| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Bondcliff, Mt. Bond, West Bond, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, November 29, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Arrived at Lincoln Woods just past 6:30am. Plenty of room. This is a USFS fee area so you’re asked to pay $5. You can pay online before or after as well. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All crossings were your typical rock hop except where the bridge is closed 1.8mi into Lincoln Woods Trail where you’re either doing a shallow wade, using some logs to cross, or using the bridge (which you’re asked not to). More on that below. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Of the three trails I was on I believe the only one that was actually blazed was Bondcliff Trail. The blazed were old and light blue. Don’t expect trails here to be well blazed or maintained since they’re within a wilderness area. That said, they’re all well travelled trails and relatively easy to follow. A turn or two on Bondcliff Trail that could be a bit awkward or obscure. There were some old stepover blowdowns along the first 1.8mi (the flat section that just feels like a continuation of Lincoln Woods Trail) of Bondcliff Trail and maybe toward the end of Lincoln Woods Trail as well but these were no big deal. I think there were at least a few blowdowns on the Bondcliff Trail between the turn off the grade (flat section) and the summit of Bondcliff. I remember swinging my legs over one and I also recall begrudgingly choosing to crawl under one rather than try to clamber over it...or maybe that was from Saturday’s hike. They get all muddled in my brain after 48 hours 🤪 Note that a small bridge is closed 1.8mi into the Lincoln Woods Trail. You’re asked to walk through the stream rather than use it. If heading up, on the right (downstream) of the bridge there are a couple of small tree parts lates across to help y point get across with dry feet. They aren’t terribly secure though. It may be rock hopable when water is low. The water isn’t terribly deep though so it would be a easy wade with gaiters unless water was real high I’d think. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Only saw one with their owner. Unleashed and well behaved. A long hike for a dog but I’m sure that many fit hiking dogs can handle it. I’d be a little worried as to how a larger dog would get up the scramble on the approach to tree line on Bondcliff Trail though. The ice may be an issue as well although it was mostly under snow. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Noted some trash unfortunately. A couple pieces along Lincoln Woods Trail and some little neon orange disk looking things every so often along Bondcliff Trail. Didn’t pick them up but was curious as to what they were!? |
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 | Comments: |
This hike completed my November grid. 40 peaks in 30 days 10 of which were spent hiking these 40 peaks. I’m tired. Had originally wanted to do the Bonds yesterday as an out-and-back on my Hale-Zealand-Twins Loop but didn’t feel like hiking for so long in the dark. Although it would’ve been lovely to have a rest day, I was happy to be out yesterday as the weather was much, much better than the previous two.
Some undercast and a few clouds early in the day as I arrived but soon the skies were almost entirely blue. Beautiful day and the wind forecast seemed much milder than predicted. The temps were pretty cozy too :) Probably around freezing on the summits and there was some active melting later in the day and the trees rained down on us some although it wasn’t terribly bad. I didn’t put my microspikes on until 3800ft or so maybe but I’d recommend putting them on sooner maybe around 3500ft as there was ice underneath the snow that I was slipping on some as I was trying to ascend. Ideally, you’d take them off once above tree line though and not put them back on until you’re firmly below tree line again on the ascent up to Bond where the ice really begins to appear again. You’ll dull your microspikes a lot around Bondcliff and there’s minimal ice and snow there. They’d be helpful as you ascend part of Bond and head over to West Bond. All that said, some of the ice and snow had melted on the Bondcliff Trail headed up toward Bond by the time I was descending it later in the day.
The trail dried some throughout the day but all in all things are still pretty wet. Started at 6:45am and ended at 4:30pm both in the mid 30s. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-11-30 |
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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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