a repeat hike - Zealand Mtn, West Bond, Mount Bond and Bondcliff

Wednesday, July 6, 2022 - Ever since I finished this hike back on June 10, 2016 (read blog here), I have wanted to repeat it.

Not because it was so easy (it was hard) - Not because it was beautiful (it was cloudy all day), but because MapMyWalk (and my old iPhone) died half-way through the hike:

Of course, today's blog actually starts the day before, with a morning hike on Singing Beach:

Wendy had a fun afternoon, playing in the Swift River along the Kancamagus Highway:

Dinner at the Woodstock Inn Brewery, spent the night at the Quality Inn in Lincoln, and had a Great Breakfast at 7 AM at Arnold's Wayside Diner (new name, but same place as 6 years ago):

Drove up-and-around, and were at the Zealand Trail at 8:44, ready for the-rain-that-never-really-happened:

This section up to the Zealand Falls Hut is actually just about 3 miles long (6 miles round-trip - Good Job Wendy!):

Pretty Cool trail, through the woods and past the ponds:

Zealand Falls actually has a few sections:

We were up at Zealand Falls Hut at 10:35

From there, Wendy headed back down to the car, and I hiked up into the mountains.

Sometimes more of a "scramble" instead of a "hike":

Who needs a ladder!?!?

Well, maybe I do ...

I reached Zealand Mtn Summit at 12:21

Nice high-altitude trail:

on my way over to the Mount Guyot area:

Nice open area, making my way south:

This map shows my route - making my way south from Zealand Mtn to Mt Guyot. After going shortly downhill the Twinway trail (which is also the Appalachian Trail) goes northeast, and the Bondcliff Trail goes south. After 0.8 miles, you take a right (west) on West Bond Spur for 0.5 miles.

My first view of West Bond on West Bond Spur:

10 minutes later at The Summit (2 PM):

PRETTY AWESOME VIEW looking back at Mount Bond and Bondcliff:

45 minutes later, I was up at Mount Bond, with a wonderful view behind me looking south at Bondcliff:

Pretty Cool Hike south along the ridge (just follow the cairns):

Windy up on Bondcliff at 3:30

Please ignore the guy-in-the-red-shirt behind me, and do not do that!

From Bondcliff, it is 3 hours and 25 minutes to get down to Lincoln Woods Trailhead, where Wendy is picking me up. Another 8.6 miles!!

Unfortunately, a mile-and-a-half/45 minutes down from Bondcliff, I lost the trail. It was there, then it wasn't:

I kept bushwacking downhill, but I knew I wanted to be on the west-side of the Brook. I had a sense I was too far east, so I angled west/right, and found the brook and crossed it, and then found the trail. The woods were pretty open, so I don't think I lost more than a few minutes, if that.

At 5:58 I crossed over Franconia Brook, with some campers downstream from me:

Looking upstream:

The last 4 miles have some BIG straight-as-an-arrow sections. Looking ahead:

Looking behind:

I crossed over The Bridge at 6:52

And joined my Beautiful Bride at 6:54

WOW - 18.93 miles in 10 hours 12 minutes:

We drove into Lincoln and had great burgers at Gordi's Fish & Steak House (sit at the bar), and I polished off 2 root beers like there was no tomorrow! Wendy drove home (of course), and we were home by 10 PM. Thank you God for these Wonderful Adventures!!!

For our listening pleasure yesterday and today - 3 Jackson Browne albums:

Hold Out, 1980

World in Motion, 1989

I'm Alive, 1993

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about visiting Art Museums and National Parks (and hiking in the Rockies)
hyperlink: dixonheadingwest
http://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/