| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Hale, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hale Brook Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Trail, Zealand Road |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, July 22, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
A dozen vehicles at the Hale Brook trailhead parking at 8:30AM. Not a fee lot.
The Zealand trailhead is a fee lot with outhouse facilities
Zealand Road had some voids and bumps in asphalt that should not be a problem for any vehicles. The gravel section beyond the Sugarloaf trailhead has some washboard surface from a grader tread (not bad)
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easy crossing of all brooks |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trails are in good condition. The water diversion trenches on the Hale Brook Trail were nicely cleaned out. Recently installed rock steps on Twinway between the hut and Zealand Trail.
All tree falls were easy to get by. There is one slanted tree fall on the Hale Brook Trail just below the summit that is 3 to 4 feet above the surface. There were a couple of tree falls on Lend-a-Hand trail downhill from the uppermost brook crossing. A couple of trees down near the ground on Zealand Trail not too far in from trailhead.
Most bog bridges on the Lend-a-Hand trail are intact although there are some deteriorated and broken planks/logs that do not present a problem at this time.
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Fine for dogs. Many on the trail today. |
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 | Bugs: |
Only a few on the road walk. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Someone had left sunglasses they found at the Hale Brook trailhead kiosk. |
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 | Comments: |
If time permits, the loop trip over Mt Hale provides more variety than an in and out on the Hale Brook Trail. The Lend-a-Hand Trail has some viewpoints especially in an upland boggy area with black spruce just below Mt Zeale where you look through Zealand Notch at Mt Lowell, Mt Anderson, and Mt Nancy as well as the long ridge from Zeacliff to Mt Zealand.
Saw large purple-fringed orchid in the vicinity of the hut, joe pye weed by the boardwalk, some sheep laurel on Lend-a-Hand Trail, one patch of Mountain Avens on brook ledge by hut, and Meadow Sweet in the Zealand wetlands.
Spruce Grouse on Lend-a-Hand Trail took a bit of time to move.
Many hikers on Hale Brook Trail (including veteran hikers Nancy & Charlie and a 10 yr old from RI), the hut (Claremont hiker), and Zealand Trail (a 2 and 4 yr old). |
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 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
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 | E-Mail: |
waumbek@roadrunner.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-07-22 |
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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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