| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Guyot, Mt. Bond, Bondcliff, West Bond, Zealand Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Zealand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur, Zealand Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, July 22, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot and out house kept nice, as always. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Standing/Running Water on Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
EASY on the way in. Lots of rain Tuesday, but the water crossing near the hut wasn't as bad as I feared, just be careful. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The whole time we were on this trail there was NOT ONE BLOWDOWN! Except for a slender tree a minute or two beyond the AMC sign at the beginning. And anyone could walk under it. New bog boards are very nice, perhaps more could be added. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
This is so strange. In the woods approx 48 hrs and did not see one dog! If you decide to take yours, keep in mind their endurance level. |
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 | Bugs: |
None, until the end - just a few skeeters. Guess we started after their bedtime. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
1. My sanity, for attempting this. 2. Any ambition to ever do any sort of traverse! |
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 | Comments: |
This was our big finale, and Monday was predicted to be good. I had always heard about how wonderful the sunrise is on Guyot, so we started Sunday evening. I am very slow, we got to Zeacliff around midnight. There's nothing like that view under a full moon (and the only time we were there when it wasn't rainy or foggy). On the more open parts of the Twinway, I didn't even need my headlamp. The woods was another story. Made slow progress and prayed I'd get there in time, half the time asking myself where do I come up with these ideas. Day was breaking as I came out of the woods and the moon was still out. One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen in the mtns. The moon was large and a peachy coral color. Guyot is such a beautiful summit. We got to the campsite, set up, and took a nap before attempting anything else. Then the fog and mist came. Mt. Bond was nice, even if I couldn't see anything, the trails are well-maintained, not too difficult. Prema talked me into continuing to Bondcliff. We were there on a nice day 3 years ago, so I wasn't too disappointed in not seeing anything. The ridge is fascinating with the mists blowing through. On the way back to the campsite, we ascended West Bond, #48. No views there, either. Next morning, rain all the way back till right before the hut. We detoured to Zealand Mtn (with its lovely sign) and Zealand pond. An unusual finish, after that sunrise, everything else seemed anticlimactic. And there were no bugs until the last mile. |
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 | Name: |
Beckie and Prema |
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 | E-Mail: |
beckiejani@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-07-24 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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