TDawg
Well-known member
So I've been talking up Bondcliff for years now, it's an amazing place. So when I saw the weather was going to be fantastic I decided on a overnight trip to at least Bondcliff. I began by mentioning it to my girlfriend and invited her roommate and her boyfriend. So I thought it was going to be a group of 4 all week. But my hidden agenda was to get to West Bond.
Word of these things spread around a college campus, and all of a sudden by Friday we had a group of 10, most of which were good friends of mine. And it was threatening to exceed the wilderness limit, so I said no more, 10 was our group. Everyone thought I was crazy when I said we could only have 10, but they would see...
We finally arrived at Lincoln Woods on Saturday after 1 sometime, geared up and we were off! Or were we? We were stopped by the ranger who started off by being kind of a dick. Asking if we had permits and what not. Since we didn't I asked how we would go about getting one. He didnt really answer but instead started counting heads, even after I told him we had 10. So I went inside to talk to him. My friend told him he worked for the state and the AMC and he said "It didn't matter a bit to him at all, HE WAS FEDERAL." HA!
So I filled out the "Temporary Outfitters Guide Permit," (see the Q&A board) and after I did that his mood lightened and he started telling us of all kinds of hardcore negative degree days he's hiked Mt. Washington (is that any really any fun), as if any of us really cared. And he was nice enough to take 2 or 3 group shots, each with a different camera, so he ended up not being half bad. I'm just glad they listened to me and we didn't pick up an eleventh person.
So then we were off down the straight, long, boring Wilderness Tr. to the lower part of the Bondcliff Trail where we would bushwhack around a bit for a good site to set up camp. We took our time and had a break at the Franconia Brook crossing. Finally we reached the Bondcliff Tr. and about a half hour later the area where I thought we'd find a good spot. After looking around a bit in a nice beech forest, just before the relo meets back up with the old trail at Black Brook, we found a nice flat spot to set up our 5 tents. After setting up I went and filled my 3 gallon water jug and we began cooking dinner.
Now due to the relatively flat and short miles we'd need to carry alot of weight, and our relative youth, nobody really cared much for watching their pack weight. So dinner was 2 LBS. of marinated steak, followed by some honey mustard chicken on white rice and brocolli,mmmm. My buddy even lugged in 12-8oz. ginger ales for the whiskey, red bulls for the Jager, and I'd say there was close to a 20 pack of beer between all of us. So needless to say the night was filled with laughs and smores cooking on our small fire.
The next day I was up before sunrise (or at least before the sun peaked above the ridges), and started a fire and began stocking it with kindling, took down the hanging food from the tree, cooked myself breakfast, all before anyone else stirred. After others were up I took the trip to Black Brook to fill the big jug again to put the fire out, and fill my camelbak bladder and Becky's nalgenes. We had brought daypacks for today and left our big packs at our site so we could travel light. We got a later start than I wanted, then again, no one else was planning on West Bond for the day.
The hike up to Bondcliff wasn't bad just as I was expecting, the trail never gets real steep except 2 spots I can think of. Stream crossings were a non-issue and after the 4th crossing the snow started, but it wasnt deep and everyone made it fine to the final scramble before you pop out above the trees, postholing wasn't a problem up to Bondcliff.
I was the only one who had previously been there, once with two friends just to Bondcliff, and once when I did a 27 mile half a Pemi loop day trip with my brother. So I knew what to expect, but the looks on everyone's faces was priceless, the views were absolutely incredible. I had never had a day like this on Bondcliff, not a cloud in the sky, warm, and sunny. We spent a good 45 minutes laying out on the rocks, we had the summit to ourselves the whole time, two guys were leaving as we got there. Everyone got their classic Bondcliff shot out on the edge, it was great. Nobody could believe the views, and I told them they are arguably better "up there" on Mt. Bond. So after lunch everyone felt good and we went for it.
Along the ridge all the snow is gone so we moved pretty well up the shoulder to the summit of Mt. Bond. Views back towards Bondcliff and over to West Bond were awesome. After popping back into the trees just before the Mt. Bond summit the snow started again, a little more than before Bondcliff, maybe 12-18 inches. We reached the summit an hour after leaving Bondcliff and views were even better here IMO. Jefferson, the Willey Range and S. Twin were added to the view as well as Zealand notch and the ledges on Whitewall Mtn. I didn't stay here long because #40, West Bond was my goal for the day. I recruited my buddy Brendan to come along to West Bond with me. The rest of the group layed out on Mt. Bond for a while, while we did our thing.
The snow in the next section was much deeper than any other section of the day. Especially near the col on the West Bond spur. We each postholed a good number of times and one spruce trap almost caught me where it counts on a stump. I was startled by a beautiful male Spruce Grouse after the col and he ended up being VERY photogenic. He let Brendan get right to the base of the tree he was sitting in, and he was still there on the way back out! We made the summit in great time and gave the rest of the group on Mt. Bond a wave as I watched them through my binoculors. #40/48 finally, after 3 times on Bondcliff, 2 on Mt. Bond, I finally had my first look from this splendid perch in the heart of the Pemi Wilderness. Views of the slides along the Twin Range were awesome as well as down to Redrock Pond. The view of Bondcliff from West Bond is unreal and we hung out on the rocky summit for 20 minutes or so before making the snowy, postholy trek back to Mt. Bond, then Bondcliff, then back to our waiting packs down below.
We reached Mt. Bond for a short breather/picture taking break, the rest of our group had departed by now so we kept moving quickly, reaching Bondcliff in good time. We kept moving well and finally caught up to the group on the section of the trail traversing the slope before the 4th crossing, where we stopped to filter water. To make a long story short, the rest of the crossings were still easy, we found our packs (still in one peice), walked out to the Wilderness Tr., and the Wilderness Tr. kicked my tired ass with a heavy pack on.
Reaching the cars I was relieved to say the least. The trip couldn't have gone better, the campsite was sweet, no injuries, everyone hiked strong, and I bagged #40 with my friend. I really don't know which Bond peak I like the best, they each have great things about them. I'll go back time and time again for sure. Next time I think it will be a 2 nighter at that spot to avoid a tired walk on the Wilderness/Lincoln Woods Tr., my nemesis. My reward for a job well done was a large steak and cheese from GH Pizza in Lincoln, Sopranos on HBO, and a loooong nights sleep.
All Pictures....HERE!! Enjoy!
Word of these things spread around a college campus, and all of a sudden by Friday we had a group of 10, most of which were good friends of mine. And it was threatening to exceed the wilderness limit, so I said no more, 10 was our group. Everyone thought I was crazy when I said we could only have 10, but they would see...
We finally arrived at Lincoln Woods on Saturday after 1 sometime, geared up and we were off! Or were we? We were stopped by the ranger who started off by being kind of a dick. Asking if we had permits and what not. Since we didn't I asked how we would go about getting one. He didnt really answer but instead started counting heads, even after I told him we had 10. So I went inside to talk to him. My friend told him he worked for the state and the AMC and he said "It didn't matter a bit to him at all, HE WAS FEDERAL." HA!
So I filled out the "Temporary Outfitters Guide Permit," (see the Q&A board) and after I did that his mood lightened and he started telling us of all kinds of hardcore negative degree days he's hiked Mt. Washington (is that any really any fun), as if any of us really cared. And he was nice enough to take 2 or 3 group shots, each with a different camera, so he ended up not being half bad. I'm just glad they listened to me and we didn't pick up an eleventh person.
So then we were off down the straight, long, boring Wilderness Tr. to the lower part of the Bondcliff Trail where we would bushwhack around a bit for a good site to set up camp. We took our time and had a break at the Franconia Brook crossing. Finally we reached the Bondcliff Tr. and about a half hour later the area where I thought we'd find a good spot. After looking around a bit in a nice beech forest, just before the relo meets back up with the old trail at Black Brook, we found a nice flat spot to set up our 5 tents. After setting up I went and filled my 3 gallon water jug and we began cooking dinner.
Now due to the relatively flat and short miles we'd need to carry alot of weight, and our relative youth, nobody really cared much for watching their pack weight. So dinner was 2 LBS. of marinated steak, followed by some honey mustard chicken on white rice and brocolli,mmmm. My buddy even lugged in 12-8oz. ginger ales for the whiskey, red bulls for the Jager, and I'd say there was close to a 20 pack of beer between all of us. So needless to say the night was filled with laughs and smores cooking on our small fire.
The next day I was up before sunrise (or at least before the sun peaked above the ridges), and started a fire and began stocking it with kindling, took down the hanging food from the tree, cooked myself breakfast, all before anyone else stirred. After others were up I took the trip to Black Brook to fill the big jug again to put the fire out, and fill my camelbak bladder and Becky's nalgenes. We had brought daypacks for today and left our big packs at our site so we could travel light. We got a later start than I wanted, then again, no one else was planning on West Bond for the day.
The hike up to Bondcliff wasn't bad just as I was expecting, the trail never gets real steep except 2 spots I can think of. Stream crossings were a non-issue and after the 4th crossing the snow started, but it wasnt deep and everyone made it fine to the final scramble before you pop out above the trees, postholing wasn't a problem up to Bondcliff.
I was the only one who had previously been there, once with two friends just to Bondcliff, and once when I did a 27 mile half a Pemi loop day trip with my brother. So I knew what to expect, but the looks on everyone's faces was priceless, the views were absolutely incredible. I had never had a day like this on Bondcliff, not a cloud in the sky, warm, and sunny. We spent a good 45 minutes laying out on the rocks, we had the summit to ourselves the whole time, two guys were leaving as we got there. Everyone got their classic Bondcliff shot out on the edge, it was great. Nobody could believe the views, and I told them they are arguably better "up there" on Mt. Bond. So after lunch everyone felt good and we went for it.
Along the ridge all the snow is gone so we moved pretty well up the shoulder to the summit of Mt. Bond. Views back towards Bondcliff and over to West Bond were awesome. After popping back into the trees just before the Mt. Bond summit the snow started again, a little more than before Bondcliff, maybe 12-18 inches. We reached the summit an hour after leaving Bondcliff and views were even better here IMO. Jefferson, the Willey Range and S. Twin were added to the view as well as Zealand notch and the ledges on Whitewall Mtn. I didn't stay here long because #40, West Bond was my goal for the day. I recruited my buddy Brendan to come along to West Bond with me. The rest of the group layed out on Mt. Bond for a while, while we did our thing.
The snow in the next section was much deeper than any other section of the day. Especially near the col on the West Bond spur. We each postholed a good number of times and one spruce trap almost caught me where it counts on a stump.
I was startled by a beautiful male Spruce Grouse after the col and he ended up being VERY photogenic. He let Brendan get right to the base of the tree he was sitting in, and he was still there on the way back out! We made the summit in great time and gave the rest of the group on Mt. Bond a wave as I watched them through my binoculors. #40/48 finally, after 3 times on Bondcliff, 2 on Mt. Bond, I finally had my first look from this splendid perch in the heart of the Pemi Wilderness. Views of the slides along the Twin Range were awesome as well as down to Redrock Pond. The view of Bondcliff from West Bond is unreal and we hung out on the rocky summit for 20 minutes or so before making the snowy, postholy trek back to Mt. Bond, then Bondcliff, then back to our waiting packs down below.We reached Mt. Bond for a short breather/picture taking break, the rest of our group had departed by now so we kept moving quickly, reaching Bondcliff in good time. We kept moving well and finally caught up to the group on the section of the trail traversing the slope before the 4th crossing, where we stopped to filter water. To make a long story short, the rest of the crossings were still easy, we found our packs (still in one peice), walked out to the Wilderness Tr., and the Wilderness Tr. kicked my tired ass with a heavy pack on.
Reaching the cars I was relieved to say the least. The trip couldn't have gone better, the campsite was sweet, no injuries, everyone hiked strong, and I bagged #40 with my friend. I really don't know which Bond peak I like the best, they each have great things about them. I'll go back time and time again for sure. Next time I think it will be a 2 nighter at that spot to avoid a tired walk on the Wilderness/Lincoln Woods Tr., my nemesis. My reward for a job well done was a large steak and cheese from GH Pizza in Lincoln, Sopranos on HBO, and a loooong nights sleep.
All Pictures....HERE!! Enjoy!
