Garfield Crag  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  2,111. Good page?    Administrators:  Jay Knower, M Sprague, lee hansche, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  bradley white on Aug 12, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Scanned photo of the view.

Description 

Several ice flows from WI3+ to WI5 multi-pitch climbs exist. Condition of ice flows dependent on weather. Sometimes very thin to nothing at all can exist on some of the longer flows. Be prepared for bitter coldness or worst rain sometimes.

Getting There 

Cross country skis and snow shoes are needed. Turn left at Thirteen Falls Campground and follow trail towards Mt. Lafayette. When trail crosses Franconia Brook, keep heading straight on an old logging road. When logging road terminates to being mostly forest head uphill for 1 mile heading slightly east. When slope gets steep your underneath it and keep going up. If slope doesn't get steep after much walking you missed and you'll have to try again. Not easy to find. Shortest distance to car parked 6-7 miles. Longest distance to car 10 miles. Shortest distance is by Garfield Trail to the A.T. follow it east to trail leading down to 13 Falls. Don't go to Falls, instead cut traverse across slope until crag comes into view. Another way is Gale Head Trail to Gale Head Hut and walk south and down past Hut to 13 Falls.
Easiest and longest way I always did by taking Lincoln woods Wilderness Trail for three miles to Franconia Brook Trail for five miles to 13 Falls Campground.
Day trips from 13 Falls Campground would be another good way to do multiple visits. I would ski left following Franconia Brook away from 13 falls and camp near Franconia Brook for easy water access, a little ways passed where the trail goes across this brook, straight ahead is a large clearing.
Fires during winter are okay, I believe. This is a protected wilderness coded area in NH. That means leave no trace, use no ribbon trail markers on trees, no permanent anchors, including pitons and fixed webbing on a tree.

The Classics

Featured Route For Garfield Crag

The Big One WI5 M2  NH : *NH Ice and Alpine Climbing : Garfield Crag

two starts right or left ramp of mixed climbing to belay under narrow curtain pillar. Climb pillar (WI4+) move right to gear placement, move left up runnel similar to Repentance second pitch and belay at notch (4+). Climb ramp left to ledge and escape off climb or do the crux wall of thin hard technical moves to the highest exit to this climb. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in NH

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