Early Bird Gets the Worm: Sunrise Hike on Mount Hale
On Wednesday (7/14) I posted a poll on my Instagram story: psycho morning hike, or sleep in? Psycho morning hike won out! But to be honest, I probably was going to do it either way.
Mount Hale is #37 on the New Hampshire 4000’er list. It is such a short trail, and has a summit with no view, that it barely feels like one of the NH48. I started hiking at 4:20AM and summited shortly after sunrise at 5:40AM. It is a single trail you are hiking on so its impossible to take the wrong turn, and it is 2.2 miles to the summit. The summit does not have a view, though there is a viewpoint elsewhere up top. It had rained the day before and only at about .2 miles to the summit did I feel like it affected my hike. I saw three people on my way down, about a half mile to the parking lot. Yeah- thats kinda it, really not a whole lot to report on this hike. Oh- and it brings me to 12/48!
PARKING
In the winter the road to the trailhead may be closed. Otherwise, when Zealand Road is open you can park right at the trailhead. You’ll drive past the entrances to the Sugarloaf I and II campsites and trailhead.
MILEAGE
The Hale Brook Trail is 2.2 miles to the summit, so 4.4 roundtrip. If Zealand Road is closed, you’re adding on another 2.5 miles each way.
ELEVATION
4,054’
TERRAIN
Lots of rocks to step over, moderate incline
THE VIEWS
None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Unless you go to the viewpoint, but the summit does not have a view- just a pile of rocks!
Trail map via 4000footers.com
