Ed'n Lauky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,802
- Reaction score
- 168
10/17 Mts.Zealand and Bonds traverse from Zealand
All trails from Zealand parking until Pemi widerness in good shape. There is one blowdown on the Twinway not far from Mt. Zealand, otherwise the trails are clear. There are numerous insignificant blowdowns lower down on the Bondcliff trail in the Pemi wilderness. That's to be expected.
For those unfamiliar with the trails, just this note that the Bondcliff trail, especially above 2500' is a particularly good trail. With just a few exceptions the grades are moderate. The footing is often very good.
All stream crossing for the entire traverse were fairly easily done.
The weather was cold, windy and menacing throughout the morning. From 3700' and up there was frost on the trees. About noon, the sun came out and the temperature rose about 20 degrees. From that point on it was an absolutely magnificent day. The views from the Bonds were spectacular.
One note for those doing this hike during the shorter days. From the point where the Bondcliff trail veers off from the stream bed, there are stretches through open woods with leaves down everywhere. The thought came to me that that section would be difficult to follow in the dark with just a head lamp. The trail in that area is neither well marked nor well maintained as is typically the case in the wilderness area. Keep this in mind if you will be coming down that way at the end of the day.
Lauky and I saw no one all day long until we got to the summit of Bondcliff. We then ran into at least fifteen people coming from the other direction. Some had taken eight hours to get there from Lincoln woods. On the other hand, we met one young man doing the Pemi loop from Garfield to Garfield. He obviously was moving quite a bit faster.
A special word of thanks to my wife who met us at the Lincoln Woods parking, making it possible for us to do the traverse.
[email protected]
All trails from Zealand parking until Pemi widerness in good shape. There is one blowdown on the Twinway not far from Mt. Zealand, otherwise the trails are clear. There are numerous insignificant blowdowns lower down on the Bondcliff trail in the Pemi wilderness. That's to be expected.
For those unfamiliar with the trails, just this note that the Bondcliff trail, especially above 2500' is a particularly good trail. With just a few exceptions the grades are moderate. The footing is often very good.
All stream crossing for the entire traverse were fairly easily done.
The weather was cold, windy and menacing throughout the morning. From 3700' and up there was frost on the trees. About noon, the sun came out and the temperature rose about 20 degrees. From that point on it was an absolutely magnificent day. The views from the Bonds were spectacular.
One note for those doing this hike during the shorter days. From the point where the Bondcliff trail veers off from the stream bed, there are stretches through open woods with leaves down everywhere. The thought came to me that that section would be difficult to follow in the dark with just a head lamp. The trail in that area is neither well marked nor well maintained as is typically the case in the wilderness area. Keep this in mind if you will be coming down that way at the end of the day.
Lauky and I saw no one all day long until we got to the summit of Bondcliff. We then ran into at least fifteen people coming from the other direction. Some had taken eight hours to get there from Lincoln woods. On the other hand, we met one young man doing the Pemi loop from Garfield to Garfield. He obviously was moving quite a bit faster.
A special word of thanks to my wife who met us at the Lincoln Woods parking, making it possible for us to do the traverse.
[email protected]
Last edited:
