4,054 ft | Twin | 1 route
As of October 17, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Hale are currently rated Difficult. At 3:20 AM ET it was 27°F at the summit (4,054 ft), feeling like 13°F, with NW winds at 22 mph. The listed route, Mount Hale via Hale Brook, is 4.3 miles round trip with 2,222 ft of elevation gain, taking about 2-4 hours. Mount Hale (4,054 ft) is #38 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Hale weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Hale Brook Trail (2.0 mi) · Fire Warden's Trail (2.1 mi) · Lend-a-Hand Trail (2.4 mi)
Feels like 13°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.06" (24h) · 0.70" (48h)
Snow: 0.4" (24h) · 0.4" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
Saturday brings below-freezing temperatures across the whole route, fresh snow over wet and icy trail, and strong NW winds with gusts near 40 mph and wind chills well below zero on the upper mountain. Visibility will be poor in fog and upslope snow showers, and the regional pattern shows hurricane-force winds on the Presidentials, so conservative planning is essential. Sunday looks calmer and clearer, making it the far better option for a hike.
Temperatures drop roughly 2°F per 1,000 ft, from the upper 20s-30s at the trailhead to the teens-low 30s near the summit, with the freezing level well below the trailhead area, so expect ice the entire way. Start with a layered system you can adjust, and add insulation and windproofing before leaving the trees, since winds increase noticeably with elevation.
Best Hiking Window
Sunday offers much better conditions with clearing skies, lighter winds, and temperatures rising above freezing, though trails will still be icy in the morning; start after sunrise and plan to be off the summit before the afternoon. If hiking Saturday, the late morning to early afternoon window offers the most daylight, but expect cold, foggy, windy conditions.
Last synthesized Oct 17, 3:20 AM ET
Planning a hike here this week?
Trailblazer adds the full 7-day summit forecast, the best day to go for every peak, and conditions for each route up.
Trail: Guyot Shelter Spur, Bondcliff Trail, Twinway, North Twin Spur, North Twin Trail, Fire Wardens Trail, Hale Brook Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“We got sunrise from the shelter and what a sunrise it was!!! We made good time to the twins and wow was north twin trail getting more and more eroded! My soul died up the fire wardens trail but wow was it beautiful! Hale brook up towards the top Is still getting worse!”
Trail: Zealand Road, Hale Brook Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Zealand Trail
Conditions: Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“This was a counter-clockwise loop up Hale Brook Trail, down Lend-a-Hand Trail to the hut, and out on Zealand Trail. I did the road walk at the beginning of the hike, but you could just as easily do that at the end. I measured 8.6 miles and only 2300 feet of elevation gain. It was a drizzly start and low clouds hung around longer than expected. Even so, Lend-a-Hand Trail was gorgeous. There were plenty of fall colors in the boggy sections and in the woods approaching Zealand Falls Hut. I would say the area around the hut is at peak foliage right now. And Zealand Trail is always a pleasant walk.”
Trail: Hale Brook Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail
“Perfectly blue skies and a nice breeze on Hale. Trail is a little wet, but overall in great shape.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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19°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 19°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
59 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 59 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
-2°F
Wind chill
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth.
One of the easier 4000-footers with a gentle grade. Often done as a short day hike.
Elevation
4,054 ft
Range
Twin
Rank
#38 of 48
Difficulty
Easy
Coordinates
44.2217, -71.5120
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
1 incident on file · 1 fatal · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
a male hiker
On August 12, 2026, a male hiker collapsed and was found unresponsive on the Mt. Hale Brook Trail in Bethlehem, approximately 1 mile from the trailhead. Lifesaving efforts were attempted by bystanders on scene. Rescuers from Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team and Conservation Officers carried the hiker out, arriving at the trailhead at approximately 10:30 p.m.; the hiker did not survive.