| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Hale, Zealand Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hale Brook Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Zealand Pond Spur, Zeacliff Trail, Ethan Pond Trail, Zealand Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
5 cars at the end of Zealand road at 9:00 & 1/2 full at 6, 2 cars at Hale brook at 9:15 and 1 on the way out |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All rock hopable except the Whitewall Brook on the Zeacliff Trail- hop on submerged rocks. Not too bad for me, very tough for my younger son. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Hale Brook with significant erosion on the switchback turns in the last mile at the top; Lend-A-Hand was in good shape with a ton of blowdowns cleared since winter (thanks); Zeacliff had chest high ferns in sections that have significantly grown in, a couple step overs and a new looking duck under just west of the brook crossing, faded blazing (due to it being in the wilderness) makes it tough to follow in a couple of spots- especially the birch glades; All other trails in good shape! |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Only 1 very well behaved dog seen today just about on top of Hale |
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 | Bugs: |
Brutal swarms of gnats on the road walk from the end of Zealand Road to Hale Brook trailhead until ~.5 miles into the trail- then no issues the entire rest of the day |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Fantastic day beating the storm (kind of- it rained on us on the Zealand Trail on the way out). First time on the Zeacliff Trail and that trail had everything- steeps, flats, birch groves, slides, ledges, boulder field, challenging stream crossing, wild blue and raspberries, and no one else on the trail. If fact, we saw a handful of people leaving the top of Hale, but beyond that saw no one else from the road until the Zealand Hut. Lots of thru hikes on the Twinway, in the hut and on Ethan Pond. Thank you AT thru hiker Pulitzer for stopping and talking to my young son- he talked about it the entire rest of the trip and on the car ride home! |
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 | Name: |
Mountain Goat & The Professor |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-08-01 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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