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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Bondcliff (attempt), NH
Trails
Trails: Lincoln Woods Trail, Bondcliff Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, February 20, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: less than 10 cars at Lincoln Woods in the am; maybe 1/3 of the lot full in the afternoon 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable) 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: except for one crossing all other crossings were open but with low water level; easy to rock hop 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: a few minor duck under; nothing difficult 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: one was out and about today (but I didn't see it; hiker and dog started after I did and turned around before I did) 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: I was trying to get Bond and Bondcliff after last week's weather had us abort a planned southbound traverse on Hale. Surprisingly, nobody had traversed thus far this weekend. When I started, I noticed one set of fresh microspikes tracks on Lincoln Woods; they continued onto the Wilderness Trail where the hiker switched to snowshoes; I followed suit. A few barebooter holes (from Saturday or Sunday) were there, ruining the cross country ski tracks that ran 3/4 to the Bondcliff Trail. The barebooters had turned around at the Bondcliff trail juncture.
Exactly one pair of snowshoes on Bondcliff trail and I thanked the hiker in my mind every minute; the snow was so rigid due to being icy from yesterday's thawing. Eventually, I, unfortunately for me, met the hiker. We teamed up and I took the lead trail breaking. Bob decided to turn around after a little while. He had done an amazing job--he had nicely bushwhacked around some areas of the trail that were under water. I ended up turning around not long thereafter just below the trail beginning to zigzag. My pace was so slow I knew I wouldn't make it to Bondcliff by turnaround time (never mind making it to Bond). I bumped into Bob again who was having lunch on the trail. After I passed him, I came across a set of bareboot prints and dog prints... a hiker had come up about .25mi of Bondcliff trail before deciding to turn around. That quarter mile was totally mucked up again and I tried to smoothen it with my snowshoes as much as I could. Same for the Wilderness Trail.

Bumped into ranger on Lincoln Woods trail and had a nice chat. Not many people out and about; mostly cross country skiers. Lincoln Woods was solid and a bit icy; perfect with microspikes.

If everything went according to plan, a southbound traverse run by an AMC chapter happened today so the trail is hopefully broken out now.

While no summit, a gorgeous day in the Wilderness with bluebird skies, silence,.... nature is pretty.  
Name
Name:
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-02-20 
Link
Link: https:// 
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