71>71 Franconia Ridge Finish September 19th, 2014

Lafayette and I have stories ---there is a bond between us.  So I saved it for last.  With this hike, the classic Franconia Ridge Walk (with a tag at the end,) I bagged the last five peaks on my 71>71 list.

Audrey, one of my two daughters, made the hike with me and bagged two summits.  She says I have lower standards than she does ---and she's right.  My 100 foot rule allowed me to claim Haystack, Lincoln, North Lincoln, Lafayette and North Lafayette.  Her 200 foot criteria (the 48 list) allowed her  just Lincoln and Lafayette.  Be careful what limits you set for yourself!

I'll let these two photos begin my story:

An earlier time on Lafayette

and again September 2014.

I hope I'm not overworking this comparison/reminiscent theme (I used it in my last post too) but I'm having fun with it.  Most of my life has been spent within view of Lafayette and the Franconia Range --- It does have some hold on me.  As a boy, the northwestern Whites were my playground.  Many Fridays after school or early Saturday mornings, a few friends (especially Gene, Bill, Howard, Taylor, Dick) and I would load into the back of my Father's pick-up and be driven to a trailhead.  He would drop us off with with a few words of encouragement and caution, but always ending with, "and behave yourselves!"  Late Sunday afternoon we'd be picked up at a designated hour.  It worked --- there was never a disaster --- and what we learned in that unsupervised time has proven to be an asset to all of us.

But now, a few photos of Audrey's and my recent trip up on the ridge:

One of Falling Waters Trail's namesake

and a steep section.

Up higher the sun began to peak over the ridge.

Soon the trail breaks out on to Mt. Haystack

and the ridge walk ahead beckons.   

After a few bumps in the rock,

some very precarious rock,

we bag Liberty,

then Lafayette ----- along with everybody else! 

At that point I headed over to North Lafayette with remnants of the morning's rime ice,

it's balancing rock

and gliders being dropped off

to play along the ridge line.

Heading back to Lafayette there are great views East,

West,

  

and South to some leaving Lafayette.

     

Back at the summit I posed for my obligatory finish photo.

Then we headed down with a stop for Audrey to reenact a time when she on a rock, on the side of Lafayette, whistling.  It's a long story --- probably better left for another time (or you can ask her.)

We stopped for cookies freshly baked by the competent staff at Greenleaf Hut,

then for a look at where we'd been.

Finally, on the drive home, I was able to catch a hint of alpenglow on "my" Ridge.

Some have asked, "so what now after 71>71?"  The answer is ---I'm not sure yet.  What I can say, unequivocally, is that even if it's not especially ambitious it will not involve sitting around watching soap operas!

71>71 Bond, West Bond, Guyot & Zealand Sept.12th, 2014

A long day.  Four additional summits.  A step back from civilization.  And, tired legs!
Yesterday's hike was a long one for me --- a rocky, up and down 17.6 miles.  At my typical pace I figured 14 hours.  There are only 13.5 hours of daylight in mid September so I began at 5:00 am using my headlamp.  I stepped back in to my truck at 6:10 pm.
Was it worth it?  Of course it was!  The Bonds hold some special attraction for most all White Mountain hikers.  It's hard to pin down just what that attraction is, but their remoteness certainly has much to do with it.  To quote from The 4000-Footers of the White Mountains, "The Bonds are about as far away from civilization as one can get in the Whites."
There are three Bond summits showing up on most lists: Bond, West Bond and Bondcliff.  I had checked off Bondcliff two years ago when I hiked in to it from the south.  Now I needed the remaining two, as well as Mt. Guyot and Mt. Zealand, which are in the same area.
This hike came in (and returned) from the north via Zealand, Twinway and Bondcliff Trails.  The day started off cloudy (actually black because the sun wasn't even trying to peak through the clouds at 5:00 am) but the forecast was for it to improve somewhat during the day.  Just as a bit of daylight did begin to show through I started climbing up in to clouds --- very wet clouds!

5:00 am (enhanced)

First light (actual)

Clouds across Zealand Pond --- soon I'll be wallowing my way up through them

At Zealand Pond I turned west and after passing the AMC hut and making a rocky climb I reached Zeacliff ledges ----- with their notable views.  Oh, but wait, I was still in the clouds so there was no view!

The morning view from Zeacliff   --- but remember this spot, I'll be back later

From Zeacliff I continued along the Twinway Trail with a short jaunt out to the summit of Mt. Zealand and then hit both summits of Mt. Guyot by turning south on Bondcliff trail.

Much of Twinway is a flat ridge walk 

Other sections are not flat

Summit in the Woods

A not so stealthy trailside campsite

At Guyot the clouds began to lift.  For a few hours during mid-day the skies became mostly clear, only to cloud over again later.

Guyot's East summit

And it's west summit

A colorless "rainbow"as the clouds were lifting

"My" two Bonds were next.  The last time I was here the half mile out to West Bond was more of a bushwack than a trail, I spent the night at Zeacliff Pond Shelter and the summit of Bondcliff wasn't yet recognized on the 48 list!  Those who've spent some time in these mountains can figure how long ago that was.  I do remember having been on Bond and West Bond ----- but just barely.  Lucky for me though, my journal even records the date.  Today's memories will last awhile I'm sure.  The first time here, as a boy, I probably flew through and then checked them off the list.  Today's dark start, strenuous footing, lifting clouds and maybe a bit more contemplative mood certainly heightened the occasion.

West Bond ahead

Looking at Bondcliff from West Bond ( the photo I use in the title to this blog is from near the summit of Bondcliff looking along the ridge toward Mt. Bond.)

Bond from West Bond

The "back side" of South Twin from West Bond

Then Bondcliff from Mt. Bond

And West Bond from Bond with  Franconia Range in the distance

And then it was time to turn around and head out the same way I came in -------------

Back over Guyot with clouds moving in again

Then a few hints of the season's change

Finally back at the view from Zeacliff Ledges

 And, the real reason I wanted the view to open up -------  contrast the two photos below.
Hair may gray, trees may grow, rock may erode, but boys still want to play in the hills!

2014

1957

Oh, and one last reason why this trip was special to me.  I am now only one remaining hike away from completing my 71>71 list.  Stay tuned ------ a report coming soon to a blog near you.