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Zealand, Guyot, and the Bonds...A Dayhike 8/22/04

N

NH_Mtn_Hiker

Guest
Date(s) Hiked:
Sunday, August 22, 2004

Trails(s) Hiked:
Zealand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur

Total Distance:
20 miles, Elev. gain 5050', Total Time 12.5 hours

Difficulty:
Easy to Moderate at any one point, The distance made it difficult

Conditions:
Sunny, 70 deg. on the Bonds, 50 deg afterdark

Special Required Equipment:
> 2 liters water, food, poles helpful when the legs get tired, headlamps

Trip Report:
Diane and I started up the very easy Zealand Trail at 7:45am. At 2.5 miles we picked up the Twinway and continued towards Mt. Zealand stopping briefly at Zealand Hut. This section of the Twinway has mixed steep and level sections making it a pleasant climb. At 5.6 miles we reached the Mt. Zealand spur trail. It was on this trail that we bumped into Frodo. At 5.7 miles we reached the summit of Mt. Zealand. WOW, what a view...Not. We quickly returned to the Twinway and continued towards Mt. Guyot.

At 7.1 miles we reached the Boncliff Trail and after chatting with a woman hiking the Bonds solo, we took some pictures and contined. We had lunch on Mt. Guyot, took more pictures and pushed on. At 8.4 miles we reached the summit of West Bond. Daylight was a wasting so we headed back down the spur trail to the Bondcliff Trail and continued South.

The Boncliff Trail, like other Alpine trails is very rocky and hard on the feet after a while. However, Mt. Guyot, West Bond, Mt. Bond, and Bondcliff as well as much of the Bondcliff Trail are all above treeline and offer spectacular views of the Pemi. Wilderness area. Views that would be hard to beat on a clear sunny day like this even from the Franconia Ridge or the Presidentials.

At 9.4 miles we reached Mt. Bond and continued towards Boncliff, our 4th 4000 footer of the day, which we reached at 10.6 miles. By this time it was mid afternoon and after taking a few more pictures we began the long hike back. We made a few rest stops along our return including one at the Zeacliff outlook and reached the Zealand Hut at 7:00. We stopped here briefly and in quickly fading light reurned to the parking area just after dark at 8:15 after a 20 mile, sunny (until dark), view filled, hike.

Note: The picture on the cover of the AMC WMG 27th ed. is from Bondcliff, looking Northwest with West Bond in the background.
 

MichaelJ

Moderator
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Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
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Location
The Watch City
Website
www.saletnik.org
The Zeacliff lookout is one of my most favorite spots in all of the Whites.


Sounds like a great hike, and quite the workout. I hope you treated yourself afterward!
:)
 

Frodo

New member
Joined
Sep 19, 2001
Messages
26
Points
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Location
Wilmington, Mass
Hey NH,

We have to stop meeting like that... Was that the 3rd time we have ran into each other on the trails???? I was over 1/2 way thru my Twins/Guyot/Zealand/Hale loop (went down Hale via the old abandoned Fire Warden's Trail) when we crossed paths on Zealand. Not quite as scenic as your hike, but still nice...

Anyway, great report! Climbing the Bonds in weather like that is as good as it gets...
 
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