Pemigewasset Wilderness
(Bonds and Zeas-repeat, Garfield-48)
It’s hard to believe that this day has finally arrived. I am taking the final steps to completing this journey. #48 is within reach. Yet it just somehow doesn’t seem like it’s really happening. Almost like I’ve already completed the journey and this hike is less of a hurdle and more of a celebration.
In fact, I have a crew of people that matter the most – FAMILY – gathering at Garfield trail head on Gale River Loop Rd with me this morning to do just that – Celebrate. They are here to mark this occasion with love and support and, for some, get their first taste of some of the beauty I have experienced over the past few years.
With me today is oldest sibling Maryjeanne, her daughter Taylor, second oldest Therese, youngest Sean, and my niece Janelle (daughter of Beth, who is 3rd of 6). So the only sibling not represented is Paul, who is living in NC with his family. He tried to make it happen, but in the end had too many of life’s obstacles to overcome in order to join the festivities. He is with us in spirit though as we set out on the mostly easy to moderate 5-mile climb on this chilly Late-September morning.
I have had this list on pause for 6 weeks since my 47th on Isolation, so that I could finish near the same time and place where I started, and so that I could get as many of this wonderful group to join me.
But don’t worry I’ve been keeping busy putting another big dent in my ADK 46er list checking off Algonquin, Iroquois, Wright, Marcy, and Phelps bringing me up to 19 already just 2 shy of Therese who is setting the pace on this one. I guess I’ve got a lot or writing to do. Maybe I’ll keep these writings a bit shorter than my long-winded 48. Something tells me I won’t be able to. I have seen so many amazing things this season in the Daks. In any case, I’m glad to be back in the Whites again.
As we make our way up Garfield Trail with the morning sun filtering through the canopy, all of the usual antics and banter of a typical Coste gathering gets underway. The stories are many, the jokes and remarks are flying everywhere, along with lots of thoughtful insights on life and each of our respective journeys.
With all of these distractions, the miles fly by in no time! In fact, it hardly seems like a hike at all, at least not the type I am used to.For the most part, my journey has been one of solitude, peace, and self-discovery with occasional breaks in the action, when one or two others were along for the trip to provide some company. This is a very different dynamic for sure with this semi-large group. But you know what? I wouldn’t want it any other way! Everyone is 100% engaged in the day and adding so much to this grand finale! My heart is so full I hardly stand it!!
Still it is a bit surreal to me. I have long pictured this day to bring some sort of profound closure, and to be struck with an emotional breakthrough or epiphany, that I would somehow get the feeling of becoming whole. Well, maybe that’s asking a bit much of the act of walking. Besides, I think that deep meaning came earlier in the month when Therese and I set out to relive our first hike together in the remote mountain range in the Pemigewasset Wilderness known as The Bonds.
Backtrack a few weeks and several years…
I have often referred to my trek along Franconia Ridge as the birthplace of this quest. While it was what kicked off my pursuit of climbing all 48 of the 4000 footers, it actually began many years before without me even realizing it. All along throughout this adventure, there was one hike I wanted to squeeze in somewhere before it was all said and done: My first backpack trip from my younger years when Therese, Paul and I hiked Bondcliff, Mount Bond, and West Bond. I have such fond memories of that trip, but they are all foggy ones, having taken place so long ago. I wanted to renew that experience and return back to where it all began, this time documenting in greater detail what I vaguely remember as a magical voyage. I would finally get that chance in the coming days…
My sister and I couldn’t get to the trail head soon enough as we made our way down Zealand Rd after camping at Sugarloaf the night before. We donned our extra heavy loads for an overnight mountain excursion for the ages. 
The first miles were an adjustment to the added weight through meadows, streams, beaver ponds and hardwood forests on a crisp autumn-like late-summer morning. Taking a few mid-week days off for this trip was the best decision ever! I could swear we had all of the whites to ourselves, if not for the cars we had parked amongst back at the trail head.
Paul will be in our thoughts for this trip as we recall the memories of our first white mountain outing and gear up to make a ton of new ones. The one thing I cannot share in these writings are the aromas that permeate everywhere. They are intoxicating to say the least, and really put you in the moment and transport you to a better place figuratively and literally.
We don’t have definite plans on where camp will be but have a few places in mind. The idea is just to cover as many miles as we feel able to on day one, so that day 2 can be all about the peaks.
So far, these gentle slopes and meandering flat-lands are far more pleasant than the grueling slog in from Lincoln Woods which was our approach from yesteryear. There is so much variety on every turn from this side.
A short break at a picturesque waterfall, and then another at Zealand Hut to get our bearings and we are off for some more miles, before our first extended break at Zeacliff outlook which brought back another early day backpacking memory. Back then the 3 of us approached this area from (I think) Thoreau Falls and included Zealand, which we will also hit today on our way to camp. 
The outlook turned out to be our first human encounter as an older very outgoing gentleman joined us. We took in some of his stories and got him to snap a photo then continued on our way. We would play leap frog with him a few more times throughout the day for more story time shenanigans. 
Our second of very few human encounters happened at the wooded summit of Zealand Mountain. So with the addition of this peak we were only short Hale from the first-fab-five-from-formative-family-fun.
Mount Guyot (pronounced gee-oh) served as our lunchtime vista, and what a vista it was! It was here where we first got the sense of being endless miles away from any signs of civilization. By now we had decided to make it all the way to Guyot campsite to set up for the night, and then depending on time, try to get West Bond for sunset.
After getting our tent set up on our platform, we switched to our day packs and cruised up to West in no time flat. We sat speechless on the small bare rock summit area and all time stood still.
I looked at every one of the surrounding peaks and remembered the days I spent traveling to each and every one. I could have sat staring off into the great wide open forever! After what must have been an eternity, I turned to my sister, fighting back the tears, and said “It’s like coming home”.
She responded in agreement, pointing out that I had had the closest thing to a spiritual awakening as you can get, and added that no matter how big and overwhelming your problems and challenges of everyday life may seem, you get to places like this and realize how small they really are and that everything will be ok. Many of these wonderful little bumps have filled my heart, but this one burst it wide open!
(click here for video of West Bond Summit)
I was content to stay here sitting on my rock with my head on a swivel until morning, but alas the voice of reason did eventually take over, or maybe it was the voice of hunger, grumbling from our hollow bellies. In any case, since the sun was still quite high in the sky, we decided that we would instead shoot for sunrise on Mount Bond, and with that headed back to camp for some dehydrated grub and an early shuteye to wrap up an amazing day one and rest up for the 2nd half.
To be continued…
Fast forward back to present day…
This hike could not be more different than those days on the Bonds. Garfield trail is swarmed with folks making their way to this very popular peak. It’s so great to have my family along for the trek today! We are all having a blast and surprisingly as a group we are moving along at a decent clip. I was a tad concerned about that, not knowing for sure everyone’s fitness levels, with most of the group not being frequent hikers, and also having two diabetics in the group. Actually we did have to stop a few times to address this condition with MJ’s blood sugar running high and Janelle’s running low, but they both seem to be managing their symptoms just fine- Well, Janelle is struggling just a bit more with the addition of a poor night’s sleep the night before, but she is a trooper and moving along just fine. 
The good thing is that we are all there to motivate each other and lend a hand when needed. Therese (the other avid hiker in the group) is assuming the duty of bringing up the rear for the most part – “No man left behind”, while I am going back and forth trying to connect with each one of my companions.
Sean was actually the person I was most unsure of not knowing what kind of shape he was in these days, but I am impressed that he is leading the pack for a good part of the day giving his cotton layers a good drenching.
I wasn’t about to lecture anyone on cotton, or technique or any good hiking practices today. I will mention something here and there if it comes up, but I just want to enjoy the day in a carefree way and them to do the same If they take to hiking more often, I will clue them in on details. The other leader today is Taylor. She is a natural!
I see amazing trail stories in her future! She has gotten so grown up and smart too, more than I realized. Also offering me some peace of mind, being an EMT and the designated first aid expert in the group! This family is so diverse, in its assorted paths each of us has chosen and are still making choices on. The quirks are many believe me – but I think that’s what make it all so interesting and one thing is for sure, there is no lack of love and support from any one of us. I consider myself lucky to be a part of this strange eclectic crew. I couldn’t be more honored to offer my way of life as a means to bring us all together. Our group effort was rewarded with the views that lived up to their promise, and then some.
If only I could stay focused on today and live in the moment! But my mind would occasionally drift to the many trails that lead me here: 
That autumn ridge walk that first woke my soul on the Franconias, the simplicity of Tecumseh in November transitioning me into the tranquility of an unforgettable winter in Crawford Notch, the first blooming of spring around the Bowl of Ferncroft, then more of Sandwich Range for my first solo overnight with the Osceolas, a special Father’s Day hike with the boy, leading to a summer of rugged Presis mixed in with some eerie walks in the woods on Willey and Waumbek and of course who could forget Washington… and that was only the first half! So many unforgettable days since then, each unique and special in their own right, and each living in its own special place in my heart… which of course holds an enormous section for that treasured return to childhood innocence in the Bonds…
Backtrack to day two of that trip…
A 4:30 wakeup had us reaching for headlamps and a few extra layers to hit the trail once again.
As we made our way to the dwarfed treeline, the orange was already appearing on the horizon.
The glow gradually grew as we made our way higher and higher until reaching Bond to a gorgeous sunrise.
Colors exploded everywhere as the endless layers purple along the contours of the great white wilderness awoke to kiss the sky and light it on fire. What a great way, although very chilly, to experience the Whites! Good call sis!
(Click here for video of Mount Bond Sunrise)
Now making our way down the back side of the mountain the purple morphing into blue and orange to pink, with the ridge of Bondcliff ahead of us glowing in sunlight as the first rays peaked out from the mighty slopes of Mount Bond. A brief dip into tree cover and then we reemerged to the exposed ridge of Bondcliff with the wind now whipping around at a pretty good clip from the west.
We picked spot in the rocks along the eastern slope to shield us from the squalls, heated up our morning coffee, and ate cold hard boiled eggs and oatmeal-fruit munk-packs as we watched the rest of the show being displayed for the only two lifeforms in existence as far as eyes could see.
After breakfast, and a piss into the wind (bad idea), it was time for the grand finale – the summit of Bond Cliff – my first ever NH4k, now coming full circle! As we walked the ridge in wonder, a familiar sight caught my eye.
It was the famous cliff, the one everyone gets their picture on. I have seen it so many times now on facebook, that I recognized it immediately.
I double backed and inched my way out onto the ledge, feeling a little bit weak in the knees. Therese snapped a few of the obligatory pose, and then it was her turn to redo that grainy childhood polaroid shot.
Then it was onto tag the highpoint and linger some more, feeling like the luckiest people in the world to have this place to ourselves and just get lost in this feeling that cannot be put into words!
(click here for video of Bondcliff Grand Finale)
All that was left now was the long trip back to our cars. We met a few of our fellow campers on our way out for some chit-chat, including the fellow from Zeacliff who parted with these words of wisdom- “HAVE A WONDERFUL LIFE!” Indeed, we will, although I can’t imagine it getting much better than right here, right now.
(click here for video encore of Bondcliff -twice around)
Our load is now lighter, but we are leaving with so much more what we came with! Bonds that last forever.
Foreword once again…
That trip has stayed with me to this day, and was still very much present as I sat on the busy peak of Garfield staring off into the distance at those wonderful Bonds remembering that feeling, and for the first time, finding myself drifting out of the moment, as though looking down upon myself from somewhere else. There was something I was supposed to feel today now that I have come to the completion of the journey, but somehow I am strangely out of place, like I suddenly have no purpose. Something is missing and I must get it back. I look around at these peaks and I know how far I have come, but at this moment it doesn’t seem like I am the one who took those many, many steps up all those mountains. What does it all mean? What did I prove to myself, and to others by this accomplishment? I sit there on the ledge in the presence of beauty, pondering the meaning behind what I had done and finding nothing, at least not at this very moment.
I decide to let go, and save the pondering for a different day, and snap myself out of it to enjoy the here and now. I get back to the group where my family celebration is in full swing, complete with sparkling cider toast, joking at large containers with enough fruit and veggies AND GRANOLA-BALLS to feed an army, funny (in a Coste sort of way) bazar comments like “I enjoy spending time with you…in moderation”, “Oh is 48 peaks actually ‘a thing?’ I thought it was something Mike made up”, “What if I have to pee?” and my own “This hike is a chick-flick” decorated the air… until, wait who’s missing? I return once again to the summit to retrieve the two wayward wanderers, Maryjeanne who decided she would continue straight on to Lafayette and Sean who decided he would stay on Garfield forever. We got everyone back together safe and sound and continued our descent, proceeding to laugh our way right down the mountain. At one point I looked back and noticed Sean was carrying two backpacks! He had simply decided he was gonna lighten the load for Janelle who was still feeling the effects of her struggles earlier in the day. That’s how we roll. If someone is in need of help there is no hesitation to lend a hand. We all live our separate lives these days for the most part, but always seem to come together when it matters most.
(click here for video of Garfield summit)
As the day comes to its close and we exchange hugs as we depart the trailhead lot to reconvene back at camp to warm by the fire with massive amounts of food, I expressed my odd moments of disconnection with the event. Taylor in her profound insight gave me an explanation I could live with. I forget her exact words but she put it so fluently – something to the effect of I had built this moment so much in my head that I had already realized the magnitude of the event and had excepted its conclusion coming to peace with whatever I felt about the whole journey days or even weeks before. I think she hit the nail on the head. 
The warmth of the fire could not compare to the warmth in my heart for this family reunion. Maryjeanne echoed my sentiments as she recalled early childhood camping trips and observed that this trip brought her back to an immeasurable clarity of who we really are. It turns out the answer I was looking for on the ledge today was found a long time ago. I didn’t prove a damn thing except that this right here is the definition of happiness, and this journey thankfully never really ends. …and why would I want it to? We should all be so lucky to be blessed with the opportunity to lose ourselves only to find ourselves, and in my case find a peace, spirituality and overall well-being that I never knew was in me, and that stays with me wherever I go. Just like coming home, indeed. 48 and counting.
- From a world that’s never ending,
- From a sky beyond the skies,
- A child is born
- and love is made alive
- And you are the wind at my back
- You give what I lack
- You’re the jewel in my hand
- You’re like rain on dry land
- And my soul has been kissed
- Just because you exist
- You’re the blue in my black
- You’re the wind at my back ~ Neal Morse
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48-Garfield
32-S.Hancock
So all systems go for my next landmark on the way to my ultimate White Mountain goal the one obstacle standing in my way before I take my finishing steps. What a day that is shaping up to be! Quite different than this lone-wolf march I am on today. Garfield will see a large portion of the Coste Clan, and potentially a few friends too when autumn arrives and I complete this crazy list that has been my main drive and focus over the past 2 years. There is quite a large chunk of time between now and then, but I plan to put a dent in some of my next lists, first and foremost the ADK46.
The chit chat dwindles after a photo favor from the 2nd group as they head out back toward Boot Spur & Glen Boulder for some more chaos. My descent should be much more mellow down by way of the first groups campsite.
