Summary

Mount Hale is an interesting mountain near Crawford Notch. Though it offers comparatively few views, it passes through interesting forest and crosses a fast flowing steep stream. The summit is bare and shows the signs of what used to be a fire tower on the summit.

The entire area was denuded by fire about a hundred years ago and has since grown back. The summit, as a consequence, only allows views from the cairn in the middle of the summit clearing.

The summit of Mount Hale has an interesting and unusual geology, with a variety of non-granitic rocks, probably breccias cast from the ancient volcanic calderas that once populated the area.

The trail starts shallow, steepens, and then enters a series of switchbacks to reduce the slope. Nevertheless it is still steep and strenuous.

After a series of switchbacks and stone stairs, there is a final run through a stand of low distorted pines to the summit.

On the summit, the view is restricted by the pines, but a cairn on the summit can be stood on for a view. The rocks of the cairn show the unusual geology of this summit - not being the commonly found grey granite, but a complex of bluish stones in a greenish matrix.

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White Mountains, NH

All Day

Four To Eight Miles

Moderate

By Name

Geology

Straight Out, Straight Back

White Mountains, NH - July 2002

Summits