Summits: Zealand (4,260'), Guyot (4,580'), West Bond (4,540'), Mount Bond (4,698'), Bondcliff (4,265')
Trail route: Zealand Road, Zealand Trail, Twinway, Zeacliff Spur, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur, Lincoln Woods Trail
Trail conditions: Variety, lots of snow, some wet and muddy sections, monorail both stable and unstable
Weather: Cool and cloudy, very windy and snowy at higher elevations
Total miles: 23.5
Total time: 12:30
The weather forecast was reporting a storm in the Maritimes spiraling wind and snow westward into New Hampshire. Although no significant snow was in the forecast there were strong winds predicted that could be a problem along our route in exposed areas above treeline. I would be joining Jill, Guy, Scott and Lisa for this epic hiking adventure.
I waited at the Zealand parking area along Route 302 for the group to arrive after dropping a car off at Lincoln Woods. It wasn't long before they pulled in and we were soon on our way. The decision was made to leave our snowshoes behind based on previous trail reports from other hikers that had recently done this traverse.
We started our hike at daybreak and the sky brightened quickly. It's a 3.5 mile road walk to the Zealand trailhead. The road was covered with snow and ice but we had no problem bare booting. When we arrived at the trailhead we all put on traction. The trail was frozen solid all the way to the hut with the exception of a few open water crossings that were easily crossed.
The Zealand Hut is usually open year round but now closed due to the COVID pandemic. We took a short break before continuing on the Twinway Trail. It's a steady uphill climb past the hut. When we reached the trail junction to Zeacliff it seemed as though previous hikers had all gone to the view since the short section of Twinway that continued on from here was not broke out. We followed the broke out trail and came back around to the Twinway and continued on to Zealand Mountain.
The wind had intensified and it was snowing, there was no relief from the wind even in the woods. It seemed to be coming from every direction. We thought maybe there would be a little shelter in the trees on the summit of Zealand but no such luck. A few photos and we were back on the Twinway Trail heading for Mount Guyot. The wind continued and the snow was coming at us sideways as we ventured above treeline and up to the exposed area of the trail.
It was somewhere along here that the tube from my water bladder froze. My small water bottle was also starting to freeze. I would soon have no water and that would be critical. My plan was to use hand warmers and the body warmer to thaw out the hose and bottle when we dropped our packs to hike out to West Bond.
We quickly moved down into the trees again as we approached West Bond. At the trail junction we dropped our packs and took the spur trail to the summit of West Bond. It would be a short visit as there was a steady strong wind blowing on the summit. We arrived back at the trail junction, picked up our packs and continued on to the summit of Mount Bond. My water was starting to thaw out.
The wind was blowing steady on top of Mount Bond. Guy was recording sustained 31 mph winds with higher gusts. It was difficult to stand up on this summit and we quickly descended into a subdued wind. This lull didn't last long and it picked up again as we climbed up to the summit of Bondcliff.
Bondcliff was our fifth and final summit of the day. The clouds were lifting on distant high summits. The wind was still blowing and it was time to head down below treeline. It would be all downhill from here although a long 9 miles to Lincoln Woods. The hand and body warmers had thawed out my water and I took a good long drink.
It was a variety of solid snow, soft sticky snow, ice, water crossings, mud, monorails and bare ground as we made our way down and out to Lincoln Woods. One of my favorite sights on this hike is the suspension bridge over the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River that leads to the Lincoln Woods parking lot marking the end of a long trek.
Conditions today were a little more extreme than expected but we were totally prepared. It's always good to test ourselves in adverse conditions, it adds to the hiking experience and hones the survival skills needed to persevere in such conditions. We had no problems battling these elements today.
All of us are veterans of this traverse having done it numerous times and in every season. It was an awesome day to be out in the Pemigewasset Wilderness checking off four more summits on the Grid pursuit!
Enjoy the photos and videos!
Starting at daybreak
The 3.5 mile road walk to the trailhead
Zealand River
The hike starts here at the Zealand Trail after putting on traction
Bridge crossing
Icy brook
Beaver Pond
Easy water crossing
Scott crossing a bridge
Making the turn onto Twinway toward Zealand Hut
View from Zealand Hut
Looking down Whitewall Brook
Looking up Whitewall Brook
Heading up Twinway
Water crossing
Lisa and Scott jumping across this water crossing
No signs of Spring on this brook
Jill makes the leap across this water crossing
Icy
Twinway trail not broke out along this section
Back on Twinway after taking the broke out trail to Zeacliff
Jill going up a steep section
Colored ice
Scott on the ladder
On the summit of Zealand
Strong winds and snow blowing sideways
Totally exposed to the wind and snow
Guy, Lisa and Scott make a brief stop at this cairn
Bondcliff
Mount Bond
On the windy summit of West Bond
Descending West Bond
Descending Mount Bond
Heading to Bondcliff
A look back at West Bond in the clouds
Guy and Jill heading up to the summit of Bondcliff
The photo perch on Bondcliff
Jill on the Bondcliff photo perch
Looking down from Bondcliff
Clouds lifting enough to see Franconia Ridge
Mount Garfield
Leaving the summit of Bondcliff for the 9.1 miles out to Lincoln Woods
Loon Mountain ski trails in the distance
Scott descending the Hillary Step
All downhill from here
Lisa carefully crossing the snow bridge over this water crossing
Guy crossing a rocky but mostly dry brook
Easy water crossing
Another easy water crossing
Monorail
Wet and muddy through this section
Only 4.5 more miles
A long straight walk out from here
One last water crossing
2.9 more miles from here
Crossing the Franconia Brook
Glad to see this bridge that marks the end of today's long hike
Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!
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