1SlowHiker
New member
Date of hike 2-25-15
Trails: Zealand Rd, Hale Brook
Parking: Open, well plowed lot just south of Zealand Rd opposite side of 302. Cross 302 at lot and follow snowmobile path N. to Zealand Rd
Zealand Rd: Ski packed but soft in spots. recommend snow shoes (or skis of course)
Hale Brook Trail: Well defined packed trail with 1-3' new/blown light snow on 80% of trail. 20% of trail had 6-18" of light blown snow - mostly after the switchbacks. Several Sections were completely hidden under drifts but easy to find by probing. Zero post holes. Good yellow blazes throughout. Low side of cross mountain trails on switchbacks are very soft -hug the uphill side. One small step-over (2" trunk). One huge 3' trunk crawl-under with barley enough room under with a pack and no way around. Cairn on Hale still has ~ 2-3' showing above the packed snow with good views from its top.
Special Equipment Required: Snowshoes (or skis on Zealand Rd). I pulled a pulk with my pack on it up Zealand rd. Poles useful for probing for packed trail and spruce traps on blown over sections.
Comments:
I 2d what summitseeker had said about the weather -wish I had tried for a more open peak on my list. No other souls on trail - just a father and son skiing to Zealand hut on Z rd late in the day. I was going to hike up from little river but couldn't find a well defined trail from the end of LR rd. (it was dark so maybe I just missed it). Z road splits at the beginning after the bridge. I wasn't sure which way was the road but correctly chose the right - but it didn't really matter the left road (snowmobile road ) rejoins Z rd after the campgrounds. Stay left on the 2d split just after sugarloaf TH.
Lost: 1/2 of a pair of microspikes. Either at the lot or near the beginning of zealand rd . Stupidly, on the way back I took the snowmobile trail that by passes the campground section of Z rd. so it may have been on that section of Z. rd
Trails: Zealand Rd, Hale Brook
Parking: Open, well plowed lot just south of Zealand Rd opposite side of 302. Cross 302 at lot and follow snowmobile path N. to Zealand Rd
Zealand Rd: Ski packed but soft in spots. recommend snow shoes (or skis of course)
Hale Brook Trail: Well defined packed trail with 1-3' new/blown light snow on 80% of trail. 20% of trail had 6-18" of light blown snow - mostly after the switchbacks. Several Sections were completely hidden under drifts but easy to find by probing. Zero post holes. Good yellow blazes throughout. Low side of cross mountain trails on switchbacks are very soft -hug the uphill side. One small step-over (2" trunk). One huge 3' trunk crawl-under with barley enough room under with a pack and no way around. Cairn on Hale still has ~ 2-3' showing above the packed snow with good views from its top.
Special Equipment Required: Snowshoes (or skis on Zealand Rd). I pulled a pulk with my pack on it up Zealand rd. Poles useful for probing for packed trail and spruce traps on blown over sections.
Comments:
I 2d what summitseeker had said about the weather -wish I had tried for a more open peak on my list. No other souls on trail - just a father and son skiing to Zealand hut on Z rd late in the day. I was going to hike up from little river but couldn't find a well defined trail from the end of LR rd. (it was dark so maybe I just missed it). Z road splits at the beginning after the bridge. I wasn't sure which way was the road but correctly chose the right - but it didn't really matter the left road (snowmobile road ) rejoins Z rd after the campgrounds. Stay left on the 2d split just after sugarloaf TH.
Lost: 1/2 of a pair of microspikes. Either at the lot or near the beginning of zealand rd . Stupidly, on the way back I took the snowmobile trail that by passes the campground section of Z rd. so it may have been on that section of Z. rd
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