On a gloomy morning after a one to two inch snowfall, I headed north of the Notch seeking a bit colder temperature for a snowshoe hike, hoping the new snow would be less likely to clump under my 'shoes. The low clouds dissuaded me from a couple of bushwhack options. I hadn't been up the Firewarden's Trail to Mount Hale in a few years. On that hike the forest is the feature, since there are no views at the summit of Hale and only a couple of glimpses on the way up. I parked at the Seven Dwarves Motel on Little River Road and left the $10 parking donation in a ziploc on the windshield. I walked 0.3 mile up the road, turned right across the two bridges (the owner requests that hikers remove traction when crossing the bridges) and soon turned left on the wide trail that leads 0.4 mile to Haystack Rd. (FR 304).
A 0.7 mile slog on Haystack Rd., a groomed snowmobile trail, delivered me to the North Twin Trail trailhead.
It's always pleasant along the railroad grade section of the North Twin Trail.
Trailside ice flows.
Open spot along the bank of the Little River.
I branched off on the heavily-used bypass that stays on the east side of the river, and soon crossed the tributary that flows down off the NW flank of Mount Hale. No good snow bridge here. Just beyond is a sketchy sidehill spot on the unofficial bypass.
The turn up onto the Firewarden's Trail.
The trail makes a short, steep climb and quickly emerges in a fine hardwood forest. It was once a tractor road that served the fire tower atop Mount Hale,
which was built in 1928. At that time it was known as the Mount Hale Trail and was described in
the AMC White Mountain Guide. The firetower went out of service in 1948, and the trail was abandoned by the early 1960s. In the 1990s it was "rediscovered" by backcountry skiers, who came to carve turns in the beautiful open birch glades that grew up after a large 1903 forest fire. In subsequent years it became known to hikers, and though it is not officially sanctioned or maintained by the WMNF, it receives considerable use year-round.
Its open forest and moderate, switchbacking grades make this a sweet route for snowshoeing. I had the pleasure of "breaking" a couple inches of powder atop a rock-solid base.
There were some frozen postholes scattered along the route, but they were easily avoidable with snowshoes. These must have hurt!
This trail is basically one long inviting snowy corridor.
There are few places more beautiful than a birch glade in winter.
Plenty of snow here, even in a low snow winter.
Up another switchback.
Higher up, fine open fir forest on the slope above the trail.
This corridor leads to the ridgecrest.
Old balsams up on the ridge.
Frosted.
This way.
Drifts just below the summit.
Monochrome summit clearing. As I mentioned to a hiker who came up with her pooch after me - the only person I saw all day - Hale was, forty years ago, an excellent viewpoint, peering east to the Presidentials and south to Zealand and Carrigain Notches. But those trees kept growing, and there is zero view here now. It would be a good candidate for an observation tower a la Carrigain.
Summit sentinels.
On the way back down I paused at this opening a bit below the NW knob of the summit, with a view of the Presidentials beyond the Rosebrook Range. By the time I got down to the car the Presys had cleared.
Another spot provided a glimpse of the cliffs on the northern spur of Hale, with Cherry Mountain beyond.
Skies cleared farther down, providing some beautiful frosty scenery.
A peek at Peak Above the Nubble.
Deep blue.
From the Seven Dwarves parking lot, a good view of the Checkmark Slide on Peak Above the Nubble.
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