| 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: |
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the winter lot for Zealand Rd just off US 302. This large lot has just been repaved. Super nice! Free, no privy. Zealand Rd remains closed. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
See notes below. I went up to the two water crossings on Twinway just above the hut. They are crossable, but not without getting feet wet. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Several, but not biting. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Route:
Zealand Rd road walk > Hale Brook trail > Lend-a-Hand > Twinway > Zealand Trail > Zealand Rd road walk.
Zealand rd:completely snow free and dry. Should open soon...
Hale Brook Trail: well blazed in yellow for all season travel. Surprisingly, no snow until 3400 feet. Then a stable monorail appears. Above the switchbacks snowshoes could be used for faster travel, but are unncessary (in my opinion). Spikes worked for me. At 3900 feet the snow disappears completely all the way to the summit. Bare boots worked fine. As for the two water crossings, the first required that I get my feet wet. All crossing rocks are submerged. The second crossing just before the switchbacks is crossable with exposed rocks. Summit cairn free from snow as is the remainder of the summit.
Lend-A-Hand: well blazed in blue for all season travel. What a mix of conditions on this trail. I packed snowshoes just for this trail as I knew the monorail would be non-existient due to lack of snowshoe use over the winter. After leaving the summit, there is 200 feet of snow free trail. Then some snow to the open blow down area. I would just bare boot this. The open blow down area had no snow. Once back in the pine trees, the snow resumes. No compacted snow or monorail. I put on snowshoes and made quick work of the trail for 3 minutes. Then I had to take off the shoes due to extensive open trail. Then snow again, so snowshoes back on. Then no snow again, so snowshoes back off. At this point I called it quits on the snowshoes. I did not want to tear those expensive things up on the exposed ground. The snow was very inconsistent, so I used spikes and postholed. From the first semi-open rock ledges (as descending) at 3700 feet, I went to bare boots as the snow largely vanished. It was bareboots and nice trail to 3500 feet. At this elevation the trail becomes very wet. No chance of keeping feet dry. To try is to err... On down I went throught the wet sodden mess to the pine forest. This is where the snow is hidden. I don't know the elevation. I just know that it was a very long 0.75 miles of unbroken, unconsolidated snow. I did not even try my snowshoes, everything was being undermined by runoff. Two trail runners came blasting by me, heading down, having the time of their lives. I cared not about their postholes. Hopefully they will help melt the trail faster. At the end of the pine forest the trail, again, is in nice open woods and is mostly snow free save a few small segments. The water crossing just before the hut sign was hoppable on rocks. The trail was again snow free to the junction with Twinway.
Twinway: only used this to check out water levels and go to the hut. There was no snow along this short segment. See water notes above.
Zealand Trail: popular, well travelled, well-blazed route. Blazed in blue. This trail was predominantly dry and free of snow save a very short, but thick, section of monorail about halfway down. I just coasted over it in bare boots. All water crossings on this trail simple to negotiate with exposed rocks. The small portion that skirts the bog has the usual mud, but it is shallow and I just walked right through it.
Despite the trials on Lend-A-Hand, I successfully gridded Mt Hale! Finally done with this one! |
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-05-07 |
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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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