South Twin Mountain

South Twin Mountain is a 4,902-foot mountain located in Grafton County, New Hampshire. The mountain is part of the Twin Range of the White Mountains. South Twin forms the highest point of a north–south ridge, with North Twin Mountain about a mile to the north and Mount Guyot to the southeast. The summit of South Twin is open and rocky, offering broad vistas, while its slopes are covered in spruce-fir forest. South Twin Mountain is one of the two prominent “Twin” peaks in the Twin Range (the higher of the pair). Its summit is open and rocky, offering broad vistas into the Pemigewasset Wilderness and across to the Franconia Range. The Twin Range area has a notable conservation history: in the late 19th century it was heavily logged, and then devastating forest fires swept through in 1903 and 1908, burning the west side of the Twins and areas around neighboring Owl’s Head. These events, which left slopes barren, helped spur the movement to protect the White Mountains from further destruction. In 1911 the Weeks Act was passed, and much of this region eventually became part of the White Mountain National Forest. Today, South Twin’s slopes have regrown with spruce-fir forest, and the peak marks the highest point of a north–south ridge (with North Twin a mile to the north and Mount Guyot to the southeast). Near its summit, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Galehead Hut (built in 1932) sits at Galehead col, a testament to the area’s long-running use by hikers.