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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Hale, Zealand Mountain, Mt. Guyot, Mt. Bond, Bondcliff, West Bond, South Twin Mountain, North Twin Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: North Twin Trail, Firewardens Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur, North Twin Spur
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, June 10, 2012
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at end of Haystack Road, got last spot at 7:15 Saturday morning (6-9). Several cars on other side of bridge when I got out Sunday. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Standing/Running Water on Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Bypassed lower 2 Little River Crossings, 3rd was sketchy but doable near the big tree in boots. Rest were all easily done with minimally wet boots at worst. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Couple blowdowns on North Twin Trail coming off North Twin. Otherwise, all officially maintained trails blowdown-free (couple on FWT though). Many cases of bog bridges crossing bone-dry trail only to end right before a mud pit. This was common on Lend-a-Hand and Twinway especially. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw several over the 2 days, all thoroughly enjoying themselves. Lots of little pools of water right now, though probably not great for the dogs to be drinking. Not much in the way of true water sources between Zealand Hut and Little River on this hike, aside form at Guyot Shelter. 
Bugs
Bugs: Non-issue Saturday except when I stopped on Zeacliff. As soon as I sat, the swarms arrived. Long pants plus some Deet applied to arms helped greatly. Otherwise, pretty good winds on the ridges kept them at bay. Sunday, hardly any wind, and they arrived whenever I stopped. Even swarmed a little coming down North Twin, but not enough to force me to get out the headnet/bugspray. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: A simply stunning weekend meant I did this backpack a few weeks earlier than originally planned. Which meant the workup schedule never happend, but when you get a forecast like this weekend had, you jump.



I looped from Haystack Road, climbing Hale via the abandoned FWT, then over Zealand and Guyot (not an official 4K for some reason...) to the Guyot Shelter. Set up camp and hiked Bond/Bondcliff in the late afternoon. I didn't have enough energy to do West Bond, so that had to wait until Sunday morning on the way out (I have seen sunset from the summit before at least). Pretty mild day out after a hard day 1. Didn't particularly like coming down the steep, loose rubble on the top half of the North Twin Trail, however. Definitely not very good footing until the grade moderates, but likely far better on the way up and not with a full pack.



Simply stunning views all weekend. I even saw some views off Hale for the first time in 3 trips. Not much of a view though, as known beforehand. Zeacliff, Guyot, the 3 Bonds, and the 2 Twins were simply stunning as always. What a terrific weekend out, and my first backpack in over 8 years!



Guyot site filled up by early evening. They really ought to look into adding a few more pads, the "overflow" site up by the spur trail sign is not even remotely legal.



The Guyot site now has 2 big bear boxes, new this year. No need to ratline now!  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2012-06-10 
Link
Link: https:// 
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