Hiked by: Tim and Valerie on June 2, 2007 - via Hale Brook Trail
Conditions: Started the hike around 9:15AM. Conditions were gray, hazy and muggy - probably 75 degrees. We were very lucky that it wasn't warmer. The weather forecast was calling for chance of rain and thunderstorms today - mainly afternoon - so we were looking for something that wouldn't take us many hours. A few mosquitoes and black flies annoyed Val on the way up, but she's easily annoyed once she gets sweaty. They weren't biting.
The trail was in pretty good condition, except for a few trees that came down over the winter. At the top, we stopped to eat and chase some little warblers around the summit. The summit used to have a fire tower. All the concrete and steel to attach it to the ground are still there. Although the summit is quite open, the trees around the edges have grown up enough that it's difficult to see the surrounding mountains. It didn't help that it was so hazy, even if they were there we would not have seen them. We each took a turn climbing up on the cairn so we could try to see above the trees.
We met up with a man named Ed on the way down. He's from Long Island and has climbed all the NH48 and the ADK46. We chatted with him all the way to the car. We were back at the car by 12:45PM.
Flowers shown below are hobblebush, painted trillium and clintonia.