TRIP
LOCATION: The Bonds, North and
South Twin, and Galehead with two nights at Galehead Hut
MEETING
TIME: 9 am at trailhead of North
Twin trail to car spot and carpool to Gale River trailhead
NUMBER OF
PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): Six
TOTAL HIKING
TIME (IN HOURS): 1st Day: About 4
hours up Gale River trail to hut, and another hour round trip to Galehead
summit. 2nd Day: 10 hours up South Twin and out to Bond and Bondcliff and
return, including spur to West Bond. 3rd Day: 6 hours 15 minutes up South Twin,
over North Twin and descent to spotted cars.
LENGTH IN
MILES: 1st Day: 6.2 miles (about 5.2
to hut plus 1 mile up Galehead and back). 2nd Day: 12.3 miles. 3rd Day: 6.4
miles
TOTAL ELEVATION
GAIN (IN FEET): 1st Day: 2400 feet
including Mt. Galehead. 2nd Day: 4201 feet cumulative gain. 3rd Day: 1128 feet
up South Twin before beginning descent
DIFFICULTY: A day
2, B days 1 and 3 (A=very strenuous;
B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)
LEADER
NAME(S): Len Ulbricht
CO-LEADER
NAME(S): Walt Granda
TRAILHEAD
PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION: We
met at North Twin trailhead, left three cars and carpooled two cars to Gale
River trailhead. North Twin trailhead about 3 miles in on dirt road from Rte. 3.
Gale River trailhead about 2+ miles in on dirt road (Trudeau Rd) from Rte. 3.
About 3 miles of Rte. 3 separates the two access roads.
CAR SPOTTING
REQUIRED?: Yes TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:
30 minutes
WAS TRIP
WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST? Yes
BRIEFLY
DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED: 1st Day: Gale
River trail to hut, Frost trail to Galehead summit and back. Muddy conditions
on first two miles of Galehead trail. 2nd Day: Twinway trail up South Twin and
Guyot to Bondcliff trail and Mts. Bond and Bondcliff. On return took West Bond
spur to West Bond and back. The first
half mile up South Twin is steep and a jumble of boulders. The rest of Twinway
and Bondcliff trail have wet spots and several ups and downs. 3rd Day: Twinway
up South Twin (again) and then North Twin trail over North Twin and descent to
spotted cars. Last two miles has 3 water crossings. Water level was low (no
recent rains). We changed to water crossing shoes though other hikers rock
hopped. There is no longer a fallen tree across first crossing (when
descending) to scootch across on.
WEATHER
CONDITIONS FOR HIKE: Perfecto. Three days of sunshine, temps in 60s, and light
winds.
OTHER
COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.): Strenuous 2nd day of 12 miles in 10
hours (book time 8 hours) required
monitoring progress against pre-planned schedule in case early turn around
became necessary. See attached waypoint schedule.
Photo: Mt Bond to Bondcliff from West Bond
Left peak is Mt Bond (el 4698 ft). Right peak is Bondcliff (el. 4265 ft)
Courtesy of Len Ulbricht
Photo: Mt Bond to Bondcliff from West Bond
Left peak is Mt Bond (el 4698 ft). Right peak is Bondcliff (el. 4265 ft)
Courtesy of Len Ulbricht
