Cris Thomas - Hale + Zealand

Trail: Hale + Zealand via Hale Brk, Land-A-Hand, Twinway, Zealand Tr.

Date Hiked: 6/25/06

Conditions: A little mud on all of the trails from the recent rains. Nothing very bad though. Nice bright yellow blazes on Hale Brook Trail. Bog Bridges on Lend-A-Hand are just about completely rotted out. Passed two big piles of fresh lumber so I suspect they will be fixed shortly. Ladder on twinway in good shape. Zealand Trail was wide and flat.

Special Required Equipment: Bring Deet for the top of Hale. Should be renamed Mosquito Mountain. Bugs were around below the summit but not as bad.

Comments: Gorgeous weather in the morning and early afternoon. Low temps moderate humidity, big puffy clouds. Rain sprinkles followed me back to the hut from Zealand summit and then more sun. A lot of people out today, about a dozen at the hut and another (very loud) dozen on the cliffs. 25 or 30 more when I got back to the hut in the afternoon. Very few people on the actual trails though. Zeacliff pond was absolutely gorgeous. (20 + 21)