Willoughby
Member
Friday I drove up to Lincoln Woods, hit the trail about 9AM, and headed for Galehead. This was my first time on the Lincoln Woods trail since Hurricane Irene, the repair work is impressive although the day-glo orange fencing is impressive. There was a group of 5 guys ahead of me, we would play leapfrog through the day. I passed them around Osseo, and continued on to the foot bridge and into the Wilderness. I turned left onto the Lincoln Brook Trail, which I hadn't hiked since I did Owl's Head for my (first) 48.
I started flagging a little before the junction with the Franconia Brook Trail, so I stopped at the junction to refuel. Of course that's when the bugs found me, so I gooped up. The 5 guys passed me here. After a decent interval I set off up the Franconia Brook Trail; there were lady slippers (pink and white) out, and trilliums. The Franconia Brook Trail was new to me, and wonderfully remote. The crossings at Hellgate, Red Rock, and Twin Brook were more interesting than I expected, but with careful consideration and one pole I got across them safely. I heard later that the 5 guys had some adventures on the crossings.
After Twin Brook the trail swings left (west), and from there it's not far to 13 Falls. I saw the 5 guys here, they headed up FBT to the hut and I sat for a while admiring the falls and having lunch. Then I headed up Twin Brook Trail, which goes direct to the hut and cuts off the corner of FBT and Garfield Ridge. This was the first real climbing of the day. Twin Brook Trail is wilder than FBT, and there was a cloud sitting in the notch, so I put on the rain jacket and pack cover and still got wet. I arrived at the hut a little after 4pm, and about 10 minutes before the 5 guys.
This was only the third night Galehead had been open, but if they hadn't told us I wouldn't have known. There were about 20 people enjoying AMC hospitality. I thought about venturing out to tag Galehead after dinner, but instead I just sacked out. Next morning, the weather didn't look any better, and the Obs forecast was for summits in the clouds, and occasional showers. Yuck. Nonetheless after breakfast I went out to tag Galehead, and as I climbed up the sun started trying to break through. Maybe the day would get better.
Back at the hut I donned my pack, and started the long slog up to South Twin. It's not fitness or strength that gets you up that trail, just sheer bloody-mindedness, and I've got enough of that. South Twin was socked in when I summited, but as I put on another layer and took some pictures there were a few breaks in the clouds and views to the surrounding peaks. After a short break I headed down the Twinway, a new section of trail for me, very pretty wandering along the ridgeline (after the initial steep descent). Again I flagged a little in this section - but then I got a new burst of energy, coming out of the trees onto the mountainside with views across the Pemi. What an awesome spot! Another group from the hut was resting there, by the Bondcliff trail junction. I said my hellos, took a few pictures, and headed over to Guyot for lunch.
After a suitable break and more pictures - and admiring the diapensia in bloom all over the summit - I headed on down the Bondcliff Trail. When I got to the West Bond junction, I dropped my pack and headed across the spur. I've never left my pack behind before, but then I usually only have a daypack, and I had a lot of miles left to cover. The West Bond Spur went by quickly enough, and I summitted with another hiker who was out on her repaired ACL. Way to keep hiking! We swapped taking pictures of each other and chatted for a while, but as the clouds blew overhead I started to feel pressed for time, so I headed back down. I collected my pack and headed onwards.
The stretch from the junction to Bond felt easier than I remembered, and shortly I was on top of Bond. More pictures, another snack, and more chit-chat with passing hikers, and then I headed down to Bondcliff - more new trail! (I've hiked Bond & West Bond from Zealand, and Bondcliff from Lincoln Woods several times, but never all three together.)
The ridgeline along Bondcliff, coming from Bond, is really spectacular. I kept stopping to admire the views. Finally I made it to the summit. There's no doubt about it, Bondcliff is my favorite of the Bonds and maybe even my favorite of the Whites. There's something about the views - maybe the angles are different and the peaks feel closer - and of course there's the wonderful summit area with those flat rocks just right for napping... so I did!
Refreshed by my nap, I headed down with 9 miles still to hike. Once again I was fooled by the descent from Bondcliff, which just takes longer than it seems it should. I ran out of water on the way down, and stopped to fill & treat a liter at the lowest turn near Black Brook. The Trillium were out, and somehow seemed brighter than they had the previous day along the FBT. The bugs were out too, which was less enjoyable. The last stretch before the river, where the Bondcliff trail is wandering through the woods, seemed just endless, but eventually I made it out.
The sun was lowering as I set out up the Bondcliff trail along the river. I set a good pace and made it to the Wilderness boundary, then - after a short break - continued on to the trailhead. The moon lit my way for the last 1/2hr or so, and I stepped out into the parking lot at 9:05PM, 13 hours after I headed out from Galehead hut to Galehead. This was by far the most hiking I had done on consecutive days since I was a teenager (at least), and my first Bonds traverse. Along the way I knocked off 3 more peaks on my second 48 - I guess I'm far enough along now (33/48) to admit it's a goal!
Ob trail report: All the trails were wet in places, many of them had blowdowns, but everything was easily passable. The alpine flowers haven't really gotten going yet, but in a week or two they should be out. There were people on almost all the summits, good to see the forecast didn't keep everyone home.
This hike was in celebration of an upcoming birthday.
I started flagging a little before the junction with the Franconia Brook Trail, so I stopped at the junction to refuel. Of course that's when the bugs found me, so I gooped up. The 5 guys passed me here. After a decent interval I set off up the Franconia Brook Trail; there were lady slippers (pink and white) out, and trilliums. The Franconia Brook Trail was new to me, and wonderfully remote. The crossings at Hellgate, Red Rock, and Twin Brook were more interesting than I expected, but with careful consideration and one pole I got across them safely. I heard later that the 5 guys had some adventures on the crossings.
After Twin Brook the trail swings left (west), and from there it's not far to 13 Falls. I saw the 5 guys here, they headed up FBT to the hut and I sat for a while admiring the falls and having lunch. Then I headed up Twin Brook Trail, which goes direct to the hut and cuts off the corner of FBT and Garfield Ridge. This was the first real climbing of the day. Twin Brook Trail is wilder than FBT, and there was a cloud sitting in the notch, so I put on the rain jacket and pack cover and still got wet. I arrived at the hut a little after 4pm, and about 10 minutes before the 5 guys.
This was only the third night Galehead had been open, but if they hadn't told us I wouldn't have known. There were about 20 people enjoying AMC hospitality. I thought about venturing out to tag Galehead after dinner, but instead I just sacked out. Next morning, the weather didn't look any better, and the Obs forecast was for summits in the clouds, and occasional showers. Yuck. Nonetheless after breakfast I went out to tag Galehead, and as I climbed up the sun started trying to break through. Maybe the day would get better.
Back at the hut I donned my pack, and started the long slog up to South Twin. It's not fitness or strength that gets you up that trail, just sheer bloody-mindedness, and I've got enough of that. South Twin was socked in when I summited, but as I put on another layer and took some pictures there were a few breaks in the clouds and views to the surrounding peaks. After a short break I headed down the Twinway, a new section of trail for me, very pretty wandering along the ridgeline (after the initial steep descent). Again I flagged a little in this section - but then I got a new burst of energy, coming out of the trees onto the mountainside with views across the Pemi. What an awesome spot! Another group from the hut was resting there, by the Bondcliff trail junction. I said my hellos, took a few pictures, and headed over to Guyot for lunch.
After a suitable break and more pictures - and admiring the diapensia in bloom all over the summit - I headed on down the Bondcliff Trail. When I got to the West Bond junction, I dropped my pack and headed across the spur. I've never left my pack behind before, but then I usually only have a daypack, and I had a lot of miles left to cover. The West Bond Spur went by quickly enough, and I summitted with another hiker who was out on her repaired ACL. Way to keep hiking! We swapped taking pictures of each other and chatted for a while, but as the clouds blew overhead I started to feel pressed for time, so I headed back down. I collected my pack and headed onwards.
The stretch from the junction to Bond felt easier than I remembered, and shortly I was on top of Bond. More pictures, another snack, and more chit-chat with passing hikers, and then I headed down to Bondcliff - more new trail! (I've hiked Bond & West Bond from Zealand, and Bondcliff from Lincoln Woods several times, but never all three together.)
The ridgeline along Bondcliff, coming from Bond, is really spectacular. I kept stopping to admire the views. Finally I made it to the summit. There's no doubt about it, Bondcliff is my favorite of the Bonds and maybe even my favorite of the Whites. There's something about the views - maybe the angles are different and the peaks feel closer - and of course there's the wonderful summit area with those flat rocks just right for napping... so I did!
Refreshed by my nap, I headed down with 9 miles still to hike. Once again I was fooled by the descent from Bondcliff, which just takes longer than it seems it should. I ran out of water on the way down, and stopped to fill & treat a liter at the lowest turn near Black Brook. The Trillium were out, and somehow seemed brighter than they had the previous day along the FBT. The bugs were out too, which was less enjoyable. The last stretch before the river, where the Bondcliff trail is wandering through the woods, seemed just endless, but eventually I made it out.
The sun was lowering as I set out up the Bondcliff trail along the river. I set a good pace and made it to the Wilderness boundary, then - after a short break - continued on to the trailhead. The moon lit my way for the last 1/2hr or so, and I stepped out into the parking lot at 9:05PM, 13 hours after I headed out from Galehead hut to Galehead. This was by far the most hiking I had done on consecutive days since I was a teenager (at least), and my first Bonds traverse. Along the way I knocked off 3 more peaks on my second 48 - I guess I'm far enough along now (33/48) to admit it's a goal!
Ob trail report: All the trails were wet in places, many of them had blowdowns, but everything was easily passable. The alpine flowers haven't really gotten going yet, but in a week or two they should be out. There were people on almost all the summits, good to see the forecast didn't keep everyone home.
This hike was in celebration of an upcoming birthday.
