| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Hale, Zealand Mountain, Mt. Guyot, West Bond, Mt. Bond, Bondcliff, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Herd path, North Twin Trail, Fire Wardens Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur, Lincoln Woods Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, April 28, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
2 out of the 4 on Bondcliff were snow bridged the other two were rock hoppable but did get the boots wet (they were already soaked through at that point anyway). Crossing right at junction of Twinway and Lend A Hand was fast moving but shallow stepped through but got a little wet. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Bonds are definitely an adventure in April. 24 miles and saw only 1 other hiker! Nice to have the Bonds to ourselves, #7 for our grids. Snowshoes almost the entire day. Parked at the end of Little River rd, lots of no trespassing signs put up since last time I was here. Parked just after the bridge entrance and before the no parking signs. Barebooted the herd path to Haystack rd, lots of water and mud in trail and patches of wet snow/ice. Put spikes on at North Twin trailhead as there was more snow and ice and less bare ground. Continued in spikes for first part of Fire Warden's Trail and then snow got deeper and soft so switched to snow shoes. Lots of water and small streams under the snow, sank through the snow into water many many times today. Rough slog up to Hale, sinking into the snow even in snowshoes. A moose had followed the trail for a tenth of a mile or so left a trail of destruction. Saw some bear tracks too. Snow was more solid from Hale to the hut and made for easy going. Hut to Zealand and on to Bondcliff trail was ok...mostly solid but wet snow with some patches where we would sink. No tracks once we hit Bondcliff trail just unbroken slushy mashed potato snow. Yuck. Beginning of Bondcliff trail that is exposed we barebooted until back in the trees then back to snowshoes. West Bond Spur is a mess...lots of blowdowns and with the woods being more open we lost the trail quickly. I plunged waist deep in a bunch of spruce traps. We found our way to the summit but it wasn't pretty. Following our tracks will get you to West Bond but definitely not the most efficient way! Once partway down Bond to Bondcliff there is lots of bare rock and back to bareboots until over the summit. Then snowshoes all the way down to the Pemi. The stretch of the Bondcliff trail coming down from the summit of Bondcliff is super sketchy...its postholed to hell and on a sharp slant and very unstable. Last 5 miles in spikes although bareboots may have worked. Some bare ground, some wet snow with a stable monorail in the middle,some ice, lots of water and mud. Be prepared for anything! |
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 | Name: |
John and Mel |
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 | E-Mail: |
jwilson@worcester.edu |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-04-29 |
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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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