MT HALE 4,054

Pemigewassett Wilderness

The snowy summit of Mount Hale

Mt Hale is located on the edge of Zealand Valley. This is a beautiful area with beaver ponds and several interesting peaks. The much smaller Sugarloafs are nearby, a good loop hike for families.
THE TRAILHEADS
Most popular route is ♦Hale Brook Trail to the summit. This is a moderate to easy hike with switchbacks and no rough parts ideal for families. Trailhead is located on Zealand Road off RT-302. This road is closed in winter and is being used as a logging road. Do not attempt to travel this road by car even if the gate is open. Rangers regularly patrol this road.

Another route would be to take ♦Lend-A-Hand Trail from Zealand Hut to the summit and back or down Hale Brook. This would involve a rather long dusty road walk back to Zealand Trailhead. Lend-A-Hand is one of my favorites but watch out for aggressive Spruce Grouse which live here:)

♦Firewardens Trail is an old route which has been abandoned for many years and recently re-discovered. The trailhead is on the North Twin Trail off Haystack road. More information on this can be found "HERE"
THE MOUNTAIN
Mt Hale has a tree fringed summit with views that are shrinking as the trees grow. There is a huge cairn on top so if you stand on top of tottering stones you can get great views. When I climbed it the first time in the mid-90's I didn't see more than a couple people, it's become popular so expect to see a dozen or more people on top on most summer weekends. In winter it's a longer hike as Zealand road is closed. Many use the open Zealand Hut in winter as a base for Mts Hale, Zealand and the Bonds.

Here's a Trip Report

And a Spring hike

And a Winter hike

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