| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Bondcliff, Mt. Bond, West Bond, Mt. Guyot, Zealand Mountain, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Zealand Trail, Zealand Road |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, January 28, 2021 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We were the only cars at Zealand and Lincoln Woods at the drop, start, and finish. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All four crossings below Bondcliff were doable, most bridged. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
|
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
|
|
 | Bugs: |
|
|
 | Lost and Found: |
A member of our group lost their yellow/silver seat cushion on Bondcliff. If found, please send an e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Full winter traverse for us, before the winds picked up and temps dropped.
Lincoln Woods was bare bootable, which we used our micro spikes for the first four miles of trail. Not far after Franconia Falls bridge we switched to snowshoes. There was a large group out ahead the day prior so they made quick work for us heading up to the first summit. Arriving at Bondcliff it was bluebird skies with an under cast showing the Franconia range off, and putting Bond in and out of the clouds. Loose gorgeous powder on the summit, wind was light at this point. We swapped back to spikes for a short while before putting our snowshoes back on around the col between the cliff and Mt. Bond. The col had a strong wind, blowing snow and sometimes a good gust with a white out. The trail heading up to the trees was drifted heavily in some places, making the breaking hard work. Arriving on the summit of Mt. Bond we were again greeted with blue skies filtered with a few more clouds and reduced winds. We knew this was short lived as we descended heading to West. At this point whatever previously broken trail had been oddly done, making it tricky in some places. Dropped our packs and headed out the West Bond Spur trail, which was in great shape. Windy, cloudy, snowy summit. Tag and bag. Off we went back down the trail to get our things and continue on. By the time we reached the Guyot bumps, the wind was picking up, blowing snow from the northeast. We used the cairns and memory cautiously to navigate the trail, beelining up the first bump before the Twinway junction. The second bump (true summit of Guyot) there was extra caution getting into the trees as the whiteout gusts were becoming more frequent. Heading into the trees and down to the col between the two peaks was a nice break. The snow seemed drier over here. We continue to break up the the summit of Zealand, finally meeting a wonderfully tracked out trail from the final group of four who finished the traverse the day before. The remainder of the Twinway, Zealand Trail and Road had seen good snowshoe traffic within the past 24 hours, and came with snow and dropping temps. Snowmobile tracks on Zealand Road were helpful to get good footing in snowshoes, we declined to switch to micro spikes, as it made it more difficult.
We never saw any other groups out. The hut is boarded up. |
|
 | Name: |
bria, danielle, suzanne |
|
 | E-Mail: |
breahmaria@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-31 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
