FARMER
New member
After being turned away on two clockwise winter Pemi loop attempts. Once with Jason and Rob in December.(it took us six hours to break trail to Little Haystack) Then last Sunday Jason and I volunteered to escort Rebecca around the grand horseshoe. But fatigue sent us down the skook once again. So this time I went counterclockwise. The plan was simple. maintain a 6 mph pace from lincoln woods to the Bondcliff trail. 2.5 mph pace to Bondcliff. 3 mph around the bend to Flume and then pick up the 6 mph again the rest of the way.Needed to have some gas left for sundays big valentines day plans. (no not those kind of plans, Perv)
Rebecca would drop me off at lincoln woods and then drop a cache of emergency gear near five corners in case i had to bail. So at about 7:45 I started the watch and was on my way. My pack was minimal. 2 liters, 6 mini bagels with peanut butter and honey and 14 gels. I had womens lightning ascents lashed to my pack and wore microspikes. Clothing worn and carried consisited of tights, Ibex longsleeve, wool liner hat and gloves, extra set liner hat and gloves in the pack, one package handwarmers, pac lite hardshell, pac lite shell mitts, down coat, headlamp and the trusty cellphone.(no more than 10 lbs. ) I would call rebecca when I reached garfield to update my progress and to let her know which half of the loop to search if i didn't show up that night. The going was easy to Bondcliff trail and I found a comfortable rythym quickly. The climb up to bondcliff was in great shape and i reeled in the first of about 30 hikers of the day shortly after the last crossing. I said hello and went back to work. After th crux I met two more hikers in the same group and i stopped to chat for a minute. One said he was Roby. I headed across the ridge towards Bond and passed another 5 hikers doing the same bonds zealand traverse. i stopped at the summit to drink and two of the group joined me and we talked for a bit and then i was off. I wade quick work of the descent down to the guyot campsite spur where i put the snowshoes. I then made my towards the twinway where there were some visible tracks.(either adams or those crazy olympians form last weekend I assume) but the were 90% blown in. It was slower going to South twin but was looking forward to one of my favorite descents. At South twin i met two hikers who were doing Twins, Galehead. They said a group of twelve had just headed down the the hut and i proceeded. I met more hikers on their way up to South twin and then cought some of the large group at the junction. i said a few words and motored on. The trail was in great shape to the Gale river Trail junction. Then I was on my own again. Not to long after I met Marc Howes and a merry band of bushwackers headed to some peak off the trail i didn't even know existed. Marc said to get on my way and not waste time socializing so i obeyed . The hiking wasn't bad from here but not fast conditions by any means. On the climb up Garfield i came upon Michael and friend who said the were doing Garfield, Galehead, Twins. They managed to figure out who I was and gave me congrats and then i headed up hill. The section of trail just below the spring cought me by surprise. Huge ice bulges blocked my way. So i made my way up slowly using organic handholds. At the summit I called rebecca and told her i was feeling strong and was only 20 minutes behind projected pace. We agreed on a 5-5:30 exit and i was looking forward to leaving the headlamp in my pack. The first section of the GRT was well broken and i thought i had it made but when i got to the pond the tracks went out on the ice where to hikers were making camp. I resumed trailbeaking duty the rest of the way to Lafayette. At treeline i put the Microspikes and Opened up the throttle a bit. I made good time acroos the ridge and then put the snowshoes at Little Haystack. Broke trail to liberty springs junction and enjoyed hardpack the rest of the way to Flume where i put the microspikes and started the run on tired legs back to lincoln woods. About a mile from the trailhead I met Rebecca and she ran alongside me back to the car.
This was intended to be a training session for an upcoming snowshoe race. I was somewhat conservative due to my limited fuel and water. it could be done faster with support.
Splits:
Lincoln woods to bond cliff trail. 54 min 22 sec
To bond cliff 1 hr 21 min 35 sec elapsed time 2 hr 15 min 58 sec
To mt bond 25 min 56 sec elapsed time 2 hr 41 min 54 sec
To south twin 1 hr 13 min 23 seconds elapsed time 3 hr 55 min 18 sec
To mt Garfield 1 hr 27 min 26 sec elapsed time 5 hr 22 min 44
To mt Lafayette 1 hr 40 min 15 sec elapsed time 7 hr 2min 59 sec
To mt Lincoln 16 min 15 sec elapsed time 7 hr 19 min 15 sec
To mt liberty 1 hr 24 sec elapsed time 8 hr 19 min 39 sec
To mt flume 25 min 52 sec elapsed time 8 hr 45 min 31 sec
To Lincoln woods 1 hr 6 min 6 seconds
Total time: 9 hr 51 min 37 sec
Rebecca would drop me off at lincoln woods and then drop a cache of emergency gear near five corners in case i had to bail. So at about 7:45 I started the watch and was on my way. My pack was minimal. 2 liters, 6 mini bagels with peanut butter and honey and 14 gels. I had womens lightning ascents lashed to my pack and wore microspikes. Clothing worn and carried consisited of tights, Ibex longsleeve, wool liner hat and gloves, extra set liner hat and gloves in the pack, one package handwarmers, pac lite hardshell, pac lite shell mitts, down coat, headlamp and the trusty cellphone.(no more than 10 lbs. ) I would call rebecca when I reached garfield to update my progress and to let her know which half of the loop to search if i didn't show up that night. The going was easy to Bondcliff trail and I found a comfortable rythym quickly. The climb up to bondcliff was in great shape and i reeled in the first of about 30 hikers of the day shortly after the last crossing. I said hello and went back to work. After th crux I met two more hikers in the same group and i stopped to chat for a minute. One said he was Roby. I headed across the ridge towards Bond and passed another 5 hikers doing the same bonds zealand traverse. i stopped at the summit to drink and two of the group joined me and we talked for a bit and then i was off. I wade quick work of the descent down to the guyot campsite spur where i put the snowshoes. I then made my towards the twinway where there were some visible tracks.(either adams or those crazy olympians form last weekend I assume) but the were 90% blown in. It was slower going to South twin but was looking forward to one of my favorite descents. At South twin i met two hikers who were doing Twins, Galehead. They said a group of twelve had just headed down the the hut and i proceeded. I met more hikers on their way up to South twin and then cought some of the large group at the junction. i said a few words and motored on. The trail was in great shape to the Gale river Trail junction. Then I was on my own again. Not to long after I met Marc Howes and a merry band of bushwackers headed to some peak off the trail i didn't even know existed. Marc said to get on my way and not waste time socializing so i obeyed . The hiking wasn't bad from here but not fast conditions by any means. On the climb up Garfield i came upon Michael and friend who said the were doing Garfield, Galehead, Twins. They managed to figure out who I was and gave me congrats and then i headed up hill. The section of trail just below the spring cought me by surprise. Huge ice bulges blocked my way. So i made my way up slowly using organic handholds. At the summit I called rebecca and told her i was feeling strong and was only 20 minutes behind projected pace. We agreed on a 5-5:30 exit and i was looking forward to leaving the headlamp in my pack. The first section of the GRT was well broken and i thought i had it made but when i got to the pond the tracks went out on the ice where to hikers were making camp. I resumed trailbeaking duty the rest of the way to Lafayette. At treeline i put the Microspikes and Opened up the throttle a bit. I made good time acroos the ridge and then put the snowshoes at Little Haystack. Broke trail to liberty springs junction and enjoyed hardpack the rest of the way to Flume where i put the microspikes and started the run on tired legs back to lincoln woods. About a mile from the trailhead I met Rebecca and she ran alongside me back to the car.
This was intended to be a training session for an upcoming snowshoe race. I was somewhat conservative due to my limited fuel and water. it could be done faster with support.
Splits:
Lincoln woods to bond cliff trail. 54 min 22 sec
To bond cliff 1 hr 21 min 35 sec elapsed time 2 hr 15 min 58 sec
To mt bond 25 min 56 sec elapsed time 2 hr 41 min 54 sec
To south twin 1 hr 13 min 23 seconds elapsed time 3 hr 55 min 18 sec
To mt Garfield 1 hr 27 min 26 sec elapsed time 5 hr 22 min 44
To mt Lafayette 1 hr 40 min 15 sec elapsed time 7 hr 2min 59 sec
To mt Lincoln 16 min 15 sec elapsed time 7 hr 19 min 15 sec
To mt liberty 1 hr 24 sec elapsed time 8 hr 19 min 39 sec
To mt flume 25 min 52 sec elapsed time 8 hr 45 min 31 sec
To Lincoln woods 1 hr 6 min 6 seconds
Total time: 9 hr 51 min 37 sec
, whereas the West GRP is a 1/4 mile thrash for no view, but remains on the list (go figure). I put a crack from tip to boot opening of one of my Denali's the first winter I had them trying to use the rail cleats sideways to climb one of those ice bulges; duct-taped the crack and it was fine for another five years. 
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