Bonds question

[packdan]

Hello everyone !

I'm planning to hike the 3 Bonds in a day sunday.(if the weather cooperates).

Can some of you help me to make a choice between the two routes.

1-Start from Lincoln Woods and back.
or
2-Start from Zealand trailhead and back.

Thanks
Danny.

 

[Roxi]

Ask Tuco. He just did both recently. See trip reports.

 

[chipc]

Hi,

There's been a recent thread on this very topic on the AMC site:
http://appalachia.outdoors.org/bbs/messageview.cfm?catid=3&threadid=8218

 

[yardsale]

Use a bike

I haven't done the bonds, but have quickly traversed the wilderness trail on mountain bike, stashing it at the wilderness border before continuing on foot towards Lincoln. Same strategy would work for the Bonds.

 

[bryan]

for a single day i would think that that lincoln woods would be the easiest starting point. flat walk in and then a flat walk out. i would also suggest overnighting it a guyot and really enjoying it. maybe hitting mt. guyot which is a stellar peak left off "the list" do to the col technicalities.

bryan

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

...1-Start from Lincoln Woods and back.
or
2-Start from Zealand trailhead and back.

Thanks
Danny.

I've done both routes, plus a few others. It's roughly the same milage either way but much easier to go in from Lincoln-Woods.

FWIW:
If you're counting this towards the AMC 4,000 footer's, you can only use a bike on roads that you could drive on, which means you can only ride as far as the parking area in this case.

 

[Gris]

I did them in day from Zealand. But..., if I had it to do over again I'd do a light-weight overnighter by: going in EARLY via Zealand, getting water at hut, having breakfast on Z-Cliff & lunch on South Twin. Would spend night at Guyot and hit West Bond w/ headlamp at sunset. Then, do Bond to Bondcliff in the a.m. w/ only water & snacks, backtrack to Guyot water-up and roll out. And, it's nice to grab a quick lemonade and handfull of left-overs at Z-hut to power you back up before hitting the real watering hole.

 

[JohnL]

I've done both of these trips and while the Lincoln Woods route is easier (a lot more flat trail), the Zealand route is more aesthetic. You get Zeacliff plus Mt Guyot in addition to the Bonds. Start early and enjoy the day.

JohnL

 

[dug]

In a day? I'd try to utilize the Wilderness Trail as much as possible. About 9+ of hour miles would be on the Wilderness Trail, etc. that would be easier than any other way in. Since I always camp when doing them, I prefer other routes since they are more scenic.

 

[Woody]

While you will be able to cover the miles on the Wilderness Trail in about 2 hours each way - the trail is boring and the railroad ties are annoying. The trail from Zealand is much more interesting IMHO.

 

[Tuco]

As Roxi said I just did this from Zealand Rd Tuesday, after getting to Bondcliff from Lincoln Woods on Saturday.

IMO, I would definitely go from Zealand. I think its more interesting on the approach to the Bonds- Zealand is a nice easy trail and the Twinway to Bondcliff has some nice open areas. Lincoln adds some easy miles, but if you look at the elevation gain on both directions there isn't much difference and you are adding several miles of road walk in essence. I think the distance from Lincoln would be about 23 miles and from Zealand about 20. PLus on the Bondcliff you get additional apline zone hiking you wouldn't from Lincoln woods.

Only part I found tough was the return to Bond from Bondcliff.

But, you can't go wrong either way. Enjoy it.

 

[the starchild]

take 2 and write a trip report in the morning

if you can, take two days and stay at guyot. that area is too nice to not take lots of time; and you get a west bond sunset as a bonus.

i haven't yet hiked in from zealand, so i can't comment on that, except the flat hike from lincoln is super easy and super fast.

have a great trip.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Hello everyone !

I'm planning to hike the 3 Bonds in a day sunday.(if the weather cooperates).

Can some of you help me to make a choice between the two routes.

1-Start from Lincoln Woods and back.
or
2-Start from Zealand trailhead and back.

Thanks
Danny.

If you can get a car spot, I think that a one-way trip from Zealand to Lincoln Woods is the easiest and shortest way to get all three Bonds (and Zealand as a bonus). You also save in elevation gain by not needing to reclimb either Bond or Bond Cliff from the south or Bond, Guyot, and Zealand from the north, with either out-and-back adding up to more extra elevation gain than that required to hike over Zealand and Guyot once.

 

[Raymond]

How would there be extra alpine hiking on Bondcliff by coming in from the north rather than the south? In fact, you'd get less from the north, wouldn't you (assuming you only went as far south as the Bondcliff summit, rather than all the way down into the woods on the south side)? I don't get it.

 

[marty]

I did Zealand and back last year, opting for less driving as I was coming from the North. It was a long, tough hike, but quite doable and very rewarding if you're in really good shape and have some long hikes under your belt. The best part was that much of the hike to the Bonds was fogged in, but cleared on the way back!

 

[Mark_Goodearl]

mt. guyot is a stellar peak

i would also suggest overnighting it a guyot and really enjoying it. maybe hitting mt. guyot which is a stellar peak left off "the list" do to the col technicalities.

I second Bryan on that - I hiked in from Zealand, spent the night at the Guyot shelter and retraced my steps heading back out. It was terrific and I was also impressed with Mt Guyot.

 

[pilgrim]

I hate Lincoln Woods, so of the two options you presented, I would select 2.

In about a month, I'm planning an overnight approach to the Bonds on the Hancock Notch and Cedar Brook Trails.

 

[Tuco]

How would there be extra alpine hiking on Bondcliff by coming in from the north rather than the south? In fact, you'd get less from the north, wouldn't you (assuming you only went as far south as the Bondcliff summit, rather than all the way down into the woods on the south side)? I don't get it.

I meant Bondcliff TRAIL- in comparing the North approach to West Bond and the South approach to Bondcliff. You also get the area above the Twinway before the Bondcliff trail above treeline.

 

[marty]

If you can get a car spot, I think that a one-way trip from Zealand to Lincoln Woods is the easiest and shortest way to get all three Bonds (and Zealand as a bonus).

Packdan - You did not mention if you wanted to tag Zealand Mountain or not. If you do, the Zealand route would seem to make the most sense.

Good luck either way you choose. For me, the Bonds can't be beat!

 

[packdan]

Thanks everyone for the infos !

As you can see,the weather predictions for sunday are not very good.

I think I'm going to wait for a better weekend and maybe try a 2 day hike
to really enjoy these peaks.

And,yes I need Hale and Zealand to complete my list.

Last year,I dayhiked N and S Twins Galehead and Guyot from Haystack road.
(about 9 hrs)

It was very nice on Guyot.

I'll post when done.