| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Hale, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Hale Brook Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Trail, Zealand Road |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, June 30, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at the Hale Brook trailhead at 7:15AM. This lot is frequently full early on good weekend days.
The asphalt on Zealand Road up to the Sugarloaves trailhead has many voids in the tar and some bumps. It is passable for all vehicles although cautious driving will spare your alignment. There is one section Zealand Road with loose gravel.
If you plan to park at the Zealand trailhead, then there is a fee. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
I selected the Mt Hale hike because there are no major stream crossings. The Mt Washington Observatory forecast discussion warned hikers of potentially difficult/dangerous river crossings due to recent rainfall. All of the crossings on this route were doable as rock hops. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One maple tree across the Hale Brook Trail. There are multiple offshoots of the main trunk across the trail. These are 3 to 5 inches in diameter. Hikers are walking around this obstacle.
There are three birches and three evergreens of 6" to 12" diameter tree falls across the Lend-a-Hand Trail. All were step/straddle overs.
The water diversion ditches were immaculate on the Hale Brook Trail. There were also some rock stairways and log retention bar across the trail to curtail erosion. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Fine for dogs. Plenty of water. |
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 | Bugs: |
Not many. Not a bother. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I prefer the Hale Brook / Lend-a-Hand circuit rather than an in and out on the Hale Brook Trail. There are no views at the summit even when standing on the pile of Hale stones. There are some views from a few spots on the trails. I consider the view from the ledge area with low vegetative growth on the Lend-a-Hand Trail the best. You look up Zealand Notch towards Mts Lowell, Anderson, and Nancy. I like sitting on the rocking boulder to the west of the trail.
The cascades on the ledges by the Zealand hut with the yellow Mountain Avens made for a nice place to snack. Zealand Falls on a short side path off the Twinway below the hut was impressive today due to the strong flow. Frequently at this time of year the water flow is much less. The water levels were also seasonally high on the ponds and wetlands abutting the Zealand Trail.
Lots of bunchberries and bluebead lilies in bloom.
Lots of hikers out today. Missed Wolfgang on Mt Hale. Met two woman on multi-peak treks today. Also< one northbound thru-hiker and a CT father/son section hiking the AT. One Portland hiker exploring rock climbing opportunities around Zeacliff. One Bath, ME woman hiking the same route as myself. A family with three young kids were among the people hiking to the hut. |
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 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
|
 | E-Mail: |
WAUMBEK@Roadrunner.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-06-30 |
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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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