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February 18, 2013. Except for the freight train winds, it was a beautiful hiking day. Barebooted in microspikes up 19 Mile Brook and Carter Dome trail to Zeta Pass. Quite a bit of drifting below the switch backs on Carter Dome Trail, bit just short sections. Continued through occasional drifts to South Carter summit where I donned snowshoes for the rest of the day. From South Carter to North Carter Trail had been broken out recently but there were many deep and obscuring drifts. From North Carter Trail to Stony Brook Trail was unbroken and pretty deep in spots. The descent on the north side of North Carter was pretty hairy, steep and deep with ice beneath. Not that many would consider it, but this would be a really bad route heading south right now. Lots of traffic after Stony Brook junction. One large group and several smaller heading down the ridge, almost all wearing snowshoes. Carter-Moriah Trail down to Gorham had seen a couple groups of two today so it went pretty fast. One group had kindly trimmed branches from a few blowdowns. Caught a group at the road just in time to catch a ride back to my car from Pete from Mass. Thanks!
