| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Zealand Notch, Thoreau Falls, Mt. Bond, Mt. Guyot, Zealand Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Zealand Trail, Ethan Pond Trail, Thoreau Falls Trail, bushwhack, Bondcliff Trail, Twinway |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 3, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Four open parking spots at Zealand Trailhead main lot at 5:30AM |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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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: |
The objective of this trip was twofold:
1. Bushwhack to a remote alpine meadow on the northeastern ridge of Mt. Bond;
2. If woods/conditions permitted, continue up to Bond’s summit.
Starting from the Zealand trailhead, I travelled about six miles on trails until I reached Jumping Brook; from here I ascended to Joe Boyle Pond and continued up the drainage, where I began the ascent of the Mt. Bond ridge. From 2200 to 3700 ft., the woods were a mix of semi-thick and scrappy, but overall pretty manageable. After a very dense section that required crawling, I reached the base of the meadow. I’ve wanted to visit this place forever, and it was incredible to finally see it. It is severely windswept and barren, with a mix of alpine vegetation, dwarf fir trees, and rock. I carefully stayed on top of the rocks to avoid damaging the plants, and there were times when I had to go back into the forest to continue up, as there wasn’t always a continuous path on the rock. There are no obvious signs of humans visiting here, as access is difficult from both above and below. An amazing place.
After an hour of taking photos and lounging, I made my way to the top of the meadow, where I started the final bushwhack to Mt. Bond’s summit. The woods started out very thick — I had to go back to crawling again — but they eventually transitioned to 'just plain thick'. It was slow going, and I got quite scratched up in the process. I enjoyed chatting with folks on the summit, and I took the Twinway back to the trailhead to cap off a most excellent day. |
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 | Name: |
timbercamp |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-07-03 |
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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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