Mount Hale

Despite a forecast of possible showers we decided to bag another 4,000 footer today, Mount Hale (4,054 ft). On the drive over we took a side road off of Route 2 (Durand Rd.) to get a pic of the "7" in King Ravine. This is usually the last prominent snow in the White Mountains and forms a perfect 7. Continuing on to the trailhead the sky was brightening and the summits were clear.

As a side note - yesterday I returned my Merrell Moab hiking boots to EMS because the rubber sole was torn. They replaced them with a new pair - without question! I love that place, it's my favorite store! I'm like a kid in a candy shop, I want to look at everything and try it all. I definitely tried out my new boots today and used this hike to break them in.

We reached Zealand Road and drove to the end to see how many hikers were out and about - the parking lot was almost full. Turning around we returned to the Hale Brook trailhead. There were two cars there and two more drove in. The temperature was 64 degrees and we hit the trail.

It wasn't long before we found ourselves zipping off the bottom half of our hiking pants, it was getting quite warm. There were a few areas of mud and water on the trail but really not an issue and it was easy to navigate around. Brook crossings were also no problem.

Views along the way were obstructed at best. I attempted to take a few pics through the trees on the trail but it sure doesn't have the same affect as a nice clear view. We made the summit in 1 hr 33 min (2.2 mi). The temperature was 64 degrees and...no view. The sun was shining through a hazy sky and there was a cool breeze blowing. We took a few pics, had a snack and started back down.

We met several dogs along the way that were out with their hikers. Dogs always look very happy and seem to enjoy being out on the hiking trail. I feel the same way! We reached the trailhead and the temp was 79 degrees. Although this was a hike with obscured views the temperature was pleasantly warm, there were no raindrops and the new hiking boots were outstanding! Another great day out on the hiking trail and one more 4,000 footer to add to our list!