hikerfast
Active member
I was sposed to go with mcRat and co to Cabot, but as usual i woke up late. After reading nhmtnhiker's report, I wanted to try heading up there to west bond, just not up a slide. I headed out around 10:30 I'd guess, cause I left my watch at home. Went out the first 3 miles, all skiied out. Then I got on Franconia brook trail, and the brooks were all open, kinda annoying. There was about 8 inches of new snow on the ground, but I just slogged in boots, no big deal. I got to what I guessed was hellgate brook, and was going to follow it up to the bond west bond col, and just go up that slope thru the woods, which i remember being open seeming in march 1986 when I was there in winter. Bob's footprints were BARELY visible..and I followed for like 200 feet, till they petered out. It looked like a hideous mess, so I went back to the trail and continued north. I figured I would go up the west ridge of west bond, which we came down, it was open woods 20 years ago. I hiked for maybe a mile or less, banged a right and headed up to start my bushwhack. About 400 feet thru open woods, I actually hit thick evergreens, and a downhill. I could see from this little bump exactly where I was going..it looked like a good route. I went down to this little pond(nice) and continued up. I kept going thru these little evergreens that weren't obvious when looking up previously. My coat was wet in a few minutes. I went up for maybe an hour, and didn't gain more than a few hundred feet of elevation I don't think, because I was slipping and going thru stunted stuff, and going around stuff, and going to the left to avoid thick evergreens. I figured I would hardly make west bond in the light at that rate, and I think perhaps those evergreens were either not there 20 years ago, or buried in March by deep snow. So I turned around, and instead of following my tracks, just went straight downhill and came to the trail in maybe half an hour. I was wishing I had taken the bondcliff trail, but how boring would that be? 
And my goal had been west bond. I spose perhaps going out there with the bobster would have been better, I could have gone up thru the woods into the col while he tackled the slide, it sounds like he knew the route. I must be getting spoiled, because bushwhacking seemed like a pain in the arse. Maybe it wasn't cold enough, cause I was hot with the jacket that was required to avoid all the snow in the stunted trees. I headed back and when crossing one of the brooks, went thru the ice into water over my waist deep. It was annoying because I fell over backwards and was practically body soaked. My boots got stuck a little bit in the muck, and after getting those out of there while being mostly in the water, got back into the snow. It's amazing how cold you get when your legs and upper body covered with polypro gets in the water. I figured I'd warm up if I ran so ran I did. I took the polypro off in a bit and wrung it out, and put on a thin fleece instead. I jogged back a bit then settled into my slog. It was nice looking to my left up at west bond from a couple of those open little ponds off the trail. It was dark for the last 3 miles, and I got out around 6:30 maybe. After that nice post about how much I like my ice axe, I think I left it on the car, cause I don't have it now. It must have fallen off in the parking lot at Lincoln Woods. What a drag. Well that was an interesting hike anyways, in spite of not even getting close to west bond summit. One thing outside of my experience is being in deep water with boots stuck in the muck in winter. I guess I like brook crossings even less than I used to. Aren't they sposed to be frozen over in winter? call your congressmen! Over and out
And my goal had been west bond. I spose perhaps going out there with the bobster would have been better, I could have gone up thru the woods into the col while he tackled the slide, it sounds like he knew the route. I must be getting spoiled, because bushwhacking seemed like a pain in the arse. Maybe it wasn't cold enough, cause I was hot with the jacket that was required to avoid all the snow in the stunted trees. I headed back and when crossing one of the brooks, went thru the ice into water over my waist deep. It was annoying because I fell over backwards and was practically body soaked. My boots got stuck a little bit in the muck, and after getting those out of there while being mostly in the water, got back into the snow. It's amazing how cold you get when your legs and upper body covered with polypro gets in the water. I figured I'd warm up if I ran so ran I did. I took the polypro off in a bit and wrung it out, and put on a thin fleece instead. I jogged back a bit then settled into my slog. It was nice looking to my left up at west bond from a couple of those open little ponds off the trail. It was dark for the last 3 miles, and I got out around 6:30 maybe. After that nice post about how much I like my ice axe, I think I left it on the car, cause I don't have it now. It must have fallen off in the parking lot at Lincoln Woods. What a drag. Well that was an interesting hike anyways, in spite of not even getting close to west bond summit. One thing outside of my experience is being in deep water with boots stuck in the muck in winter. I guess I like brook crossings even less than I used to. Aren't they sposed to be frozen over in winter? call your congressmen! Over and out
