kltilton
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2004
- Messages
- 398
- Reaction score
- 47
I planned on hiking out to Bondcliff this weekend, but the storm made for tough going on Friday. The weather was beautiful but the snow was deep. The skiing was great out to the Wilderness Boundary where the local ranger had made a couple of snowmobile passes out to Franconia Falls Trail. After crossing the trail I had to break trail on skis all the way out to the Bondcliff Trail. There was at least 2 feet of snow the whole way which made for slow going. It took me 2.5 hours to ski the 4.8 miles to the Bondcliff Trail. I stopped to take a bathroom break off of my skis and sank up to my waist.
I decided to leave my skis here as I strapped on my snowshoes to head up to Bondcliff. Once again it was time to break trail, but it seemed a little easier on snowshoes. I reached my turn around time about 2 miles up the trail, and stopped for lunch. I was disappointed to not reach the wonderful outlooks from Bondcliff, but I knew I would be headed there in May.
After having some lunch I headed back down the trail and enjoyed some of the scenery through the trees. Coming back down was a lot easier on the broken out trail. I hopped back on my skis and cruised back to Lincoln Woods, tired but happy. The new ski tracks set by the ranger cut about 10 minutes of my return time!
Lessons Learned:
1.) Start earlier.
2.) Don't carry so much stuff.
Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/272392121TFaSOf
I decided to leave my skis here as I strapped on my snowshoes to head up to Bondcliff. Once again it was time to break trail, but it seemed a little easier on snowshoes. I reached my turn around time about 2 miles up the trail, and stopped for lunch. I was disappointed to not reach the wonderful outlooks from Bondcliff, but I knew I would be headed there in May.
After having some lunch I headed back down the trail and enjoyed some of the scenery through the trees. Coming back down was a lot easier on the broken out trail. I hopped back on my skis and cruised back to Lincoln Woods, tired but happy. The new ski tracks set by the ranger cut about 10 minutes of my return time!
Lessons Learned:
1.) Start earlier.
2.) Don't carry so much stuff.
Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/272392121TFaSOf
