Despite having dual foot injuries and a spicy tendon to boot, I still consider myself a «peak bagger»(it’s the dream!). This means that I’ve made it my mission to conquer all of NH’s 484000-footers which, of course, includes the 40054′ Mount Hale! *Accessed off of Zealand Rd(a little bit of a bumpy ride, but I’ve seen worse), trail head parking = 3 $ *The peak can be accessed by Hale Book Trail or Lend a Hand Trail(meaning you’re coming off of Zealand). With only one morning for hiking, we chose the fast/easy trail: Hale Brook. Hale Brook is 4.4mi roundtrip, with a total of 4 brook-crossings(really easy — maybe a little slippery); it’s an easy/moderate hike which only gets a little steep and rocky towards the summit(about the last .5mi). Switchbacks make it easy and the trail is clearly marked — a pleasant hike! *The summit is what earns the 3 stars: NOTHING! A little clearing and a rock pile where the old fire tower used to be(until a fire wiped out a stretch of the hillside in the 1800s). The rocks are kind of interesting: hold up a compass and it’ll go haywire from the magnetic charge! The only view you’re going to get is from the tippy top of the rock heap, and even then you just see the tippy top of other peaks(werr werr werrrrrrr). We brought a picnic and were hounded by massive deer flies the entire time — blech An easy peak to bag, but without much reward(other than ticking one more mountain off of your list).
