8.7 mile loop; 2,400 ft. elevation gainSummit: Mt. Hale = 4,054 foot
Route: Hale Brook Trail to the summit, Lend-a-Hand trail to Zealand Falls/Hut, and Zealand Trail back to Zealand Road
Review: A much more bearable day than Saturday--by about 20 degrees! About 69 degrees around 9:20am, when we started the hike. And much less humid.
Most of the elevation gain occurs in the first two hours of this hike, on the way up to the summit of Mt. Hale.
The Hale Brook Trail is relatively easy. You pass through a beautiful birch forest before hitting the conifers near the top. Before reaching the summit, there are views through the conifers of Mt. Washington. It's good to savor these views because once on top, the scenery is limited to the large cairn and trees that are growing where the fire tower used to stand 40 years ago.
As it was too early for lunch, we set off down the Lend-a-Hand trail seeking the unmarked spur trail that promised great views. Thirty minutes later we were convinced that we'd missed it somehow and decided to stop for lunch. Well, what serendipity! A barely noticeable trail led off toward the west, where two of us at a time were rewarded with nice views.
Just as we were getting back on the trail again, the two hikers who didn't show up at 9am at trailhead joined us. Their tardiness was understandable -- Jason and Marie had just returned the day before from a week on vacation in the Olympic National Park of Washington State. I'm surprised that they found the time to do a day hike at all after being away for a week!
We saw a spruce grouse in the dense spruce woods with mossy ground. This species is noted for its tameness, and we witnessed that firsthand. Several of us passed within a few feet of the grouse before it scuttled off from the rock into the underbrush. It made gutteral notes and clucks as it moved away.
The hike to Zealand Falls and Zealand Hut was quite pleasant. Everyone (except for me!) took their boots and socks off and soaked their feet in the cold waters of Zealand Falls. We enjoyed the comraderie and sunshine for 20 minutes or so, watching the dozen or so kids playing in the water and having a great time.
We filled up on water, took bathroom breaks at the Hut, and then took off for the last 2.3 mile stretch of Zealand Trail back to the road. This was the most memorable part of the hike, as we crossed numerous streams, log bridges, beaver ponds, and another striking birch forest. What a pleasurable end to a beautiful hike.
It took us about 7 hours in total, with several breaks for snacks, water and foot-soaking, to traverse the 8.7 miles.
Apres-hike, 8 of the 11 of us went to Fabyan's in Bretton Woods and enjoyed local microbrewed beer and a light dinner before heading home. I didn't even mind the fact that I had a 3-hour drive home ahead of me!
I discovered that Pat Kravtin will be joining me on next Saturday's Mt. Jefferson hike.
Thanks to Robin Melavalin and Jim Plouffe for leading this excursion!
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