the starchild
New member
My first trip report....a bit late...but with photos!:
http://community.webshots.com/album/418588599AXpBJV
“I’d love to be above treeline as much as possible.” Jano told me over the phone from Oregon as my face and soul grinned. My good friend was returning to the east coast for a few weeks and we were planning a 3 night trip into the Whites. The pemi loop seemed like a great idea and a few weeks later were driving north with packed bags and a great weather forecast.
Day 1 Lincoln Woods to Guyot Shelter
We got a late start on the Wilderness Trail and arrived at the Bondcliff junction around noontime. Gnats were all around us and seemed to enjoy flying suicide missions into our eyes as we hiked in the hot, muggy valley. The second crossing of Black Brook was the last water we saw until Guyot....well except for the buckets and gallons of water dumped from the thunderstorm that quickly decended upon us as we approached the stone steps on the Bondcliff Trail. I got drenched as it was far too hot for a jacket while i watched Jano pull out his travel unbrella and not miss a beat. Curse him and his good ideas!! I did enjoy the cooling weather and the elimination of bugs afterwards though. Soon the slowing rain found 3 pairs of hikers stopped on the trail, talking about the storm and it’s thunder and lightening and the summits and ridges we would soon be approaching. We debated about calling Vegas to get the odds on who would get struck by lightening first on the Bondcliff ridge; the guy with the umbrella or the guy with the big, metal external frame pack!
After passing some time chatting and waiting for the rain and thunder to pass, we began hiking higher again and as we approached the wall to climb up above treeline sunrays were sporaticlally hitting us. Above tree line the post storm views were fantastic. Rays of sunshine, grey clouds, and crazy wind all mixed for a great experience. On top of Bondcliff, a hiker, who had pulled out several items from his pack looking for something, almost lost his pot lid as a gust of wind blew the lid off the pot and sent it rocketing into the air. I mean this thing really freakin’ flew and was luckily retrieved many, many yards down the ridge. We didn’t spend too too much time there as there was still a lot of wind and some unfriendly looking clouds starting to blow over Franconia Ridge towards us. We did not want to press our luck and get caught in another downpour or dodge lightening on the ridge. The wind was really blowing as climbed on the path through the krumholz up Bond. Atop Bond the wind was only getting stronger. We were finding ourselves in and out and under and over the clouds.
Guyot was a very welcomed surprise as there were not many people there, probably due to the thunderstorms. There were only six of us in the shelter and still empty platforms and lots of room to double up if needed. After cooking and relaxing we grabbed a few things and trekked on over to West Bond arriving about half an hour before sunset. The wind was really howling up there but the views were brilliiant! AMAZING! We could trace most of our epic Pemi Loop from there as we looked around 360’ in the light of the setting sun. Bondcliffs, Bond, Guyot, South Twin, Garfield looking nasty as ever, and all the peaks of Franconia Ridge surrounding us and of course Owl’s Head. We also had the rocky summit to ourselves as no one else made the hike up there. A very beautifull, a sunset I will never forget.
Day 2 Guyot Shelter to Garfield Ridge Campsite
After eating breakfast and packing, Jano reminded me of a view I told him about on a past trip. We climbed ontop of the shelter and had a great little view of Washington through the trees. We grabbed our packs and began the ascent back up to the Bondcliff trail and onwards to Guyot. I always love walking in and out of the tiny trees, it has such a mystical quality to it. Someday I’ll hopefully pass through here in a light mist, but today the weather was crystal clear and the presi’s looked close enough to touch. Ok, well not that close, but the cold, Canadian air from the front that passed through the late afternoon before was clear as a bell and gave us awsomely rewarding views in all directions, especially on the summit of South Twin. We enjoyed the view east as we ate and rested before leaving our packs and trooping over to North Twin; which I have never climbed but passed by 5 times. Although I was really looking forward to crossing this one off the 4,000 footer list, I was more happy about the view there than just bagging the peak. The view of Garfield, Galehead and the Pemi was from a vantage point i had never seen and it was exciting seeing everything from a new angle high up on the mountain.
The decent to Galehead Hut seems easier now; perhaps it was all the thoughts of a bottomless bowl of soup for $2 upon our arrival?!?!! Mmmmm......we ate all the veggie something soup and Nate of the croo was kind enough to make some potatoe soup afterwards, Ahhhhh...mooooore Yummy!
We followed all the ups and downs of the Garfield Trail around to Garfield proper and then we really began climbing as we ascended the scrambly section. The views back towards the hut and South Twin were amazing. The actual path of the Twinway climbing straight up S. Twin was clearly visable.
The shelter eas home to atleast a 1/2 dozen people that night and I think every platform was doubled up. We decided to just cowboy camp on a platform, hoping the pertex outer covering on the down bags would really keep us dry as there was a lot of dew there. Our bags did get pretty wet on the surface, but the stellar views of the milky way that moonless night were still warm, cozy and simply amazing.
http://community.webshots.com/album/418588599AXpBJV
“I’d love to be above treeline as much as possible.” Jano told me over the phone from Oregon as my face and soul grinned. My good friend was returning to the east coast for a few weeks and we were planning a 3 night trip into the Whites. The pemi loop seemed like a great idea and a few weeks later were driving north with packed bags and a great weather forecast.
Day 1 Lincoln Woods to Guyot Shelter
We got a late start on the Wilderness Trail and arrived at the Bondcliff junction around noontime. Gnats were all around us and seemed to enjoy flying suicide missions into our eyes as we hiked in the hot, muggy valley. The second crossing of Black Brook was the last water we saw until Guyot....well except for the buckets and gallons of water dumped from the thunderstorm that quickly decended upon us as we approached the stone steps on the Bondcliff Trail. I got drenched as it was far too hot for a jacket while i watched Jano pull out his travel unbrella and not miss a beat. Curse him and his good ideas!! I did enjoy the cooling weather and the elimination of bugs afterwards though. Soon the slowing rain found 3 pairs of hikers stopped on the trail, talking about the storm and it’s thunder and lightening and the summits and ridges we would soon be approaching. We debated about calling Vegas to get the odds on who would get struck by lightening first on the Bondcliff ridge; the guy with the umbrella or the guy with the big, metal external frame pack!
After passing some time chatting and waiting for the rain and thunder to pass, we began hiking higher again and as we approached the wall to climb up above treeline sunrays were sporaticlally hitting us. Above tree line the post storm views were fantastic. Rays of sunshine, grey clouds, and crazy wind all mixed for a great experience. On top of Bondcliff, a hiker, who had pulled out several items from his pack looking for something, almost lost his pot lid as a gust of wind blew the lid off the pot and sent it rocketing into the air. I mean this thing really freakin’ flew and was luckily retrieved many, many yards down the ridge. We didn’t spend too too much time there as there was still a lot of wind and some unfriendly looking clouds starting to blow over Franconia Ridge towards us. We did not want to press our luck and get caught in another downpour or dodge lightening on the ridge. The wind was really blowing as climbed on the path through the krumholz up Bond. Atop Bond the wind was only getting stronger. We were finding ourselves in and out and under and over the clouds.
Guyot was a very welcomed surprise as there were not many people there, probably due to the thunderstorms. There were only six of us in the shelter and still empty platforms and lots of room to double up if needed. After cooking and relaxing we grabbed a few things and trekked on over to West Bond arriving about half an hour before sunset. The wind was really howling up there but the views were brilliiant! AMAZING! We could trace most of our epic Pemi Loop from there as we looked around 360’ in the light of the setting sun. Bondcliffs, Bond, Guyot, South Twin, Garfield looking nasty as ever, and all the peaks of Franconia Ridge surrounding us and of course Owl’s Head. We also had the rocky summit to ourselves as no one else made the hike up there. A very beautifull, a sunset I will never forget.
Day 2 Guyot Shelter to Garfield Ridge Campsite
After eating breakfast and packing, Jano reminded me of a view I told him about on a past trip. We climbed ontop of the shelter and had a great little view of Washington through the trees. We grabbed our packs and began the ascent back up to the Bondcliff trail and onwards to Guyot. I always love walking in and out of the tiny trees, it has such a mystical quality to it. Someday I’ll hopefully pass through here in a light mist, but today the weather was crystal clear and the presi’s looked close enough to touch. Ok, well not that close, but the cold, Canadian air from the front that passed through the late afternoon before was clear as a bell and gave us awsomely rewarding views in all directions, especially on the summit of South Twin. We enjoyed the view east as we ate and rested before leaving our packs and trooping over to North Twin; which I have never climbed but passed by 5 times. Although I was really looking forward to crossing this one off the 4,000 footer list, I was more happy about the view there than just bagging the peak. The view of Garfield, Galehead and the Pemi was from a vantage point i had never seen and it was exciting seeing everything from a new angle high up on the mountain.
The decent to Galehead Hut seems easier now; perhaps it was all the thoughts of a bottomless bowl of soup for $2 upon our arrival?!?!! Mmmmm......we ate all the veggie something soup and Nate of the croo was kind enough to make some potatoe soup afterwards, Ahhhhh...mooooore Yummy!
We followed all the ups and downs of the Garfield Trail around to Garfield proper and then we really began climbing as we ascended the scrambly section. The views back towards the hut and South Twin were amazing. The actual path of the Twinway climbing straight up S. Twin was clearly visable.
The shelter eas home to atleast a 1/2 dozen people that night and I think every platform was doubled up. We decided to just cowboy camp on a platform, hoping the pertex outer covering on the down bags would really keep us dry as there was a lot of dew there. Our bags did get pretty wet on the surface, but the stellar views of the milky way that moonless night were still warm, cozy and simply amazing.
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