BIGEarl
Well-known member
August 10, 2013: Zealand – Bonds Traverse
Trails: Zealand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail (End-to-End), West Bond Spur, Wilderness Trail
Summits: Zealand, West Bond, Bond, Bondcliff
Hikers: Bobby Butler, Marty Emmick, and me
I’ve heard great minds think alike. Earlier in the week I had posted a note on Facebook to see if anybody wanted to get together for a hike on the weekend. There were a number of target hikes I had on my list but hiking The Bonds was at the top because of the forecast for perfect weather. Bobby sent a note letting me know about a hike he, Marty, and Larry were contemplating; also The Bonds and most likely a traverse if the trail at Lincoln Woods was open. Bobby invited me to join the party, and we were off.
Larry had a conflict for the day and was forced to miss the hike. Bobby, Marty, and I met early at Lincoln Woods to spot a vehicle and head to the end of Zealand Road for the hike. When we arrived at the trailhead lot we found the two main lots already full and there was quite a bit of early morning activity by people taking care of final hike preparations. Final hike prep for us took only a few minutes and we were on the trail.
The initial section of the hike from the trailhead to Zealand Falls Hut was an easy warm-up. We all made our way at a relaxed pace to the hut catching up on things as we hiked. It’s very unusual for me but with my new hearing aids even I was able to join in the conversation. Those things are working out very well; it’s really nice to actually be part of the group. Along the way we all got to see the new bridge that replaced the “S” bridge a short distance before the hut. The new bridge is nice, but I really liked the “S” bridge. We made a quick stop at the hut to take care of a couple important matters and were soon headed for Zeacliff.
Soon after leaving Zealand Falls Hut the trail gets steep and stays that way until reaching the viewpoint spur on Zeacliff. I knew our progress would slow on the climb but we hit the top and were still making good time versus plan. The conditions were outstanding and we couldn’t pass up a visit to Zeacliff for the views. We took the time to get some pictures, visit with others that were there, and were soon once again hiking.
The trail traversed Zealand Ridge on the way to Zealand Mountain. With only a couple small areas of mud this trail is generally clear and dry. Once we left Zeacliff it was mostly a non-stop trip to Zealand Mountain. The short spur trail leading to the actual summit was probably muddier than everything we encountered since Zeacliff. We reached the summit sign, got our usual pictures, and continued our hike.
The forecast for the day predicted west winds of ~30 mph. The weather history seems to indicate the actual winds were probably ~15 – 20 mph higher than predicted. In the thick cover along Zealand Ridge it wasn’t a concern but we all knew an extra layer would be needed when we moved into the open near Mount Guyot. We made our way from Zealand Mountain to the open trail near Guyot and suddenly started getting hit by the westerly wind; it was time to layer-up.
Ready for the conditions we stepped out of the scrub and enjoyed outstanding 360 degree views. The cool dry air gave us clear viewing and terrific distance views to enjoy. Some of the nearby summits were in the clouds but as time went on the conditions in those areas also cleared. We hit the high area on the northeast summit of Guyot, paused for a few pictures of the area, and continued to the junction with Bondcliff Trail. We reached the trail junction, made the turn, and started our end-to-end hike of Bondcliff Trail which would take us across The Bonds.
From here to Bondcliff, things happen fast. First up was West Bond. The spur trail leading to the summit leaves Bondcliff Trail roughly .8 miles ahead. We descended from Guyot to the area of Guyot Campsite and soon were on the short, steep climb to the junction with West Bond Spur. From the trail junction to the summit is a short .5 miles of clear, dry trail. We made our way to the summit of West Bond and found seven others already there enjoying the sunny conditions and outstanding views. We found some open space on the summit and joined the fun. After a short break and some visiting with the others, everybody decided to leave at the same time. Slowly the summit cleared; we were the last to leave.
Back on Bondcliff Trail we had another short .5 miles to our next target; Mount Bond. Along the way we met a couple familiar faces; Mike Saporito and Eric Sherman. This was a nice surprise! We spent some time comparing notes for the day and soon got back to our hikes; Mike and Eric continued north and we headed south. In a few minutes we were standing on the summit of Mount Bond getting more outstanding views, and pictures. We still had plenty of wind and expected more wind on the ridge leading to Bondcliff.
Descending from Mount Bond starts off sheltered but soon changes back to open and we were taking a direct hit from the west. Bobby had already lost his hat earlier in the hike (not from the wind, he just lost it); eventually Marty and I removed our hats instead of running the risk of a loss as well. A few degrees colder and the conditions would have been really uncomfortable but we had plenty of sun to keep the temperature up; it was just very windy. We slowly made our way across the ridge leading to Bondcliff being careful to stay upright. On the final climb to the summit the trail swings to the east slope and out of the wind. We enjoyed a short break from the wind as we completed the climb.
On the summit we were again in the wind and interested in getting the usual Bondcliff pictures. Since the wind was westerly we had no worry of being blown off the cliff and one-by-one took our turn for the summit shot. With the summit pictures in the cameras we stopped for a brief break before starting our exit hike; Bondcliff was our final target for the day.
From Bondcliff to Lincoln Woods and our waiting truck is a pleasant 9.1 miles; roughly half of it is our descent from Bondcliff to the Lincoln Woods Trail (aka Wilderness Trail), and half is Lincoln Woods Trail (which is an old railroad grade). The descent from Bondcliff went well. The trail is generally dry but there are a few areas of mud on the lower final ~1 mile. For most of the distance we just quietly hiked. The trip along Lincoln Woods Trail is straight, flat, and boring. Fortunately, we still had things to talk about and there was another couple that came through and joined the conversation for a while. In other words, we managed to occupy our thoughts with something other than the trail. We passed through the construction zone and it appeared little work had been done to this point. Some trees have been cleared I assume for the new trail route, and the culvert excavation has started, but we had no difficult areas to work our way through. Next weekend might be different.
Right on plan we stepped into the trailhead lot at Lincoln Woods. I was a little tired but otherwise feeling pretty good and assume the same is true for Marty and Bobby. We headed straight to the truck, loaded our things into the back, and took off for Zealand Road to retrieve the other vehicle left there at the start. In the area of the trailhead lots at Zealand Road we saw a significant amount of overflow parking. It’s good we arrived early in the morning.
Thanks to Bobby and Marty for the invitation to join the hike. It was an outstanding day with outstanding companions.
Pictures to follow.
Trails: Zealand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail (End-to-End), West Bond Spur, Wilderness Trail
Summits: Zealand, West Bond, Bond, Bondcliff
Hikers: Bobby Butler, Marty Emmick, and me
I’ve heard great minds think alike. Earlier in the week I had posted a note on Facebook to see if anybody wanted to get together for a hike on the weekend. There were a number of target hikes I had on my list but hiking The Bonds was at the top because of the forecast for perfect weather. Bobby sent a note letting me know about a hike he, Marty, and Larry were contemplating; also The Bonds and most likely a traverse if the trail at Lincoln Woods was open. Bobby invited me to join the party, and we were off.
Larry had a conflict for the day and was forced to miss the hike. Bobby, Marty, and I met early at Lincoln Woods to spot a vehicle and head to the end of Zealand Road for the hike. When we arrived at the trailhead lot we found the two main lots already full and there was quite a bit of early morning activity by people taking care of final hike preparations. Final hike prep for us took only a few minutes and we were on the trail.
The initial section of the hike from the trailhead to Zealand Falls Hut was an easy warm-up. We all made our way at a relaxed pace to the hut catching up on things as we hiked. It’s very unusual for me but with my new hearing aids even I was able to join in the conversation. Those things are working out very well; it’s really nice to actually be part of the group. Along the way we all got to see the new bridge that replaced the “S” bridge a short distance before the hut. The new bridge is nice, but I really liked the “S” bridge. We made a quick stop at the hut to take care of a couple important matters and were soon headed for Zeacliff.
Soon after leaving Zealand Falls Hut the trail gets steep and stays that way until reaching the viewpoint spur on Zeacliff. I knew our progress would slow on the climb but we hit the top and were still making good time versus plan. The conditions were outstanding and we couldn’t pass up a visit to Zeacliff for the views. We took the time to get some pictures, visit with others that were there, and were soon once again hiking.
The trail traversed Zealand Ridge on the way to Zealand Mountain. With only a couple small areas of mud this trail is generally clear and dry. Once we left Zeacliff it was mostly a non-stop trip to Zealand Mountain. The short spur trail leading to the actual summit was probably muddier than everything we encountered since Zeacliff. We reached the summit sign, got our usual pictures, and continued our hike.
The forecast for the day predicted west winds of ~30 mph. The weather history seems to indicate the actual winds were probably ~15 – 20 mph higher than predicted. In the thick cover along Zealand Ridge it wasn’t a concern but we all knew an extra layer would be needed when we moved into the open near Mount Guyot. We made our way from Zealand Mountain to the open trail near Guyot and suddenly started getting hit by the westerly wind; it was time to layer-up.
Ready for the conditions we stepped out of the scrub and enjoyed outstanding 360 degree views. The cool dry air gave us clear viewing and terrific distance views to enjoy. Some of the nearby summits were in the clouds but as time went on the conditions in those areas also cleared. We hit the high area on the northeast summit of Guyot, paused for a few pictures of the area, and continued to the junction with Bondcliff Trail. We reached the trail junction, made the turn, and started our end-to-end hike of Bondcliff Trail which would take us across The Bonds.
From here to Bondcliff, things happen fast. First up was West Bond. The spur trail leading to the summit leaves Bondcliff Trail roughly .8 miles ahead. We descended from Guyot to the area of Guyot Campsite and soon were on the short, steep climb to the junction with West Bond Spur. From the trail junction to the summit is a short .5 miles of clear, dry trail. We made our way to the summit of West Bond and found seven others already there enjoying the sunny conditions and outstanding views. We found some open space on the summit and joined the fun. After a short break and some visiting with the others, everybody decided to leave at the same time. Slowly the summit cleared; we were the last to leave.
Back on Bondcliff Trail we had another short .5 miles to our next target; Mount Bond. Along the way we met a couple familiar faces; Mike Saporito and Eric Sherman. This was a nice surprise! We spent some time comparing notes for the day and soon got back to our hikes; Mike and Eric continued north and we headed south. In a few minutes we were standing on the summit of Mount Bond getting more outstanding views, and pictures. We still had plenty of wind and expected more wind on the ridge leading to Bondcliff.
Descending from Mount Bond starts off sheltered but soon changes back to open and we were taking a direct hit from the west. Bobby had already lost his hat earlier in the hike (not from the wind, he just lost it); eventually Marty and I removed our hats instead of running the risk of a loss as well. A few degrees colder and the conditions would have been really uncomfortable but we had plenty of sun to keep the temperature up; it was just very windy. We slowly made our way across the ridge leading to Bondcliff being careful to stay upright. On the final climb to the summit the trail swings to the east slope and out of the wind. We enjoyed a short break from the wind as we completed the climb.
On the summit we were again in the wind and interested in getting the usual Bondcliff pictures. Since the wind was westerly we had no worry of being blown off the cliff and one-by-one took our turn for the summit shot. With the summit pictures in the cameras we stopped for a brief break before starting our exit hike; Bondcliff was our final target for the day.
From Bondcliff to Lincoln Woods and our waiting truck is a pleasant 9.1 miles; roughly half of it is our descent from Bondcliff to the Lincoln Woods Trail (aka Wilderness Trail), and half is Lincoln Woods Trail (which is an old railroad grade). The descent from Bondcliff went well. The trail is generally dry but there are a few areas of mud on the lower final ~1 mile. For most of the distance we just quietly hiked. The trip along Lincoln Woods Trail is straight, flat, and boring. Fortunately, we still had things to talk about and there was another couple that came through and joined the conversation for a while. In other words, we managed to occupy our thoughts with something other than the trail. We passed through the construction zone and it appeared little work had been done to this point. Some trees have been cleared I assume for the new trail route, and the culvert excavation has started, but we had no difficult areas to work our way through. Next weekend might be different.
Right on plan we stepped into the trailhead lot at Lincoln Woods. I was a little tired but otherwise feeling pretty good and assume the same is true for Marty and Bobby. We headed straight to the truck, loaded our things into the back, and took off for Zealand Road to retrieve the other vehicle left there at the start. In the area of the trailhead lots at Zealand Road we saw a significant amount of overflow parking. It’s good we arrived early in the morning.
Thanks to Bobby and Marty for the invitation to join the hike. It was an outstanding day with outstanding companions.
Pictures to follow.
