1HappyHiker
Well-known member
Trail Conditions:
Zman & I parked at the 7 Dwarfs Motel and headed up to the North Twin trailhead via the short hike on the snowmobile trail, and then onto the trail through the woods that follows the old railway grade to the North Twin trailhead. We then took the North Twin Trail to the bootleg trail that runs along the east bank of the Little River. And from the bootleg trail, we took the Fire Warden Trail to the summit of Mt. Hale.
The trails leading to the North Twin trailhead were well broken out, as was the North Twin Trail and the bootleg trail along the east bank of the Little River. Regarding the Fire Warden Trail, it was broken out via a combination of backcountry skiers and folks on snowshoes. As might be expected, at the higher elevations the drifted snow had obliterated all traces of foot traffic. But as anyone knows who has travelled the Fire Warden Trail, the trail is very well defined and therefore easy to follow even without the benefit of tracks to follow.
There were some minor blowdowns along our route. We took care of many of them, but we also left some that were not presenting any real impediment to travel on the trail.
Other Trail Condition Notations:
Here are a few miscellaneous “side-notes” regarding trail conditions. From the summit of Mt. Hale there was no evidence of recent foot traffic on the Lend-A-Hand Trail, but plenty of evidence for the Hale Brook Trail.
Also, it might be of interest to know that beyond the point where we turned onto the Fire Warden Trail, there was a continuation of foot traffic on the bootleg trail along the east bank of the Little River. So, perhaps some hikers went on to the Twins?
Other Comments:
Some additional commentary and detail about this hike is located in the Trip Reports forum. (Click HERE)
Zman & I parked at the 7 Dwarfs Motel and headed up to the North Twin trailhead via the short hike on the snowmobile trail, and then onto the trail through the woods that follows the old railway grade to the North Twin trailhead. We then took the North Twin Trail to the bootleg trail that runs along the east bank of the Little River. And from the bootleg trail, we took the Fire Warden Trail to the summit of Mt. Hale.
The trails leading to the North Twin trailhead were well broken out, as was the North Twin Trail and the bootleg trail along the east bank of the Little River. Regarding the Fire Warden Trail, it was broken out via a combination of backcountry skiers and folks on snowshoes. As might be expected, at the higher elevations the drifted snow had obliterated all traces of foot traffic. But as anyone knows who has travelled the Fire Warden Trail, the trail is very well defined and therefore easy to follow even without the benefit of tracks to follow.
There were some minor blowdowns along our route. We took care of many of them, but we also left some that were not presenting any real impediment to travel on the trail.
Other Trail Condition Notations:
Here are a few miscellaneous “side-notes” regarding trail conditions. From the summit of Mt. Hale there was no evidence of recent foot traffic on the Lend-A-Hand Trail, but plenty of evidence for the Hale Brook Trail.
Also, it might be of interest to know that beyond the point where we turned onto the Fire Warden Trail, there was a continuation of foot traffic on the bootleg trail along the east bank of the Little River. So, perhaps some hikers went on to the Twins?
Other Comments:
Some additional commentary and detail about this hike is located in the Trip Reports forum. (Click HERE)
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