The Bonds Traverse in a day (20 miles)

This turned out to be an excellent day for hiking the Bonds!  We camped out the night before on Cherry Mtn. Road, and started hiking at 6:20 AM. Using headlamps for the first 45 minutes, we arrived at Zealand Hut just in time to watch the Sunrise through the Notch. The Zeacliffs were just as spectacular, as we began an excellent day. After passing over the viewless summit of Mt. Zealand, Mt. Guyot offered the first open view of the Bonds. The clouds passed just as we arrived, and stayed away for the entire duration of our time above treeline. After a brief stop at Guyot campsite for water, we passed over all three Bonds and enjoyed some of the best views I have ever seen in the White Mountains! There was a very small amount of snow/lce in the pine needles in the col between the summits, a sign that winter is not too far off. The trip down the Bondcliff trail to the railbed went quicly as it had gradual grade, and then went flat. We finished our hike before 5 PM.

I will definitely make the Bonds one of my annual hikes!

Please note that this is a very strenuous hike and is going to be a very long day! This hike is going to have some of the most spectacular views in the White Mountains! This is going to be almost a 20 mile hike and covers 5 mountains. Although I have not done the Bonds before, I have climbed every peak in the vicinity in the past year as I get close to completing my 4000 + footers list! This is a very strenuous hike, so please be prepared. if I do not know you, I may send an e-mail to make sure this is a good event for you.

I am expecting this hike to take 12-13 hours, which is why I have posted the start time of 6 AM so that we will get out by dark. Please have a headlamp, or good flashlight to bring in case we get out after dark. You will also need warm clothing as the weather may change, and we may get out as dusk approaches, making it cooler. Please also have plenty of water as there are not abundant sources in the Bonds. There is pure water at Zealand Notch Hut, and stream water along Zealand Notch if you have a purifier. Please bring plenty of food too, prehaps even a second meal as this is going to be a 12-13 hour hike.

The Hike/Route; This hike will bring us on the Zealand/Twinway/Bondcliff trails through Zealand Notch right into the bonds. We will pass Zealand Notch Hut, the spectacular Zeacliffs (3700 feet), Mt. Zealand (4260 ft), Mt Bond (4698 ft), Bondcliff (4265), and West Bond (4540). There are going to be four seperate 4000 + footers on this hike. We will also cover Mt. Guyot (4580 ft) which does not meet the requirements of a 4000 + footer due to the lack of depth in the col. The total elevation change for this hike will be 4850 feet. We will then exit to Lincoln Woods via Bondcliff Trail to Lincoln Woods Trail.

Cars will be spotted in Lincoln Woods from the night before, and camping is an option for the night before as this is going to be an early start hike. For info on camping the night before, please e-mail me. Cost will be nominal as we will be sharing a site.