“On the second toe-tap, my right foot plunged into the river, completely soaking my boot and two layers of socks.
Only twelve miles to go. Great.”
-from 4000s by 40
This page shares images from the experiences in Chapter 21 of 4000s by 40. This was the first time I was caught at sunset on top of a mountain, but rather than hurry down, I decided to stay and watch the full sunset before descending in the dark. For more about that night and to read about what it’s like to climb all of New Hampshire’s 4000-footers, you can get the book [here]. And to go along with the photos below, I’ve added a quick retelling of events, along with quotes, to give a small sense of what you’ll find in the book. Enjoy!
Planning for a Long, but Epic, Day
Climbing in the dark on Mount Garfield gave me the confidence for my next goal: climbing Galehead and the Twins. For the summer I was planning some really big hikes where I knew I was going to probably get stuck in the dark, so now that I had experienced it, I felt ready.
The out-and-back to Galehead Mountain includes a trek over North Twin and South Twin as well, so you can climb three 4000-footers in one go, but you’re really making five ascents because you have to return over the summits of both Twins to get back to your car. There is just no getting around it—it was going to be a long day. But an epic one.
View from the summit of North Twin
River Crossings on the North Twin Trail
The adventure began, right from jump-street. Shortly into a hike along the North Twin Trail, I ran into the first of three river crossings. The water was running too high to cross any discernable dry path, so I had to hop across on a cropping of partially submerged rocks. On two of the crossings, my foot slipped past my quarry and landed squarely at the bottom of the river, completely soaking my sock and boot. It was not an auspicious start.
After wringing out my socks, I put my boot back on and continued. Blisters would be inevitable today, but amazingly, my two-sock approach wicked away most of the water and I was doing fine when I made my first ascent of North Twin.
River Crossings on the North Twin Trail
Among the Clouds
Before the day was done, I already knew that this would be one of my favorite hikes in the 4000-footers. Maybe it was the river adventure. Maybe it was the quick access to stunning views. But in my gut, I had a feeling this was about to be a good one.
I didn’t waste too much time though at the summit of either North Twin or South Twin on the first go-around. Even though they had 360-degree views that were breathtaking, I knew I had a long way to get back to these mountains in time for sunset, and I didn’t want to miss that. So, after taking a few quick photos, I scurried off to Galehead.
In the photos that follow, you’ll see one where a mountain valley, steeped in green, gets kissed by the dwindling sunlight. This was just below Galehead Mountain’s summit, which is shrouded in trees and is itself not much to look at. But here, near the Galehead Hut, is one of the most serene mountain valleys in the White Mountains. If you were to ask me which hut I’d like to stay at most, I’d pick Galehead.
Clockwise, from the top left: Summit of South Twin, Heart Rock Along the Way, Near Galehead Hut
Sunset on North and South Twin
The sun was going down as I left Galehead Mountain to return to South Twin. Motoring as fast as I could, favoring my dry foot, I was relieved when I made it to the summit of South Twin before nightfall—less time hiking in the dark felt safer. I also wanted to be on a mountain summit when the sun went down, to see if I could get a good picture or two. Standing on South Twin’s summit once again, I took some photos of its mighty cairn, with the sun setting behind it. I lingered for a bit to take in the changing colors of the evening sky, then bolted for North Twin to get there before dark.
On the summit of North Twin, I took my time. I played around with the settings on my camera and snapped some twenty or thirty photos of the descending sun. It was beautiful. Golden light gave way to purple hues, and I stood in awe, marveling at the gift I was getting to witness. There had been no sign of anyone else all day—I had this view, and this sun, all to myself.
Sunset at the Summit of South Twin
Sunset from the Summit of North Twin
Descending the North Twin Trail
I wasn’t as scared of the dark as I was on my hike up Mount Garfield, but I still elected to sing as loud as I could. With nobody else around, it could only offend the mountain cougars—if there were even any of those around. When I finally approached the three river crossings I fell in before, I didn’t even bother to find some rocks to hop across. Because of the dark, I felt that I would be more likely to slip and hurt myself trying to stay dry, and it was better to just run into the river like a big Viking idiot. I loved it. Sloshing my way back to the car, I couldn’t stop smiling. It was a fantastic day.
Orange and purple hues clasped the surrounding mountains, comforting the earth below me like a swaddled baby. Everything looked so cozy and warm despite the dropping temperature. I’ve seen some great sunsets before: eye-popping ones over the Golden Gate Bridge from the rooftop of my apartment building, glorious ones from the cliff edge of the Grand Canyon, but this one, from the top of North Twin, had me in rapture. I suspect that was mainly because I earned it.
Want to Learn More About the White Mountains?
If you like reading about mountains, the 4000-footers, and the ups and downs of getting “out there,” come check out more stories at 4000s by 40.
Looking for photos of more 4000-footers? Head back to the 4000s by 40 Visual Companion to explore the other peaks. You can also check out a reel of images from this hike HERE
🧭 Ascent Details: Galehead, North Twin & South Twin
- Route: North Twin Trail → North Twin Spur → South Twin → Twinway → Frost Trail (to Galehead)
- Distance: ~12 miles round trip (out-and-back from North Twin trailhead)
- Elevation Gain: ~4,300 feet
- Trailhead: Haystack Road (seasonal access)
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- Trail Features: Several river crossings, steady climb to North Twin, steep descent/ascent to/from South Twin, short spur to Galehead
- Summits: North Twin (4,761′) – Partial views, wooded summit, South Twin (4,902′) – Open summit with large cairn and expansive 360° views, Galehead (4,024′) – Wooded summit; best views from the nearby hut lookout
Exploring North Twin, South Twin & Galehead: Trail Reports & Peakbagging Resources
This is a really long climb, but absolutely beautiful. If you can’t stay at Galehead Hut, here are a few key resources to help through the hike:
- Peakbagger.com – Mount Galehead | – A great place to track your 4000-footer progress, log summits, and see detailed elevation data. Once on the site you can easily search for North Twin and South Twin to get their details.
- 4000footers.com – I used this site a lot when learning routes for my first ascents of the 4000-footers. It provides clear details about the trail, how to get there, and a small map showing you the route.
- AMC Trail Maps – I have different versions that came with a more detailed trail book, but it’s always good to have a reliable map.