Go south south east past the trail up tot he hut and head into the beggining of zealand notch. Look down on right in section of woods with very open understory: legal site with huge flat for 4 tents and water access down the hill and coming down the hilside. Thats on the beggining of the ethan pond trail. Need to be careful with food though, even mid winter; at least 2 bears make rounds to the hut occasionally and one semi regularly and one of them is not afraid of people.Lend a hand is beautiful but can be long and monotonous and tiring. has no water except stagnant in summer. Hale brook is easy, but the switchbacks are a little annoying and this winter, the water may not be running till down much lower, but you may be able to get aggressive with a pointed rock and find a trickle under ice to drop a filter hose in. Hale is a great winter peak, but its grown in up top over the years and is good in late season when snowbase is high. as with all the peaks from cannon over across to Tom, that area is alwats colder than the middle and south areas, is exposed to the northwest canadian wind and has less daytime sun warmth, unless your on lend a hand where the average height, average breeze and tree cover will negate largely. Zeacliff is always worth a stop in and a good alternative till later when snowpack on hale is higher. no shortage of sites on Zealand Trail, especially with snowpack.
