Photo of the start of the Firewarden's trail to Mt Hale

Did a hike yesterday on the Firewarden's trail to Mt. Hale. We didn't end up summiting due to a late start but I figured I would post a picture of the start of the Firewardens's trail. The skinny tree in the middle of the trail seems to be the best visual marker. The trail turns to the left on the east side of the Little River between the first and second crossings on the North Twin trail.

And it goes back wards up the hill...

Also, JustJoe told me that the coordinates are N44 13.550, W71 32.285

Also, there is an arrow carved on one of the trees...

Is there a reason why this trail was abandoned? Is it possibly because AMC wants to direct Hale traffic to the other side of the mountain, near the Z hut?

Driver8 said:

Is there a reason why this trail was abandoned?

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The Tuttle Brook Trail (which led from Twin Mtn to a midpoint on the Firewarden Tr) was also abandoned. I was in a party that followed it in the late 1970s. (It was abandoned well before we did it.)

I have no idea why either was abandoned. (As well as the Baby Twins Trail which led from the Tuttle Brook Tr to the trail between the Sugarloaves.)

Parts of the TBT and the the BTT are shown on the 24K Twin Mountain NH (1995) topo quad. The remaining part of the TBT and the FWT would be on the 24K South Twin Mountain NH (1995) topo quad, but they appear to have been removed.

Doug

BobC said:

Also, JustJoe told me that the coordinates are N44 13.550, W71 32.285

Click to expand...

Datum? (most likely NAD27 or WGS84)

Doug

The BTT is still easy to follow and used by locals.

Tom Rankin said:

And it goes back wards up the hill...

Click to expand...

In a little less snow, just before the turn:



Looking straight at the new trail at the turn:



You can see the critical trees involved in both sets of photos. Or GPS.

Is the flood balanced rock still there ?

It was not there when I checked last year

Figure 55.2 of Forest and Crag has the map of the trail system that used to exist in the Rosebrooks and surrounding, including our Firewarden's trail.

The USGS maps from 1931 are online and show the Firewardens Trail - http://docs.unh.edu/NH/frcn32ne.jpg

Hmm, wonder if you could whack from the FW trail down the ridge to Sugarloaf...