Mount Hale

Date of Hike: 1/19/13

Logging Roads: 1.7 miles	North Twin Trail: 1.0 miles	Mount Hale Trail (AKA Fire Warden's Trail): 2.5 miles
Hale Brook Trail: 2.2 miles	Zealand Road / Route 302: 2.6 miles	.
Total Miles: 10.0	.	2,000 feet elevation gain

Trip Report:

-  The weather report for Saturday was a little iffy, calling for high winds so we decided to stay below treeline.  Our original plans were to hike Hale and Zealand, spotting a car at the Zealand Road winter lot and heading over to Little River Road so we could hike up the abandoned Mount Hale Trail (Fire Warden's Trail).  However, we got a late start and since we had to book it back to RI and back to Mr. Smackers the Golden Retriever we just decided to hike up Mount Hale.

- I was really excited to hike up the Fire Warden's Trail in the winter, I had been on it twice before but during the summer so I was looking forward to hiking through the Birch Glades.

- The hike into the Fire Warden's Trail is pretty easy, the only difficult thing about it is finding the beginning of the trail which can be found on the herd path bypass between the first and second water crossings on the North Twin Trail.  All you have to do is find the sturdiest little tree in the middle of the path and bang a left up a ten foot embankment and BAM! you're on the old Mount Hale Trail.

- Right before we jumped on the old trail we passed a group heading to the Twins, they were having fun and ended up having better than expected weather for their hike and probably caught some good views!

- The Fire Warden's Trail was not broken out but luckily there were only six inches of light fluffy new snow on top of hard packed snow so it was pretty easy to stay on the trail.  The only part that could get iffy is the last half mile when gaining the ridge as it can look like a maze if you're not paying attention.

- The trail is much more enjoyable than the Hale Brook Trail, it has easy grades and you pass through a beautiful patch of Birch glades before heading into a forest through a Pine Grove.

- Once at the top we took a snack break before booking it down the Hale Brook Trail passing by a couple of hikers on their way up to the summit.

- Next was the road walk back along the Zealand Road, this would have been the slog part of our hike if we did Zealand but it was a ton of fun and went by quickly!

- It was a fun little first hike of 2013 for me and we made it back to RI in time for Mr. Smackers to enjoy his dinner...dog food - YUM!!!

 Abandoned Mount Hale Trail, AKA Fire Warden's Trail

Birch Glades

 Entering the Pine Grove

 Unbroken Fire Warden's Trail

 Mount Hale Summit

 Hale Brook Trail

Zealand Road