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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Bondcliff, Mt. Bond, West Bond, NH
Trails
Trails: Lincoln Woods Trail, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, December 10, 2022
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at Lincoln Woods off NH 112. This large paved lot is plowed in winter. Fee lot ($5/day) or WMNF pass. Automated fee collection machine in lot. I did not check out the bathrooms today so I’m not sure if the solar water pump malfunction got fixed. Normally the bathrooms are open and heated. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Ice slathered rocks were the most problematic. Still able to cross using creativity and slightly submerged rocks that were ice free. Some rocks were dry as well. Elevated water levels, nothing treacherous. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: One new pine across trail in upper portions of Bondcliff. Able to scoot under for now. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Good trails for dogs. Ice may make things interesting for them. The Hillary Step on Bondcliff may require lifting them up/down. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Colorful Buff. Left on tree on Bondcliff. 
 
Comments
Comments: Route:
Out & back 22 mile route using Lincoln Woods > Bondcliff > West Bond Spur.

Lincoln Woods: flat, fast, popular woods trail. Scant sections of ice this morning. No snow. Ground frozen hardening the typical muddy areas.

Bondcliff: not blazed save the old reroute that is well established. Footbed easy to follow. Some mud and running water on trail in lower elevations in the afternoon. Thick blue ice covering a section of trail just above the big rock staircase. Avoidable using exposed rocks. Up to this point the trail is snow free as well. Ice on trail began in earnest at 3400 feet, at which point I donned spikes. Snow also started in the woods at this point.

Of note, the Hillary Step is ice free.

Spikes came off after the summit of Bondcliff where the trail was mostly dry rock with small avoidable patches of ice. Spikes back on once re-entering the scrub climbing towards Mt Bond. From the summit of Mt Bond to West Bond the trail is nicely packed snow with intermittent ice sections. Man, it was such a pleasure to fly across the packed snow. I mean FLY. It only took an hour (including all stops) to travel from West Bond back to Bondcliff. So much easier than dealing with the rocks and roots. There is some snow in the woods between Mt Bond and West Bond as well, maybe 3-4 inches next to the trail. I wouldn’t have put on my snowshoes (even if I’d brought them), the trail was too packed down and slick. I wore my rock spikes and did fine. Also broke them on a rock, again. I brought full crampons just in case.

West Bond Spur: completely covered in snow/ice. Footbed compacted snow with intermittent ice and simple to follow. Very fast moving along this trail in spikes. The summit ledges took a moment to negotiate with the ice hanging over the larger rocks. The summit itself is ice and snow free and is marked by a large carin.

Super fun to have made a trail friend with fellow gridder, Jim. Thanks for the pleasant company!!  
Name
Name: Remington34 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2022-12-10 
Link
Link: https:// 
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