. This piece of the Garfield Ridge Trail is relatively flat and easy going except for the final push towards the Hut. Eventually, you’ll find Galehead Hut as well as a nice outlook. The Hut is closed in the winter months and completely boarded up, so you won’t be able to go inside. Still, it makes for a nice spot to take a break!

After some relaxation, it’s a quick jaunt up the Frost Trail to the summit of Galehead. This trail is 0.5 miles long and climbs about 250 feet. The trail ascends moderately all the way to the viewless summit (marked by a cairn). Because of the snow packed on the trail, there were actually some views along the way that aren’t typically available. There is a really nice outlook 3/4 of the way up, so make sure to stop there before visiting the wooded summit! To descend back to the Hut, go back the same way you came. Once back at the Hut, head along the Garfield Ridge Trail the same way you came and then descend down the Gale River Trail again back to the car. The descent down Gale River Trail is a moderate one; it’s never too difficult and the terrain is not bad to go down on. If the trail was less packed/icy and had more fluffy snow, we definitely would have done some butt sledding during the steep section! This seems like a great trail for it, and would make for a fun and quick descent! Winter #15 for us!