NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Hale, NH
Trails
Trails: Zealand Trail, Twinway, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Hale Brook Trail, Zealand Road
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, July 24, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: We parked at the Zealand parking lot. Both lots are well cared for. Nice outhouse at Zealand. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Lots of 'em! We had no problems. If you decide to do this after a good rain, you may. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Everything was great. There were two barely noticeable blow downs. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Good trails for dogs, plenty of water. Just remember that if you should stop by the hut, your friend will have to wait for you outside. 
Bugs
Bugs: Very few, just a few black flies and skeeters on the Hale summit. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Found a plastic black and pink bracelet and a light blue key ring (the stretchy kind that goes around your wrist) along the Zealand Trail (BEFORE you get to the beaver ponds). We left them on a rock along the trail. 
 
Comments
Comments: This is a nice loop for people who want to redline or just want some variety getting to Mt. Hale. We had no fixed plans today, as we thought it would be a swimming day rather than hiking. But it was cooler than expected, so we took the always lovely Zealand Trail to the hut. Falls and other streams and cascades would lead one to disbelieve that New England is in a drought this summer. Views from the hut are becoming obscured as the trees grow taller. There were many obscured views from a lot of other places as well. Lend-a-Hand is pleasant, but a very watery trail. There are well-placed bog bridges, but there are other areas where you have to watch your step on the rocks. It looks easy on paper, but there were a few steep areas. Even though you can't see much, it was nice relaxing in the late afternoon sun on Hale (our only other time on Hale we were curled up in little balls praying not to get struck by lightening). Took a while to descend, due to water running on rocks in the steep parts of the trail. Our road walk back to the car was cut short by some nice ladies coming back to their car spot after completing their Bonds traverse. THANK YOU!  
Name
Name: Beckie and Prema 
E-Mail
E-Mail: beckiejani@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-07-24 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved