| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Hale, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Zealand Road, Hale Brook Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, March 25, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the large, paved, and plowed winter lot for Zealand Rd off US 302. This lot is 0.2 miles from Zealand Rd. It was plowed to pavement this morning. Free. Kiosk at end of lot for snowmobiles, no privy. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No issues on Hale Brook. Difficult slide down to the crossing then scramble up soft snow on the other side (over my head snow height) on the small brooks of Lend-A-Hand, very time consuming for such small crossings. No issues on the few open points on Zealand Trail. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Route:
Zealand Rd road walk > Hale Brook Trail > Lend-A-Hand Trail > Twinway > Zealand trail > Zealand Rd road walk back to parking.
Road walk: there were two fantastic snowshoe trenches this morning that I was able to snowshoe up. This afternoon the workers of Bethlehem water supply had plowed the road. Thus was able to bare boot on the way out. Warming afternoon temps allowed much dirt and pavement to emerge from the plowing.
Hale Brook: blazed in yellow and well blazed for winter trekking. There must have been a team of superheroes that broke this thing out on Sunday. They did an amazing job in some seriously grueling conditions. I thank you for your efforts!!! The trail is NOT spike worthy. Snowshoes still a must as snow is soft and just barely consolidated. There was some postholing higher up, just after the switchbacks. Maybe there was an issue with a snowshoe? The holes did not last long, but they are deeeeep. Summit cairn completely covered in snow.
Lend-A-Hand: well blazed in blue and blazed perfectly for winter trekking. I had the esteemed pleasure in breaking this trail out, if you can call it that. I labored for 2.5 hours over 3 miles to make my way down and over this trail. Snow was consistently knee deep in snowshoes (I am 5ft 5in). Some portions were thigh deep requiring an inordinate amount of energy to lift the back snowshoe up, to bring it forward, only to plummet again into thigh deep snow. I went down to my hip in a few parts as the running water under trail eroded the “base,” sending me into an unintended yoga pose. It term it, “Snowshoe in Deep Hole” pose. It took way more energy than I had to wrestle myself out of the holes. I’m sure the trees got a good laugh at my insect-like antics as I thrust myself around trying to get free from the deep snow.
Twinway: this is the AT and is blazed in standard white blazes. Bewildered that a broken out trail had suddenly appeared in front of me, I was instantly distrustful. My mind has finally gone! The Grid got me! But, yes, Twinway was broken out and may be broken out to Zealand. There were 2-3 pairs of fresh snowshoe prints heading up and over the snow covered water crossing towards Zealand. But I didn’t go that way so I cannot verify if the tracks go that far for sure. What I do know is that Twinway is broken out nicely to the hut.
Zealand Trail: well blazed in blue, well broken out but still not able to employ spikes. The warming afternoon temps were softening the snow to the point that the snow was clumping on snowshoes. It was a very pleasant walk out on this tramped down trail.
I think I will agree with BikeHikeCampGirl: forget this mess! I’ll see you in April! |
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-03-25 |
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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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