Zealand Mountain via Zeacliff Trail (White Mountain National Forest)

Zealand Mountain via Zeacliff Trail (White Mountain National Forest)

Hike Type: -o- Loop

Distance: 12.73 miles

Elevation: 2,782 feet

My Time: 8 hours, 8 minutes (6 hours, 39 minutes moving)

Book Time: 7 hours, 45 minutes

Parking: Ample parking with overflow lot at Zealand Trail Trailhead ($5 Day Use Fee)
Hiking Challenges: New Hampshire 4000-Footers; New Hampshire Appalachian Trail

The Hike 

So I had been having car troubles since I got back to New Jersey from Florida. I got quoted $6,500 for a fix, which had me gasping for air. I called Ray's mechanic, who, in a thick Irish accent, said "oh shit man I don't do those repairs any more I'm too old," and Christien's said "listen you'll pay the same no matter where you go but the dealership will get it done faster." I brought the car back to the dealership after finding my warranty paperwork, which looked promising, and basically said "what do I do I can't pay $6,500 but I have this warranty." After 45ish minutes the service advisor comes back with a piece of highlighted paper, kneels down, and shows me what the paper said. It was an email from Honda from the same morning saying that they have extended the warranties for all 2017-2021 CRVs because of an engine problem, and because Honda extended their warranty, the repair would be FREE. I think my soul left my body.

ANYWAY, with that, I was advised to not drive my car until the fix, which will happen sometime next week. Yesterday, Chrsitien offered for me to borrow his car, which was super nice, and once I was done being stubborn I accepted the offer and drove up to hike Middle Sister. He was off today, so we decided to go hiking again! I proposed three possible hikes, knowing that he loves a water feature: Mt. Moosilauke via Gorge Brook (not much water, but treeline), Mt. Chocorua via Champney Falls, or Zealand Mtn. via Zeacliff Trail. None of the hike were horribly strenuous and all had views, but we ended on Zealand because of how many different views and water features, and that it would still be stunning even if we were socked in the clouds.

Knowing he doesn't like the super early mornings that I like, so I let him choose the time we were to leave, and he said 5:36 - specific, but sounds good! He got up at 4:30am, I got up at 5:00am. I was ready by 5:15am because I simply move quickly in the morning, so I tried to help him get ready, but I think I stressed him out instead (oops). I sat patiently, playing my New York Times games, and we were out the door just before 6:00am!

Our drive started with a listen to Sara Barellis's new album: Good Grief, which was slower music than I usually listen to on these morning drives, but the music was very pretty and poetic. This brought us directly to Hooksett (literally had 10 seconds left in the album when we parked), we had a potty break and stocked up on food. We stopped at the Tilton Walmart 20ish minutes later so I could grab a quick shirt to hike in for the day - I foolishly only brought my mid-weight merino long sleeve, and it would be far too warm for that. The second half our drive featured the newest episode of Normal Gossip, and we made it to the end of Zealand Road just after 9:00am! The main parking area was pretty busy for a Friday morning, and there were a few groups of hikers getting ready for their days. To my dismay, I didn't realize this was a day use fee area, and neither of us had our $5 (sorry, USFS!). We made use of the bathrooms, got suited up, and it was time to being our journey!

[9:18am - Start of hike on Zealand Trail] 

Our hike began on the old railway bed along the Zealand Trail, passing a mini-grove of ghost pipes. The trail was delightfully flat underfoot as we passed the "2.8 miles to Zealand Falls Hut" and official Zealand Trail signs. The morning spider webs were all off-trail (thanks to the hikers before us), and the off-trail survivors were illuminated with the morning dew and sunlight. It was a nice 67 degrees out, but it was HUMID!

[9:25am - Zealand Trail/Departs FPA]

The trail soon became more rocky and rugged and then departed the Forest Protection Area - this change of character is due to a relocation of the trail off of the rail bed, likely due to flooding/erosion. The trail brought us across a few bridges over (currently) minor streams, eventually rejoining the old railroad bed. The hobblebush in the forest were starting to show their fall color of dark red. 

Now alongside the Zealand River, there were a few herd paths on the left to see the scenic river, with a few cascades and swimming holes. The trail begins to menauver around the river, crossing it numerous times on bridges and a couple rock hops that were easily navigated. We were slightly swimming upstream, crossing paths with dozens of hikers leaving the Zealand Falls Hut. This whole hike in was wonderfully scenic and we kept saying that if it stayed like this we could hike forever!

[10:04am - Zealand Trail/Boardwalk]

We eventually arrived at the section I was excited to see for the first time - the beaver ponds! This section was marked by views of nearby mountains (possibly Mt. Tom on the left?) and views across the numerous (or one large?) ponds. There was a wonderful boardwalk lined with red berries and "common wrinkled-leaf goldenrods." 

We took a break in the woods for a quick snack and for Christien to put on my extra socks (he wore ankle socks which was already causing problems). We were cheered on by an increidbly yappy duck. The views to Mt. Tom increased with mostly cloudy skies and very humid air. We dipped back into the woods along the wetlands for a bit as we approached the junction with the A-Z Trail.

[10:23am - Zealand Trail/A-Z Trail]

[10:25am - Zealand Trail/Enters FPA]

I was now in slightly familiar territory, as Sarah and I had hiked this section this past December. We hiked over a lovely bridge and then entered the Forest Protection area just after. The Zealand Trail paralleled Zealond Pond here with a lovely view to what I think is the Zeacliff mass with maybe Hale's south peak behind? The pond levels were noticeable low and we could hear the rush of Zealand Falls in the not-too-far distance. 

[10:30am - Ethan Pond Trail]

We continued through the junction with Twinway onto the Ethan Pond Trail. I naturally took a photo of the sign(s), and a guy made a joke about "now you won't get lost!" - in hindsight it feels a little cheeky, but I took it playfully!

[10:33am - Ethan Pond Trail/Departs FPA]

We hiked along the still-delightfully flat railroad grade, eventually passing three backpackers along the way. The trail was narrower here and maneuvered some more eroded stretches (featuring a few rocky sections and dips), but overall it was pretty nice walking. 

We excitedly existed the woods onto the magnificent talus slope of Whitewall Mountain. It was cloudy and hazy out which made for some spooky views. Naturally, I took a ton of photos right away, but we continued on towards the Zeacliff Trail, where we would take our first break.

[11:00am - Zeacliff Trail & Break]

We hiked just a few feet down the Zeacliff Trail and found a nice spot to sit in the talus field. There was a commanding view to the landmass of Zeacliff on the right, and Carrigain and the Hancocks were through the haze on the left. Behind us was the namesake white-wall of Whitewall Mountain. It was wonderfully quiet here - the only sound was the Whitewall Brook running below. 

[11:15am - Zeacliff Trail]

We continued into the Pemigewasset Wilderness and I warned Chrsitien about wilderness trails and their more rugged character. We wiggled through the talus slope and tight blueberry bushes (Christien shouted "are you SURE we're on the trail?) a couple times - I was sure, he's just used to hiking out in Utah! The trail turned left and went into the woods. We noticed just a few very faded blue blazes, I guess from before this was a wilderness area? The trail then truly PLUMMETED down to the brook, with soft, careful footing needed to avoid slipping. It was borderline comical how steep this drop was. 

After a few minutes of praying our feet didn't slip, we landed in the valley, which was actually delightful and scenic. Soon after flattening out, we arrived at teh crossing of the scenic Whitewall Brook. It was pretty easily rock hoppable, even though I dipped a toe into the water. If I was using my poles I am fully confident I would have survived unscathed, but truly the water felt nice! Christien followed in my footsteps, except he decided to dunk a whole foot. He was not happy about this, but ultimately he said it felt kind of good!

After the river crossing, we hiked past some swamp asters and goldenrods, and then arrived at the base of an old slide, which marked the start of the climb up. I found some information on it through Steve Smith's document "LANDSLIDES OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS": 

"There has apparently been at least one slide in the 1900s on the west side of Zealand Notch, scarring the steep eastern flank of the prominent ridge that descends south from Zeacliff. For more than half a century from its opening in 1923, AMC Guide descriptions of the Zeacliff Trail (originally designated as part of the Zealand Ridge Trail) have noted that it used a slide for the first part of its ascent out of the notch. As the 1963 edition described it: “Crossing the [Whitewall] brook it ascends the foot of a slide. About one-fourth of the way up the slide the trail diverges R and follows near the slide although the slide itself may be followed.” By the 1972 edition the slide was described as “overgrown,” and it was last mentioned in the 1983 edition. Part of this small slide can be seen in a 1939 aerial photo, but it has long since been completely revegetated"

We slogged up the initial boulder mess and onto the next... mess of boulders. This was steep climbing! Footing was... fine, but relatively unpleasant. The two of us were basically fighting for our lives and pouring sweat (I used the word pouring becuase I don't think there's a single word that accurately how intensely we were sweating). It wasn't hot out, but my god was it humid. 

Partway up the initial climb, we heard commotion - it was a man with a full backpack and his dog! This would be a beastly trail to descend. The dog was definitely surprised to see us. He was an addorable mid-sized dog probably in the poodle hybrid family. His coat was dark grey with black splotches and a dark green doggy backpack. We said our hello's and continued on. A couple minutes later we met another down-hiker who asked if we had met Ernie - the dog's name was Ernie! We chatted a little and she said this was her first hike, to which both of us were shocked. I said "you really picked a hell of a trail!" and she said it was her cousin's idea, which was Ernie's owner. She then yelled to him "ROBBIE!" and took off.

We continued to suffer up the mountain side, but eventually the trail rounded a shoulder and mellowed out for a bit in a more-open forest full of hobblebush and old blowdowns. I caught a bug in my hand and offered it to Christien as a gift. His response was "you are so thanks," which paints a picture of how tired we were. There was a very light passing shower overhead, which was more than welcomed. 

We began to climb a bit moderately again, climbing along a spide with hardly noticeable tree views to mountains on either side. We saw our first and only pile of moose poop and felt something we hadn't felt in a white - a breeze! The trail skirted a cliffy area and then we arrived at the next segment of the trail: the wet scrambles!

The wet scrambles were just as such - wet, and required use of all fours. Thankfully, three points of contact were always achievable, and my upper body is only a little tired today as I am writing this. We started to feel glimmers of hope as we could see a couple very obstructed peek-a-views to Carrigain Notch through the trees. We hit one particularly tricky scramble, but it led to a slightly better view of Carrigain and Carrigain Notch, so it was more than welcomed.

The trail's footing improved afterward (but did not get good), as it climbed through seas of bluebead lily (I am now realizing that I was calling all bluebead and trout lily trouy lily this past spring - who knew there was a difference! The leaves are the main tells). The USDA website describes the berries as such: "These blue berries may look appetizing, but they are not blueberries. Although they are not poisonous, they are quite foul tasting and should be avoided. The appreciation of this plant should be in its viewing, not its flavor."

We soon rounded the shoulder of the mountain, the trail turned into a bedrock sidewalk, we exited the Wilderness, and we made it to the Twinway!

[12:51pm - Twinway]

We did a quick pit stop at the Twinway junction so I could wring out my shirt (NECESSARY) and swap out my water bottles. The Twinway was an absolute delight after twhat we had just hiked! It was wonderfully flat at first and lined in blueberries! We spent a couple minutes descending easily with pretty good footing and then reached the Zeacliff Pond Spur.

[1:11pm - Zeacliff Pond Spur]

[1:14pm - Zeacliff Pond]

As a sucker for a side quest, of course I had to follow the spur. The spur entered the Pemigewasset Wilderness and descend mostly easily with rocky footing down the shoreline of the small pond, which was truly a delight to see. Water levels were expectedly low, but we couldn't walk too far out because the ground was extraodinarly squishy and moist. We watched the dragonflies buzz about, and especially liked the bold red ones (the white-faced meadowhawk). We noticed the rocky knob on the right that we would soon be scrambling up to. 

Our return trip to Twinway was nice and easy, and we were soon back on task!

[1:20pm - Twinway]

Back on the Twinway, we had a brief moment of relatively flat walking before we started to climb-climb again! The trail first got rocky, then it got scrambly, and then maneuvered up a large wooden ladder that is missing it's second rung. We worked our way around some mud and up a slab to the top of the knob seen from Zeacliff Pond. Poking around, there were some views, too! We could make our Stairs, Resolution, and Crawford through one hole in the trees, Mt. Webster through another, Mt. Carrigain a bit further over, and we could make out Zeacliff Pond, which was effectively straight down. I excited said "we can see the pond!" as two thru-hikers passed, and they were just as excited for me!

We descended slightly from the knob and reentered some lovely trail. We saw some tree views to the Twins (with an impressive slide on North Twin) on the right and a minute later could just make out some of the Northern Presidentials, which still had some cloud cover. A topic question came up: how many rocks does one step on during a hike? And to clarify: stepping on a rock means the sole of one's foot touches a rock detached from the earth that is at least one square inch in size. We roughly concluded it was 1.25x or 1.5x the hiker's overall step count for the hike. This is open to refinement.

From here, the trail rambled through some boards and mud pits, keeping a relatively steady pace. We climbed up and over a false summit area strewn with old blowdowns and young conifers that exfoliated our legs. Christien helped me get my visor out since we were facing directly into the sun here, and after a bit more hiking, we were at the Zealand Mtn. Spur trail!

[2:00pm - Zealand Mtn. Spur]

I can't remember if the spur trail had this adorable sign when Gen and I hiked out here in 2021, but I was sure delighted to see it! What I do remember is that when Gen and I hiked it, it was a busy superhighway of day hikers, Bonds traversers, and Pemi Loopers all trying to tag the viewless summit. Plus, last time it had rained a bunch so the full spur was a sloppy, flooded mess. Thankfully, it was more or less a delightful 0.1 miles on this day!

[2:03pm - Zealand Mtn. Summit]

In just a few minutes we were at the top of Christien's first 4000 Footer! I told him that if he gets bit by the hiking bug he'll have fun telling people this was his first one, becuase I feel like this is a relatively uncommon first. We booped the sign and found spots to sit for our snacks and hydration. Christien ran out of water just before here, but I always bring extra, and we had the hut not too far away.

We sat for some good time just enjoying the solitude. There were very obstructed tree views out to nearby peaks, and eventually a juvenile grey jay joined us! I had told Christien about them, but I was glad he was able to see them! The juvenile had more of a speckled pattern to his feathers, and he was very brave! Eventually, two more adult birds joined him - they did NOT get any of our food! 

As we sat, we could feel the cold front beginning to blow in. Some breezes were warm and some were CHILLY. We both got a little chilled up here, so after 20ish minutes we packed up and started our return!

[2:25pm - Zealand Mtn. Spur]

[2:28pm - Twinway]

We cruised down the Zealand Mountain Spur and turned left back onto the Twinway for some backtracking. In the higher, flatter stretches we had a lovely breeze that alternated between warm and cold. We pretty mindlessly made our way to the top of the knob over"looking" Zeacliff Pond, and then carefully worked our way down the wet slabs and semi-tricky scrambles. We caught a few views to the Presidentails that were poking out of the clouds just for a moment. I had a medium loud yawn near the top of the scrambles, and it had the most insane echo I had ever heard. It reverberated incredibly quickly, almost like a yodeling woodpecker? 

[3:06pm - Twinway/Zeacliff Pond Spur]

[3:15pm - Twinway/Zeacliff Trail]

The steep section concluded at the Zeacliff Pond Spur, and then some more easy hiking brought us to the junction with the Zeacliff Trail. Time to continue the loop section of our hike! We noticed a bunch of mountain holly on either side of the trail - not sure how we missed it before. The berries looked so yummy but after a quick search on the computer just now, it turns out that we made the right call to only stick to blueberries. The trail was MUCH warmer here, and I knew we were approaching the Zeacliff Spur when we entered the land of 1,000 bog boards, some of which were rotted and flooded.

[3:18pm - Zeacliff Spur]

The Zeacliff Spur junction was incredibly scenic, formed by a three-way junction of bog boards over water. The spur followed a few more boards and then wonderfully soft dirt. We crossed paths with a duo who told us to enjoy the view, and landed at the viewpoint as another duo was departing. 

[3:20pm - Zeacliff]

For lack of a better word, the view is absolutely insane. I remember when Gen and I were planning out Hale-Zealand-Bonds hike, I read over and over again that Zeacliff is touted as one of the best views in the Whites, and I sure do agree. Similarly to all of my recent White Mountain hikes, I absolutely love revisiting old viewpoints because I know what I'm looking at now, which is just the best!

The first thing we noticed was the Ethan Pond Trail cutting through the talus slope of Whitewall Mountain and then the Whitewall Brook river valley below - we were able to mostly trace our route up on the Zeacliff Trail, which was so much fun. Behind Whitewall was Jackson and Webster, and behind them on the right was Stairs, Resolution, and Crawford. 

Moving to the right, we had the mountains surrounding Carrigain Notch, the Hancocks, and many, MANY more peaks beyond. Far on the left we could see Jefferson, Clay, and Washington, which was back in the clouds. We were both tired and ready for dinner, so we didn't stay too long, but boy did we enjoy the view!

[3:26pm - Twinway]

We backtracked to the Twinway to start our descent, which was ultimately fine but felt a bit like a slog. The grade was moderate with decent, rocky footing basically the whole time. Nothing exciting, nothing dreadful, all of it was just... the same. I noticed my watch was on low battery, which was also a huge bummer! We were tired and in and out of the void, but again, it ultimately was totally fine. 

[3:54pm - Twinway/Enters FPA]

We felt some relief when we entered the Forest Protection Area after crossing a little stream. Just a few minutes later we made it to the crossing of Whitewall Brook above Zealand Falls, which Gen and I had to fully submerge our feet in last time to cross! There were a bunch of guys swimming in a swimming hole a bit further down the trail - it was a BEAUTIFUL day for it! If we weren't hungry for dinner, we would have probably stayed a bit longer. 

[4:03pm - Twinway/Lend-a-Hand Trail]

We crossed another branch of the brook, which was just a sliver of a natural water slide, and then came the junction with the Lend-a-Hand Trail. I joked about adding in Hale real quick, and he said "see you at the car!" From here, the Twinway descended along the brook and falls moderately, soon landing at the beloved Zealand Falls Hut!

[4:07pm - Zealand Falls Hut]

We took a sit at the hut, refilled waters, and enjoyed the falls for a bit. Someone was celebrating their birthday in the hut, so we kept to the outside. I washed my face off in the water and Christien enjoyed staring off into the void. Whatever they were cooking inside smelled wonderful! Again, we could have styaed up there for hours, but we had dinner on the mind!

[4:20pm - Twinway]

The Twinway descended moderarately with more rocky, but stable footing for a few more minutes, passing a wonderful falls lookout on the way, before bottoming out at the outflow of Zealand Pond, which I guess flows both toward Whitewall Brook and Zealand River.

[4:29pm - Zealand Trail]

[4:33pm - Zealand Trail/Departs FPA]

[4:35pm - Zealand Trail/A-Z Trail]

Back on the Zealand Trail, we started our cruise out. We loved seeing folks swimming on the Falls from Zealand Pond, and then we left the Forest Protection Area and passed the junction with the A-Z Trail again. We briefly admired all the views of the ponds, but kept a steady pace.

[4:46pm - Zealand Trail/Boardwalks]

We were absolutely loving the flat railroad beds and had a good discussion on the difference between a boardwalk and a bridge as we crossed... the boardwalk over and through the beaver ponds (we never hit a conclusion). Blue skies were still shining, but there were also some dark clouds rolling in. 

A red squirrel stopped to pose for us for a while, so naturally I took dozens of photos. We then began our wiggle across the two streams and over many, MANY bridges. As we got onto a relocation, the woods became DARK and a light drizzle ensued. My watch tragically died around the 12 mile mark, but thankfully we were amost done! We also crossed a cross-country trail we didn't notice on the way in - I'm curious about the network of cross-country ski trails in the Whites.

[5:20pm - Zealand Trail/Enters FPA]

We enjoyed some flat and then it was back on a rocky, now-wet relocation again, which required just enough brain power to force us to lock in. We rejoiced when we rejoined the old rail bed again and even more at the Forest Protection Area sign. We turned a corner gently, and were soon back at the parking area, with NO TICKET on the car! We did it!

[5:27pm - End of Hike]

We changed into our apres clothes once back at the car, had a very careful drive out (his Civic did NOT care for the dirt roads), and worked our way to the Woodstock Inn and Brewery! We each had a drink, shared some soft pretzles (the beer cheese was to DIE for). He had a mediocre burger and I had a wonderful pulled pork quesadilla. Afterwards we did a quick walk around North Woodstock and started the long drive home. We listened to two episodes of Normal Gossip and I stopped a couple times - once for an energy drink and once for some popcorn. 

That night, I would have the best sleep I would have since the family issue of August 10th!

Step-by-Step

- Start hike on Zealand Trail.

- At terminus, continue onto Ethan Pond Trail (AT).

- At jct., turn left onto Zeacliff Trail.

- At terminus, turn left onto Twinway (AT).

- At jct., turn left onto Zeacliff Pond Spur.

- At terminus, turn around.

- At terminus, turn left onto Twinway (AT).

- At jct., turn right onto Zealand Mtn. Spur.

- Summit Zealand Mountain.

- Turn around and retrace steps on Zealand Mtn. Spur.

- At terminus, turn left onto Twinway (AT).

- At third jct., turn right onto Zeacliff Spur.

- At Zeacliff, turn around and retrace steps.

- At terminus, turn right onto Twinway (AT).

- At terminus, turn left onto Zealand Trail.

- Return to car.

Map

Photo Album

[VAULT] Hale, Zealand, Bonds Traverse (White Mountain National Forest)

Hale, Zealand, Bonds Traverse (White Mountain National Forest)
Originally written Friday, January 13th, 2023 at 4:51pm.

Hike Type: Traverse

Distance: 22.8 miles

Elevation: 5889 feet
Time: 15 hours, 30 minutes (13 hours, 51 minutes)

Hiking Challenges: New Hampshire 4000 Footers

The Hike

Looking back, this might just be my current all-time favorite hike. It was so many firsts for me - first White Mountains traverse, first time visiting a hut, first time hiking with headlamps, and first time hiking a 22+ mile day with 5800+ feet of elevation gain. There was so much accomplished this day and SO MUCH reward in terms of views. Gen and I spent the night at the Plymouth, NH Walmart parking lot in our separate vehicles (I had to drive up after a football game). We had, I think, a 4am wake up, then a medium drive to Lincoln Woods to drop Gen's car. We also made use of the real bathrooms there. After we loaded up my car, we had the long drive around the Pemigewasset Wilderness (first getting pulled over in Lincoln for speeding - whoops) to the Hale Brook Trailhead, where I parked my car, we got loaded up, and started our massive day!

The day started with my headlamp being dead (whoops), but thankfully Gen's was fully charged and I have an industrial power bank and the right cord, so I charged up assuming we would be ending in the dark). The Hale Brook Trail was wet, but not muddy. There was significant rain the previous few days, a detail Gen and I hadn't realized at the time, which led to LOTS of water. The trail was very moderate, with no memorable steep sections. The trickiest part was the crossing of Hale Brook, which I assume is relatively easy in normal conditions. The switchbacks were also wet but not muddy, and at one of the last turns of the trail there were extremely obstructed views of the Presidentials.

Finally at the top of Hale we took a quick break, I relieved myself in the woods (only to later find out that I relieved myself steps from the unofficial fire warden's trail... oops), took some photos of the unique summit, and then disaster hit. I realized I forgot my peanut butter sandwich! Thankfully Gen brought her entire pantry for this hike, so it wasn't an absolute tragedy, but I was quite bummed. We had been playing leap frog with another pair of hikers on the Hale Brook Trail, so we let them get ahead of us from the summit before continuing on.

Next journey was from the summit of Mt. Hale to the Zealand Falls Hut via the Lend-a-Hand Trail, which was absolutely lovely, until it wasn't. The trail itself was beautiful, especially on the Hale side, but it was also a consistent stream for the vast majority of the time. The upper half had an open canopy and ran rather level with occasional shoulder drops. There were occasional views of nearby mountains, but I'm not sure which ones (this was before I had the PeakFinder app). The lower half of this trail was comically wet and muddy, with some boardwalks that didn't do much help with the current level of moisture. At one point, the trail was deeply flooded and only the boardwalks were keeping us from knee-deep (or deeper) water, and we had to do a very intimate with another hiking group to survive unscathed. We also passed a solo hiker who changed her plans for the day because she didn't want to deal with the water - we deeply understood! We knew we were getting closer to the Zealand Falls Hut when the sound of rushing water grew louder, and louder, and somehow even louder, and then we made it!

Break #2 was outside the beautiful hut with partial views. Gen and I had never been to a hut (I guess I have been to the exterior of the Lonesome Lake Hut, but I'm not counting that), so we took turns exploring. COVID precautions were still in effect so we did our best to not be nuisances. This was also my introduction to Liquid IV - an absolute game changer. I was also deeply appreciative of the bathrooms (and of course, the breeze from the composting toilets). I took a very short side quest to the edge of the Whitewall Brook which was flowing loud and hard over the granite - so beautiful!

Moving forward, we were now going from the Zealand Falls Hut to Zeacliff to the summit of Mt. Zealand, all on the Twinway trail. This is when "sh*t got real," so to say. The Twinway crosses two branches of the Whitewall Brook. The first crossing was on a gentle slab that would have been fine in normal water, but the whole slab was flowing (gently, at least) and this was our first time of the day getting our shoes a little wet. Just a few more steps down the trail was a much larger branch with much faster water. There was a group ahead of us that split in two - one half just walked through and got wet, and the other half was searching for a dry crossing point. We decided to just go for it and walk right through, fully soaking our feet for the rest of the day (a skill that would come in handy when we would later do Owl's Head). The trail climbed moderately with some steeper pitches afterwards, which had our shoes making comical sloshy sounds.

Soon enough we were at the magnificent Zeacliff - wow! We were not alone at the outlook, but something about being with people deep in the woods is vastly different than being with people near a trailhead. We took a minute here to wring out our socks and got back on our journey. The trail around the Twinway/Zeacliff junction was just as wet as everything else, but thankfully this section was all on boardwalks.

The rest of the journey up to Mt. Zealand's summit was pretty gentle with a few steeper pitches (and at least one wooden ladder according to my photos). The further up the trail, the smaller the vegetation got which is always fun, but we wouldn't be breaking out of treeline for a bit longer. The final stretch to the summit was a 0.1 spur trail through straight mud to a small circular clearing in the woods. We managed to cross a trail running group who were brave and sloshing right on through. This summit was packed relative to its size, so we just took our photos and retraced our step back to Twinway.

Next step was the Zealand summit spur to the Bondcliff Trail. This was my second favorite section of the hike because it brought us back into the Alpine Zone, a place we hadn't been since our first 4k, Moosilauke. This stretch was beautiful and exciting, and the views from Guyot were magnificent. It was so cool to see the high peaks and the deep valleys, and looking back at the photos while writing this, its so cool to be able to identify all these places I didn't know before. The Twinway goes over the northeast summit of Mt. Guyot, not a 4k due to prominence issues, and then comes to the junction with the Bondcliff Trail, one of the most beautiful junctions I've seen. There were a few backpackers sitting right at the trail marker (which was annoying), so we got a classic sign photo and continued onward.

Now on the Bondcliff Trail, our next destination was West Bond. The trail dips back below treeline to the spur to the Guyot Campsite, and then officially enters the Pemigewasset Wilderness! In a deeper section of forest is the nearly camouflaged sign for the West Bond Spur. The trail drops for a while on a narrower path, with some evidence of camping, and then begins to quickly climb back up in a somehow more narrow trail. We popped out onto the small summit that truly gave the "on top of the world" feeling, and we were lucky to finally have this summit to ourselves! Looking back on the photos, this view might be my favorite in the whites so far. You can see the whole ridge connecting to Bondcliff, and when we hiked this in late September, the lower half of the mountainside was a beautiful bright yellow - just incredible! Mountains in every direction - we were so lucky. The only thing that got us moving again were the bugs that had woken up. We made our return to the Bondcliff Trail, and were heading up to Mt. Bond!

At this point in the day, I had already beat my record for "most elevation climbed in a day," so I was feeling it. The stretch up to Mt. Bond, the highest peak of the day, was slow and steady, but very straightforward. We passed and were passed by groups that we'd been leapfrogging all day, many of which were foreign which I thought was cool, and then FINALLY we rentered the Alpine Zone and made it to the endless summit of Mt. Bond! 360 views as far as the eyes could see. Mountains in all directions with Mt. Washington watching high above. Even far in the distance we could see Jay Peak, near where Emma lives. While I was admiring the view Gen changed her socks and exclaimed - MATT YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR SOCKS YOU WILL FEEL LIKE A NEW WOMAN - she was right. I was reborn. We chitchatted with some other hikers and then set forth for our penultimate destination - Bondcliff!

The trail down Bond was steep and rocky - we were happy to be going down this way instead of up for sure. The view of Bondcliff was amazing from the upper stretches of the trail, and the excitement was really starting to build. I found myself very deep in my feelings at this point of the hike - very proud of us and so excited to hit this final peak. I booped the cairn in the col between the two mountains, and then slowly climbed up (which for me, was my favorite part - I was surprised to feel such a "high" before even getting to the top). Gen got ahead of me, which was more than fine. I was preserving my heart rate (but I like to say I was "taking every second in"). And then we made it! Took tons of photos, Gen got the classic Bondcliff photo (I was very much in my own feelings in my own head at this point, so I was happy just to be behind the camera), and then we took what would be our last rest of the day - something we're not sure if we regret or not. We ate some food, admired the Pemi, and had a few side conversations with other hikers. One couple was gridding, and another group got very mad at me when I mentioned that I wanted a cheeseburger (they too, wanted a cheeseburger). We then noticed how low the sun was getting, and decided we should shimmy on down this mountain. We wanted to make it to the old railbed on the Bondcliff Trail before it was pitch black out (we were moderately successful).

The sun was starting to set and we were starting to get back into the treeline. Thankfully this trail was nice and gentle, with a few brook crossings that were thankfully no problem. We took a very short break for Gen to filter some water, but didn't stop again until we were done. We made it to the lower stretches of Bondcliff when it was headlamp time again, and only had a little bit of wiggly trail in the dark. This was my first time truly hiking in the dark, and while it wasn't terrible, I did get spooked every now and then. I made the fatal error of thinking that the old railroad grade on the Bondcliff Trail was the Lincoln Woods Trial, so this already long return trip felt like a century - especially paired with our tired bodies and our soaked, blistered feet. We did pause our jaunt just past the Lincoln Woods/Bondcliff junction on the bridge over Franconia Brook. Gen's headlamp was now dead and I turned mine off so we could see the stars and WOW. It was absolutely breathtaking. We continued on prance down the railroad bed trying to keep conversation going (Gen gave me the synopsis of every show she's ever watched), and then I saw it! Headlights in the distance! Just kidding - it was just a pair of night hikers. I was so sad. Gen was a good sport through, she knew it wasn't real the whole time but let me live in delusion. Eventually, we finally hit the world's favorite suspension bridge, leading us to the parking lot and back to the car! Sadly though, the day wasn't over just yet!

Back at the car we changed our clothes, used the bathrooms, applied diaper rash ointment as necessary, and drove to McDonalds for food. We then had the 35 minute drive back to Hale Brook, where Gen started her drive home, but I took a nap. I'm apparently very bad at sleeping in my car, because every 10 or so minutes I would have a dream that someone was knocking on my window, so I then started my drive. I was getting drowsy after like 20 more minutes, so I pulled into the Old Man site for another nap. After that I was able to make it to Sanbornton, and then Hooksett, and then FINALLY back home. I think I didn't get home until after 3:00am - meaning next time we have a day like that, we will get a hotel. What an incredible day - I cannot wait to do it again!

Step-By-Step

• Start hike at Hale Brook Trail, hike to the top of Mt. Hale.

• From the summit of Mt. Hale, continue hike on the Lend-a-Hand Trail to the Zealand Falls Hut.

• Rest at the Zealand Falls Hut, then retrace steps to Twinway junction and turn onto Twinway.

• At the junction of Twinkway and Bondcliff Trail, turn left onto Bondcliff Trail.

• Follow Bondcliff Trail over the summit of Mt. Guyot.

• At junction with West Bond Spur, take the out and back to West Bond.

• Back on the Bondcliff Trail, continue over summit of Mt. Bond and Bondcliff, then descend back into the forest.

• At the trail terminus, continue hike along the Lincoln Woods Trail back to the car.

“Hale Brook Trail” from AMC White Mountain Guide (30th Ed.)

This trail climbs from Zealand Rd. (FR 16), at a parking area 2.5mi from US 302, to the clearing at the summit of Mt. Hale, which provides only very restricted views over trees that have been steadily reclaiming the formerly bare summit. The trail has steady, moderate grades an dpasses through a fine birch forest in its middle section. 

The yellow-blazed trail leaves the parking area, crosses a cross-country ski trail, then ascends steadily to cross Hale Brook at 0.8mi. The trail continues the steady climb then swings left at 1.1mi and ascends gradually across the steep slope above Hale Brook (a difficult sidehill in winter), recrossing the brook in its rocky bed at 1.3mi. The trail ascends by several switchbacks, crossing a small brook at 1.7mi. Still ascending and curving gradually to the right, the trail enters the conifers, passes a restricted view southwest to Mt. Willey, and attains the summit (where a cleaning has a large cairn) from the east. 

“Lend-A-Hand Trail” from AMC White Mountain Guide (30th Ed.)

This attractive trail connects Zealand Falls Hut with the summit of Mt. Hale, which offers only very restricted views over trees that are steadily growing taller. The grade is fairly easy, but the footing is rather rough for a good part of its distance. The trail takes its name from a journal for charitable organizations that was edited by Edward Everett Hale, the Boston pastor and author for whom Mt. Hale was named. 

The trail diverges right (north) from Twinway 0.1mi above Zealand Falls Hut and climbs steadily, crossing a small brook three times. After about 0.5mi, the grade becomes easy in a long section with numerous plank walkways, where small brooks flow in and through the trail. At 1.5mi, the trail enters a scrubby, ledgy area with limited views and ascends moderately. In a rocky area at 1.9mi, an opening 30yd right of the trail offers a good outlook toward Carrigan Notch. The trail then traverses a long, level shoulder, descending slightly. At 2.4 mi, the trail climbs another rocky pitch and continues in open conifers to the summit clearing, marked by a large cairn, where Hale Brook Trail leaves east (right). Many of the rocks around the former fire tower site are reputed to be strongly magnetic. 

“Twinway (AT)” from AMC White Mountain Guide (30th Ed.)

The train extends from Galehead Hut to a jct with Zealand Trail and Ethan Pond Trail 0.2mi beyond Zealand Falls Hut, forming an important ridge crest link along the north edge of the Pemigewasset Wilderness that connects the mountains of the western part of the region - the Franconia Range, Mt. Garfield, and the Twins - to the Bonds, the Zealand-Hale region, the WIlley Range, and the northern parts of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Twinway offers magnificent views from the summits of South Twin Mtn and Mt. Guyot and from the outlook at Zeacliff, and connecting trails lead to a number of other suburb outlooks. For its entire length, Twinway is part of the AT.

The following description of the path is the eastbound direction (Galehead Hut to Zealand Falls Hut). [...]. From the jct. Of Frost and Garfield Ridge trails 40yds from Galehead Hut, Twinway passes over a ledgy hump, descent to a sag, then climbs steadily and steeply on a rocky footway up the cone of South Twin to the south knob of the open summit at 0.8mi. North Twin spur begins here, running straight ahead 40 yards to the north knob and then on to North Twin. Twinway turns right (south), enters the woods, and descends along the broad ridge towards Mt. Guyot, with easy to moderate grades after an initial steep pitch below the summit. At 1.8mi, the trail crosses a ledgy hump with restricted views. The trail descends easily to the main col between South Twin and Guyot then climbs out of the scrub to open rocks on the side of Guyot and reaches the jct with Bondcliff Trail on the right at 2.8mi. Guyot Campsite is 0.8mi from this jct via Bondcliff Trail and spur path. 

Twinway turns left and ascends in the open to the flat northeast summit of Guyot at 2.9mi; hikers should take care to stay on the marked trail and avoid trampling fragile alpine vegetation. The trail reenters the woods and descends at a moderate grade with some rough footing on the long ridge leading northeast toward Zealand Mtn, reaching the col at 3.9mi. The trail then blimbs rather steeply, and at 4.1mi a few yards before reaching the height-of-land, the trail passes a small cairn marking a side path on the left that runs nearly level 0.1 mi to the true summit of Zealand Mtn (sign), wooded and viewless. The main trail continues at mostly easy grades down the ridge, passes a ledge with a view southeast at 5.1mi, then descends a steep pitch with a ladder, and in a sag at 5.3mi passes a side path that diverges right and descends to the shore of tiny, boggy Zeacliff Pond in 0.1 mi(100ft descent). The  main trail ascends over a scrubby hump and passes the jct right with Zeacliff Trail at 5.7mi. 

In another 0.1mi, Twinway reaches a loop side path that leads 75yd right to the magnificent Zeacliff outlook then turns sharply left and runs 70yd to rejoin the main trail 50 yd eas of its point of departure. Between the loop jcts, Twinway climbs over a ledge with views that are good but greatly inferior to those from the Zeacliff outlook. At the farther loop jct, Twinway turns left, ascends slightly, then descends steadily with rocky footing. At 6.9mi, the trail crosses two branches of Whitewall Brook on ledges (use caution in high water), and Lend-a-Hand Trail immediately enters on the left. Twinway passes in front of Zealand Falls Hut at 7.0mi, where a short side path leads right to scenic ledges on Whitewall Brook; from the hut is a good view of Zealand Notch and Mt. Carrigan. The main trail then descends steeply on rock steps, passing a side path right to a viewpoint for Zealand Falls, then crosses the outlet of Zealand Pond and reaches the grade of the old logging railroad. Here, Zealand Trail turns left and Ethan Pond Trail turns right, both on the railroad grade. 

“Bondcliff Trail” from AMC White Mountain Guide (30th Ed.)

This trail begins at a jct with Lincoln Woods Trail and Franconia Brook Trail just north of the bridge of Franconia Brook, 2.9mi from the parking area on the Kancamagus Highway. Bondcliff Trail leads along the East Branch to the site of old logging camp 16 on a section that was formerly part of Wilderness Trail, ascends over Bondcliff and Mt. Bond, and ends at Twinway  just west of the summit of Mt. Guyot. Bondcliff Trail connects the Pemigewasset East Branch valley with the high summits of the Twin Range, and the entire trail is in the Pemigewasset Wilderness except for a short segment at the north end. The long section on Bondcliff and one shorter section on Guyot are above treeline, with great exposure to the weather. The views from this trail are unsurpassed in the White Mountains. 

From the jct on the north side of the Franconia Brook bridge, Bondcliff Trail bears right, bypassing a wet section of railroad grade, then joins the grade and continues to swing to the east. The trail crosses a brook at 1.0mi, and reaches the camp 16 clearing (where camping is no longer permitted) at 1.8mi. (Until this point, the trail was formerly part of the Wilderness Trail;the section of Wilderness Trail that continued ahead for 0.7mi on the railroad grade to the site of the suspension bridge over the East Branch - which was removed in 2009 - has been closed). Here Bondcliff Trail turns left, runs level for 100yd, turns sharply left just before reaching Black Brook, and climbs a bank to an old logging road. The trail then leaves the logging road and climbs well up on the slope to the west of the brook. At 2.9mi, after a slight descent, the trail bears left to rejoin the logging road along the brook and ascends easily, although parts of the road are severely eroded. 

The trail then makes the first of four crossings of the brook at 3.2mi, the second crossing, at 3.7mi, provides the last sure water. At the third crossing, at 4.3mi, the trail turns right and crosses the brook bed (often dry). In 40yd - a tricky spot - the trail reaches another brook bed (usually dry), descends along it ot the right for 20yd, then swings sharply left out of the brook bed and climbs a steep slope on rock steps. (Descending, the trail swings right at the bottom of the steps into the brook bed, ascends along it for 20yd, then turns sharply left out of it). The trail then swings left to another old logging road and crosses a gravel bank where one can look almost straight up to the summit of Bondcliff. IN a short distance, the trail makes teh last brook crossing in a steep, south-facing ravine; if the brook is dry here, water can sometimes be found a short distance further up in teh streambed. The trail winds up a small, prow-shaped, hanging ridge that protrudes into the main ravine then swings left at 5.0mi and begins a long sidehill ascent of the steep slope on a logging road, heading back to the southwest. At 5.9mi, the trail reaches the crest of Bondcliff’s south ridge, swings north, and ascends the ridge to a short, difficult scramble up a ledge. Soon the trail breaks out of teh scrub and climbs along the edge of the cliffs, with spectacular views, reaching the summit of Bondcliff at 6.2 (Caution: The trail runs above treeline for about a mile and is potentially dangerous in bad weather, particularly high winds. When visibility is poor, stay well to the right (east) of the edge of the precipices). 

The trail now descends the open ridge into a long, flat col then ascends the steep, rough slope of Mt. Bond, reentering scrubby woods about halfway up. At 7.4mi, the trail passes just wets of the summit of Mt. Bond, which commands a magnificent unrestricted view of the surrounding wilderness and mountains. Here, the trail bears left (northwest); in the reverse direction, it bears right (southwest) of the summit area. The trail descends north, crossing a minor knob, then drops down rather steeply past West Bond Spur on the left at 7.9mi and leaves the Pemigewasset Wilderness. The trail reaches the Bond-Guyot col at 8.1mi, where a spit path descends right (east) at 0.2mi and 200ft to Guyot Campsite and its spring. Bondcliff Trail then ascends to the bare south summit of Mt. Guyot and continues mostly in the open 0.2 mi to its jct with Twinway 0.1mi west of the less-open north summit of Guyot. Go straight ahead here for the Twins and Galehead Hut, or turn right for Zealand Mtn. and Zealand Falls Hut. 

“West Bond Spur” from AMC White Mountain Guide (30th Ed.)

This short path provides access to the sharp, rocky summit of the West Peak of Mt. Bond, which is perched high above the deep valleys of an extensive Wilderness Area, commanding magnificent views. The entire trail is in the Pemigewasset Wilderness. The trail leaves Bondcliff Trail 0.5mi north of the summit of Mt. Bond and 0.2mi south of the spit to Guyot Campsite, descends moderately for 0.3mi to the col at the foot of West Bond, and ascends moderately for a short distance. West Bond Spur then climbs the steep cone to the summit, which is the most easterly of several small peaks on a ridge running east and west. 

“Lincoln Woods Trail” from AMC White Mountain Guide (30th Ed.)

Lincoln Wood Trail runs for 2.9mi along the west side of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River, from the Kancamagus Highway (NH 112) to a footbridge over Franconia Brook, forming a central artery from which several trails diverge and lead to various destinations near and in the western part of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Lincoln Woods Trail follows the wide bed of a logging railroad that last operated in 1948. The trail begins at a large parking area with USFS information center on the north side of the road (sign: Lincoln Woods), just east of the highway bridge over the East Branch, 5.6mi from the information center at I-93, Exit 32 in Lincoln and 0.3mi beyond the Hancock Campground. This trail receives extremely heavy use, and camping is strictly regulated (See p. 151 for camping regulations). The area along the East Branch was heavily damaged by the 2011 storm, and in many places, the high, steep riverbanks have been severely undercut, creating a serious hazard for hikers who approach too close to the edge. 

Note: The suspension footbridge that crossed the East Branch 5.4mi from the Lincoln Woods trailhead was removed in 2009. Advanced route planning is essential. If you are starting your hike at Lincoln Woods, be sure to start on the correct side of the East Branch, depending on your destination. [...]. Do not rely on crossing the river at either the Franconia Brook Tentsite or the site of the former suspension bridge. A former 0.7mi section of the Wilderness Trail on the north side of the river and west of the bridge site has been closed. (This bridge removal does not affect the suspension bridge location at the Lincoln Woods Trailhead). 

Leaving the parking lot, Lincoln Woods runs across the deck of the information center and descends a wooden stairway to the left, swings left past a kiosk and crosses the East Branch on a suspension bridge, then turns right and follows the railroad bed along the river, climbing almost imperceptibly. At 0.7mi the trail skis to the left of a major washout from the 2011 storm, with a view over the river to Mt. Hitchcock. Soon the trail crosses Osseo Brook over a culvert and follows it upstream, and at 1.4mi Osseo Trail diverges left to follow Osseo Brook up its valley. Lincoln Woods Trail soon passes the old logging camp 8 clearing on the left, and at 1.8mi, by a piece of old rail, the trail comes close to the river’s edge, where a fine view upstream to Bondcliff can be obtained from the rocks just off the trail. 

Soon the trail crosses Birch Island Brook on a bridge, and a long straightaway leads to the jct with Black Pond Trail on the left at 2.6mi. At 2.9mi, just before the bridge across Franconia Brook, Franconia Falls Trail diverges left. From this jct, Lincoln Woods Trail descends ahead to cross Franconia Brook on a footbridge. About 50yd beyond the Franconia Brook footbridge, Lincoln Woods Trail ends at the Pemigewasset Wilderness boundary. Here, Franconia Brook Trail climbs the bank on the left (north) and Bondcliff Trail (formerly a section of Wilderness Trail) diverges right (east). (Note: Use of a former route leading from the north end of the footbridge to a crossing of the East Branch is discouraged because the step stones have mostly been swept away, and the river crossing is often dangerous).