Here's the Day 1-2 video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q3gCJG1A4w
Here's the Day 3 video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL93s7OVJko
Here's a link to maps and the path I took:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1773922
I'll try to figure out how to get the gpx file up here so you can download and feed it to Google Earth; the options in there are pretty cool.
A few months ago Backpacker magazine published a little report about a loop (lollypop actually) hike in the Pemigewasset Wilderness of the White Mountain National Forest:
http://www.backpacker.com/2012-june-...s/16635?page=7
In July I decided to give it a try and started some planning. My wife gave me some dates that would work with her schedule and the pieces began falling into place. Around Labor day I began doing some serious training hikes on the AT north of Harrisburg PA. By the time departure arrived, I wished I'd had more training miles but felt I could pull this thing off.
DAY 0:
I call this Day 0 because things didn't go quite as I'd planned. I decided to take a Google maps route which put me up in the Whites in record time for me but Google didn't account for slow traffic and detours. In addition some dash lights started blinking and my radio would cut out periodically. The car ran fine so I soldiered on until I decided to stop for some grub and a nature call. Once the car was stopped and all the highway wind and tire noise was gone I could hear a high pitched whine coming from the engine compartment. I popped the hood, saw nothing out of place, and went in to McDonalds. Upon restarting the car, everything seemed normal so I pushed on with the thought that if the symptoms returned I'd go back home. Just before I crossed the border with NY at Port Jervis (birthplace of the famous Banach brothers) I stopped for gas and of course once the car was stopped I could again hear the engine whine. So I decided to return home rather than break down 500 miles from home. Got home, got the vehicle checked (cracked vacuum hose and tired ignition switch contacts) and because there was such a great weather window up in NH decided to give it another go the next day. Wednesday the 12th dawned just as beautiful as the day before and I drove to New Hampshire without a hitch (woohoo!). I spent that night at Hancock Campground less than 1/2 mile from the trailhead and met some bike campers who were finishing a cross-country trip. We exchanged some nice conversation about the differences between backpacking and using bikes and I settled in for the night.
DAY 1:
Thursday the 13th again was beautiful from the get-go and I didn't waste any time. I ate brekky, did my final packing and was at the trailhead before 7:30. The trail out of Lincoln Woods is on old rail beds so it's very straight and very flat (I gained about 1500' elevation in 10 miles this day). However I would not recommend using Backpacker's route. They should know that the bridges were destroyed two years ago by Irene and there's no way to get from west of the Pemi to the east side. From Lincoln Woods I recommend using the East Side Trail. The Wilderness Trail ends up east of the Pemi anyway and you won't have to ford the river like I did. I was lucky that the weather was good and the river level was low. So from the trailhead take the East Side Trail, and save yourself the trouble. Other than that, I had no problem until I got to Stillwater Junction. After a stream crossing you get on the Shoal Pond Trail and continue north. However, I couldn't find the trail to save my soul (I'll figger out how to post the gpx file and you can see how I wandered back and forth for 45 minutes looking). I ambled about checking my gps and the maps and the tread paths but everything lead to a dead-end. Finally after 3/4 hour, by luck i noticed something out the corner of my eye that looked like a break in the underbrush that could be a trail. I tried it and after 30 yards or so of pushing thru brush and pine saplings, it did indeed open up to a real trail and I was back in business. I really thought my hike was going to end there because I wasn't about to go ahead on a hunch and nothing was looking good so I'd resigned myself to camping there and hiking back next day. Sooo I was glad to be going again, this time on Shoal Pond Trail (again straight and flat; little challenge on day 1). After passing Shoal Pond (very pretty) you get on Ethan Pond Trail (also the AT) for a mile or so. Along this stretch I actually passed two thru-hikers that I'd encountered back in PA while training. We exchanged pleasantries and went on our separate ways. A short while later I was at Whitewall Brook and my home for the night. I was ready for the bag after 16+ miles and the little snafus I'd had.
DAY 2:
Friday the 14th was again clear skies and mild temps (I said it was a great weather window). This was the day I trained for because it had a climb that is pretty tough for an old fart like me. It went up 1500' in the first 1.25 mile and then undulated further up and down till I got to Guyot Campsite. Along the way I passed the campsite caretaker heading back down to the valley and he informed me that a change in the weather was heading in that night. Tomorrow (Saturday the 15th) was going to be vastly different than the previous 5 days or so. Windy with gusts from 35-60mph, temps in the 30s, and a 'wintry mix' in the afternoon(uh-oh). I arrived at Guyot Campsite early and secured one of the tent platforms that could accommodate a hammock and then just sorta hung out for the rest of the day. By nightfall the place was full and included an interesting mix of campers. Just below me were three enthusiastic young folks and further down the hill a pair of ladies in their 40s or 50s who were finishing up their New Hampshire 48 4000 footers on this trip (hurray for them!). That night I didn't sleep well; not from tossing and turning, I just didn't feel very sleepy.
DAY 3:
And then the rain came. It really wasn't bad at all. Started around 0500 and lasted about 45 minutes. I stayed in the hammock till after 7 am and promised myself to take a zero if need be. Things started clearing pretty quickly though and I put myself to work breaking camp. I was out by about 830 and before too long was at the spur trail to West Bond. West Bond has great views of Guyot, Mt Bond and Bondcliff and of course the surrounding peaks. It was more than a little windy out there and I quickly left for the rest of the ridge and the views from there. Back on the Bondcliff Trail I was just out of the wind as it and the clouds were racing by only feet above my head as that was where the treetops were. The skies were changing minute by minute; it was quite impressive. Next up was Mt Bond summit and by the time I got there, the wind was really starting to get serious. I could see ominous clouds to the west of Franconia Ridge making there way east and toward me. You could practically watch their advancement. However I was so taken by the views that I didn't pay enough proper attention to the weather. I have been reading about the Bonds for a few years now and they definitely did not disappoint. Spectacular. On the exposed ridge from Mt Bond to Bondcliff, I was blown off the trail and into the alpine flora three times. The trail ran across the wind direction and my pack kept getting blown around me and dragging me with it off trail. I finally forced myself to pay attention to what was coming my way and really began to hike with a purpose to Bondcliff as I didn't bring any proper rain gear and getting wet in those conditions would be some really bad business. Once on Bondcliff I had some excellent views of Bond, West Bond and the valleys beneath and the exposed ridge I'd just traversed. Awesome stuff. But it was time for me to head down below tree line and a safer environment. Of course down there things were completely different. I quickly began shedding clothing layers as I went down hill. I passed several groups of day hikers on their way to the top and they were all dressed in short pants and shirt sleeves because of the effort they were expending in their climb. I explained the conditions up on the ridge and some said they were prepared for that with extra clothing but more than a few were not ready for what awaited them on the ridge. Down at the junction with the Wilderness Trail at around 1500' elevation I ran into the two ladies that compeleted their New Hampshire 48. They finally felt it was safe enough to properly celebrate their accomplishment with some good food and two small bottles of champagne. I gave them my congrats and continued on my way. I got back to the car, took care of some personal hygiene and headed home satisfied that I'd actually pulled this thing off. It was shortly after midnight when I walked in the door and was greeted by the dogs (they love it when I bring some really funky clothing home for them to check out; especially the blue tick).
Despite a few minor set backs it was a very good and rewarding trip that I can heartily recommend. My only regret is that the weather didn't allow me to spend more time on that ridge, but the ridge isn't going anywhere and I'm sure I'll find some excuse to return. Just do like I said above and take the East Side Trail to save yourself a fording of the Pemi river.
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