Elevation: 2,240 ft (overall) 2,581 ft (total)
Time: 1:53 (Summit) 3:28 (Hut) 4:35 (Zealand Rd) 4:53 (Total)
Trails: Hale Brook Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Zealand Trail, Zealand Road
With abnormally warm November temps predicted (near 50), it was time to get out for a nice warm late fall hike. It was going to be cloudy all day, so I picked a viewless 4K so that I could make another check on the grid, but more importantly redline the Lend-A-Hand Trail. I have been wanting to do this loop for a while, so it was nice to finally get it done. This would also be my first non-winter hike of Mount Hale.
I expected the parking lot at the start of the Zealand Trail to be more full today with the warm temps and it's access to more peaks and the hut, so I started at the Hale Brook Trail and would end with the road walk. While I expect this was the better option, the small lot was already full when I got there so I had to park on the side of the road as others had already done. With this being a shorter 4K hike though, the parking lot can cycle out pretty quickly.
The trail starts off pretty easy with a gentle climb. Being late fall, there was a layer of leaves down low that went away as the hike got higher up the mountain. Terrain is pretty smooth, but there are some sections of trail that have been reworked with some newer steps added in to stop erosion. Still, nothing hard to navigate though. There is a brook crossing, but today it was running pretty low so it was very easy to just step across on the rocks.
An early easy leaf covered section of trail
Hale Brook Trail water crossing
Higher up the trail transitions from the hardwoods to the conifers. Around this time the trail also transitions to some sections of sidehill and then switchbacks. The trail surface gets more rocky here as well. Not making things too difficult, but just not as smooth or as easy on the feet. Closer to the summit, the trail becomes more straight again before it eventually emerges from the trees to the viewless summit where a fire tower once stood and there is now just an opening with a large pile of rocks in it. While quite a few cars were in the lot today, there weren't many people at the summit (or they didn't stay long). At one point I even had the summit to myself for a while before I left. The Gray Jays were active around the summit looking for free snacks today. After zooming in on my camera of a couple pictures I had taken, I noticed that one of them even had a band on its leg. This was something I have never seen on a Gray Jay before. Obviously somewhere someone is trying to learn more about them.
Sidehill section of trail
Gray Jay (with leg band) at the summit
Mt. Hale summit
Leaving the summit, I headed down the Lend-A-Hand Trail to hit some new sections of trail for me. The trail makes for an enjoyable hike through some nice woods. The trail gets a bit tight for a bit, but it made the section seem that much nicer to me. There is one small area of rock to climb down, but the terrain through here was pretty easy and enjoyable. From the guidebook, I knew there would be a side path that would lead to a small view looking out towards Carrigain Notch. There was no sign for this side path, and if you weren't looking for it it could be very easy to pass. It did lead to a small, but enjoyable view that is worth pushing through the branches to get to it.
Tight section of the Lend-A-Hand Trail
View towards Carrigain Notch
The lower half of the Lend-A-Hand Trail gets a little bit rougher in its surface. The trail passes a small swamp, goes though some wet areas, and follows near then crosses a brook. All this makes for a few more roots and rocks on the surface that slows the hike down just a bit. It still isn't hard though. Just before the junction with the Zealand Trail, there was one brook crossing that wasn't too hard with rocks to easily cross on.
Bog bridges on Lend-A-Hale Trail
I went down the Zealand Trail and made a stop at the hut. There were a few people around the hut today relaxing and enjoying the falls, but it wasn't too busy here. I took some pictures of the falls, but without much water running today it wasn't very exciting. So after a short break, I got on my way and headed on my way out. After a quick rocky and bit steep descent from the hut, the rest of the trail is mostly flat as it largely follows and old logging railroad grade. This makes for a quick hike out if you don't stop to look at much as you pass brooks, ponds, and swamps. If it was sunny out, I probably would have stopped more and taken some more pictures. Once back to the road, I did the walk back to my truck at pretty much the same time as two other groups were also doing so. As one of us said, we should have sent one person ahead and come back to give the rest of us a ride.
While the road walk at the end isn't exciting, the hike today was a good one. The weather worked well for a viewless peak and the new trail for me and side path view made for some other nice aspects. I would do this hike again at some other time probably with different weather, like on a sunny day. Next time I would probably switch it up and do it the other direction just to see which way is better.
Google Earth representation of the hike
For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE
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