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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Zealand Mountain, Mt. Guyot, West Bond, Mt. Bond, Bondcliff, NH
Trails
Trails: Zealand Road, Zealand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur, Lincoln Woods Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Zealand Road is closed (road is snow free and dry) and gated. Used the winter lot just east on US 302. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Zealand Trail crossings required getting boots slightly wet. Twinway crossing above hut required a leap of faith (poles were a huge help). Bondcliff Trail crossings prior to the rail grade (4 total) were hoppable, though submerged rocks had to be used. Bondcliff Trail railgrade crossing was hoppable. Lincoln Woods Trail bridge north of Osseo still closed; crossing would require minor wading. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Cut out a blowdown on Twinway and removed a few others by hand. Many remain, including some large ones on lower Bondcliff Trail. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: A few random flies. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Zealand Road was dry and firm.

Zealand Trail initially had a few patches of snow, but then transitioned to a few extended stretches of monorail, followed by more stretches of patchy monorail (and long stretches of nothing). We barebooted with care first thing this morning, but softer conditions could have warranted musical snowshoes.

Deep pocket of snow prior to the steep up to the hut. Steep up to the hut was mostly snow free.

Varying intermittent monorail above the hut, however at 2,900 feet we started postholing deeply, so snowshoes went on. Kept them on all the way to Guyot. Some bare ledge between the Zeacliff view spur and the Zeacliff Trail (as well as slightly floating bog bridges), but still deep snow in the scrubby areas. Ladder has melted out. Generally 1-2 feet of snowpack on the ridge to Zealand.

Deeper snow from Zealand to Guyot, with a few blazes at knee to pocket level. Probably 2-4 feet of snowpack. Can't imagine this without snowshoes right now.

Guyot was bare, as was South Guyot. We barebooted the short scrubby patch between the two and found it to be tedious; stretch is borderline too short to justify snowshoes, but it was very soft and resulted in some deep postholes.

Snowshoes went on again as soon as we reached the scrub off South Guyot. Still plenty of snow thereafter to West Bond and Bond. West Bond Spur col would be tedious without snowshoes, as various routes this winter did not follow the trail and are now unstable. The top 10-20 vertical feet on West Bond has melted.

Snow stopped roughly 50 feet in either direction on Bond. Snowshoes stayed on for the initial descent through the trees to Bondcliff, as there was plenty of snow in there (though the scramble ledge has emerged and is wet). Bondcliff ridge was dry/snow free.

Hillary Stumble has melted out. A little snow above it in the scrub, but consistent snow starting at the foot of it. Snowshoes went back on there, as the monorail was not particularly solid. Snow remains on the trail shelf, but the adjacent slopes are melting quickly. Snowshoes stayed on until about 3,250 feet in elevation, at which point the monorail became patchy. A few extended stretches of monorail remained near water crossings, but virtually no snow by the time we reached the bottom crossing. Some muck in places thereafter.

Bondcliff Trail railgrade had zero snow and was fairly dry, other than the usual mucky areas. Lincoln Woods Trail also had zero snow and was very dry.

Nice local weather today (was raining just south of Lincoln this morning and looked cloudy in the Eastern Slope region for awhile), with blue skies and minimal winds. Only saw four other people today. Had from Zeacliff to Bondcliff completely to ourselves.

Though the approaches are melting out quickly, lots of snow remains at elevation. I would not advise doing this without carrying snowshoes in the coming days.  
Name
Name: rocket21 
E-Mail
E-Mail: rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-04-14 
Link
Link: https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos 
Bookmark and Share Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

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