[ad_1]
The Bonds are a gaggle of three peaks – Bondcliff, Mt Bond, and West Bond – 11 miles from the closest highway in the course of the White Mountains Pemigewasset Wilderness. They are spectacular mountains to climb with breathtaking views. With daylight in brief provide, I made a decision to backpack out to the Bonds on a 1-night journey as an alternative of making an attempt to do an out and again in a single day which I’ve achieved in summer season when the times are for much longer.
We have been having an unusually heat and dry November and I’ve been profiting from it by climbing a few of the more durable peaks that I’ve remaining on the Grid spreadsheet. The Grid is the uber peak listing of the White Mountains and requires mountain climbing all 48 of the White Mountain 4000 footers in every calendar month of the yr for a complete of 576 summits (most individuals take 4 years or extra to complete the listing). This journey counted as my ninth month out to the Bonds, that are often hiked as a gaggle. I nonetheless must hike them in December, February, and April, which might be way more difficult as a consequence of winter climate and path circumstances.
All three of the Bonds have above-treeline publicity so it’s essential to select protected climate (not too chilly, not too windy, no lightning) to hike them. For this journey, I used to be anticipating temperatures within the 40’s with wind speeds as much as 30 mph on the hike in, nighttime temps within the excessive 20’s with 40 mph winds (at elevation), and temperatures within the excessive 50’s when mountain climbing out with 30 mph winds.
Given the wind forecast, I made a decision to sleep on the Guyot Campsite, which is about 400′ beneath the summit of Mt Bond (4600′) and effectively protected against the prevailing northwestern winds. It has wood platforms, so I introduced a semi-freestanding tent which is less complicated to arrange on them than a trekking pole tent. I additionally made a degree to carry a heat hat and gloves, a heat sleeping bag, excessive R-value sleeping pad, and an isobutane range with me along with my common 3-season gear. I haven’t used a few of this gear shortly (see beneath), so it was enjoyable to rediscover why I purchased it within the first place! It actually is great.
For this journey, I did an out-and-back from Lincoln Woods, simply exterior of Lincoln, NH. The first a part of this hike is a 6-mile stroll alongside the Lincoln Woods Trail to the purpose the place the Bondcliff Trail begins to climb to the Bonds. It goes quick, like effectively underneath 2 hours, however I’ve hiked this one phase so many occasions that I form of dread it now. If there’s a hell, it might be having to hike this path again and again for the remainder of eternity! I do know many White Mountain hikers who would agree.
The subsequent 4.6 miles climb to Bondcliff (4265′) gaining 2750′ of elevation. Parts of it are steep, however on the entire, it’s a nice grade, though the path is sort of rocky. I used to be feeling fairly robust although on the way in which up and made it to the summit of Bondcliff in 2.5 hours, stopping solely at 3100′ (final water) to filter some water.
The most difficult part of the path was up subsequent, operating from the Bondcliff summit to the summit of Mt Bond. While it’s solely 0.8 miles and 750′ of elevation acquire, the path is totally uncovered to the climate and full of enormous boulders, requiring cautious footwork to ascend. I’ve fallen backward among the many rocks on this ascent prior to now and remained miraculously unhurt, nevertheless it has my utmost respect because of this. Many of my buddies really feel the identical manner.
Once on the summit of Mt Bond, it’s a reasonably straightforward descent to the West Bond Spur and a brief hike out to that summit. Once on the prime, I dropped my gear and sat going through Bondcliff which has an aesthetically pleasing curved profile that I by no means get uninterested in viewing. I don’t consider in the next energy, but when there’s one, they certainly had a hand in forming Bondcliff.
I backtracked from West Bond and hiked all the way down to the Guyot Campsite, which has a sequence of wood platforms perched on the east facet of Mt Bond. The place is totally overrun in summer season when it’s packed to the gills with campers, however there have been solely three of us that evening. I grabbed one of many platforms with an open view of the sky hoping to observe the celebrities at evening. While it was very clear that evening, the moon was additionally very vivid, obscuring the milky manner above. Guess I’ll have to return on the market once more someday (twisting my arm).
I obtained all arrange by 3:30, cooked a easy dinner, and was in my sleeping bag by 4:30. It was fairly chilly out (the forecast was for 29), so I turned all my bottles (vast mouth) the other way up so the lids wouldn’t freeze and slept with my water filter in my sleeping bag to forestall it from freezing. I’d introduced a sleeping bag that I haven’t used a lot lately, a Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20, and slid into it to remain heat. I’ve owned this bag since 2006 and it’s nonetheless in good situation, though the highest material is a bit pale. By 5:00 pm, I used to be gone and quick asleep till 7:00 am the subsequent morning. God, I really like sleeping exterior!
The subsequent day I solely had about 750′ of elevation acquire from reclimbing to the summits of Mt Bond and Bondcliff on the way in which again to Lincoln Woods. There was some wind once I was strolling within the open on Mt Bond and the wind was pushy though solely when it gusted. Once I dipped beneath treeline once more on the south finish of Bondcliff, I adopted the path all the way in which again to Lincoln Woods, retracing my steps from the day past.
This was an excellent journey and I worry the final time I’ll get to make use of 3-season gear on an in a single day this yr. Winter is correct across the bend.
Recommended Guidebooks and Maps:
SectionHiker is reader-supported. We independently analysis, take a look at, and fee the most effective merchandise. We solely earn money if you buy a product via our affiliate hyperlinks. Help us proceed to check and write unsponsored and unbiased gear critiques, newbie FAQs, and free mountain climbing guides.
[ad_2]