Mount Hale and Mount Zealand

Mount Hale and Mount Zealand Hike

Distance: 14.4 milesElevation Change: 4121 feetType: Loop with a long spur (Hale Brook Trail-Lend-Hand Trail-Twinway Trail-Zealand Trail-Zealand Road)Summits: Mount Hale (4049 feet) and Mount Zealand (4265 feet)

Recently I decided to hunt all the 4000 footers in New England. If I complete the list I am eligible to buy 4000 footer patches. Actually anybody can buy the patch without showing any proof of completion. It is just how honest to yourself. I want to get a patch as a reward and for my proud. Also it is fun hunting something. 

I love patches, especially for hiking memories. So far I have a patch for John Muir Trail and Tour du Mont Blanc. Why not adding another one? 

New England 4000 footers patches are famous and a lot of people are hiking to complete the list. We even heard that somebody was talking with other hikers at one of the summit of 4000 footers saying even dogs can get a patch. In fact a lot of dogs are hiking for 4000 footers (obviously taken by owners who are doing the list). 

This day we checked off two 4000 footers: Mount Hale and Mount Zealand.
First we started from Hale Brook trail. It was only 2.2 miles to Mount Hale. Although there was no view, we saw 2 cute doggies. The owner said that it was one of the dog's first 4000 footer! Good girl :) The other dog it was the third one. Hardcore dogs.  

Then we continued hiking via Lend-a-Hand trail, which is an interesting name. Now 1500 feet down, then connected with Twinway trail. Again 1500 feet up and reached to the Zealand top. On the way we stopped at the Zealand cliff viewpoint. This was a very good view, and glad we stopped there, because there was no view at the summit.

The rain clouds were approaching. That made the scenery dramatic. 

Zealand Falls

While we were eating lunch at the summit, it started raining. We quickly put rain jackets on and started descending. The worst timing to get rain: the half way point and 5 miles to go. I was hoping that it was a shower not the rain. Luckily after a mile of hike the rain stopped! Clouds went away and blue sky came. This made the Zealand waterfall prettier, since the waterflow drastically increased. We sat down on the rock in front of falls and ate peaches and dried our rain jackets. 

After that it was only downhill via Zealand trail. Although 2 summits had no view, still falls and Zealand cliff was great spots to stop. Finally we concluded the day with sushi from our favorite Japanese supermarket.