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Date of Hike: October 8 & 9 2012, Monday (Columbus day) & Tuesday
Trails: 19-Mile Trailhead, Camp Dodge Bushwhack, Imp Trail (South Link), North Carter Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, overnight at Carter Notch Hut, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Northern Wildcat Ski Trails, short Bushwhack to North Wildcat parking lot, Rt 16 Bike back to 19-Mile Trailhead
Trail Conditions: Half a dozen easy step over blowdowns on Imp and North Carter trails. Snow on trees above 3500’ but not on the trails except on some bog bridges, trails wet but manageable, both Carter and Wildcat Ridge have unavoidable mud bogs mushed up pretty good from holiday weekend traffic. Lots of what look like fairly new Bog bridges on the ridges trails. No river crossings.
Special equipment: No traction needed. Waterproof boots like the winter boots that I left in my truck, would have been nice. Trekking poles handy for knocking snow off branches overehanging the narrow trails on N. Carter trail.
Comments: Weather was all over the place for this two day hut hike. First day started clear but ended up with heavy mist and snow mist that cleared just long enough to get great views from Mt Hight (thanks to Chris for recommendation not to pass on Hight). Could see North and South presidents with snow caps but Washington stayed in the clouds. Tuesday was fogged in all morning until 10 minutes after starting down Polecat ski slope. Then great views of the foliage and white capped Presidents while hiking down. Foliage in the valley was nice but not as multi colored as from Waterville Valley slopes after Tecumseh a week earlier. Workers were busy weed-whacking tall grass on the ski trails. While gearing up at the 19-mile trailhead on Monday morning, I was startled (scared actually) by a huge bull moose charging down RT 16, seemingly right at me. I jumped behind my truck and he darted just on the other side of the truck and into the woods. He probably had just crossed the road and was trying to get back into the woods that were blocked by cars and a road barrier. God he was huge! I had stashed a bike in the woods at the ski area Monday morning. The bike ride from the ski area to 19-mile trail head is almost all downhill and saved me hour of road hiking. It was nice seeing the snow again.
- Marvin from RI (32/48 NH4k)
Trails: 19-Mile Trailhead, Camp Dodge Bushwhack, Imp Trail (South Link), North Carter Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, overnight at Carter Notch Hut, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Northern Wildcat Ski Trails, short Bushwhack to North Wildcat parking lot, Rt 16 Bike back to 19-Mile Trailhead
Trail Conditions: Half a dozen easy step over blowdowns on Imp and North Carter trails. Snow on trees above 3500’ but not on the trails except on some bog bridges, trails wet but manageable, both Carter and Wildcat Ridge have unavoidable mud bogs mushed up pretty good from holiday weekend traffic. Lots of what look like fairly new Bog bridges on the ridges trails. No river crossings.
Special equipment: No traction needed. Waterproof boots like the winter boots that I left in my truck, would have been nice. Trekking poles handy for knocking snow off branches overehanging the narrow trails on N. Carter trail.
Comments: Weather was all over the place for this two day hut hike. First day started clear but ended up with heavy mist and snow mist that cleared just long enough to get great views from Mt Hight (thanks to Chris for recommendation not to pass on Hight). Could see North and South presidents with snow caps but Washington stayed in the clouds. Tuesday was fogged in all morning until 10 minutes after starting down Polecat ski slope. Then great views of the foliage and white capped Presidents while hiking down. Foliage in the valley was nice but not as multi colored as from Waterville Valley slopes after Tecumseh a week earlier. Workers were busy weed-whacking tall grass on the ski trails. While gearing up at the 19-mile trailhead on Monday morning, I was startled (scared actually) by a huge bull moose charging down RT 16, seemingly right at me. I jumped behind my truck and he darted just on the other side of the truck and into the woods. He probably had just crossed the road and was trying to get back into the woods that were blocked by cars and a road barrier. God he was huge! I had stashed a bike in the woods at the ski area Monday morning. The bike ride from the ski area to 19-mile trail head is almost all downhill and saved me hour of road hiking. It was nice seeing the snow again.
- Marvin from RI (32/48 NH4k)
