Camping Advice on Carter-Moriah

[kamoore63]

Howdy folks. I'm doing a backpack with 4-5 other folks this weekend. The plan is to do the Carters over two lazy days by hiking up Nineteen Mile Brook/Carter Dome, dropping packs in Zeta Pass, bagging Carter Dome (and Mt. Hight) then returning to Zeta Pass and finding a place to camp that's 1) at least one-quarter of a mile from Zeta Pass (since it's a forest protection area) and 2) has water. I recall there being a few sites just beyond the forest protection area toward South Carter but 1) they're not too far off the trail (although I didn't explore to see how far back we could get) and 2) I wouldn't expect there to be any water on a ridge.

I've taken a look at the topos in the closest detail I can get and the options appear to be:
1) stay farther down Carter Dome Trail, heading south off the trail toward water
2) head off of Carter-Morian and down toward the creek that runs up the backside
3) carry a crapload of water!

Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Keith

 

[David Metsky]

Zeta Pass has water, so at worst you'll have a 1/4 mile trip to get water. This time of year is often questionable how much is flowing up there. There are indeed spots just outside the FPA but I've never camped there so I don't have any details.

 

[kamoore63]

Hmm, I've never noticed water there before. Mind you, I haven't been in Zeta Pass outside of winter in about five years!

 

[MichaelJ]

I found water in Zeta Pass several years ago when I went searching, but I forget exactly where it was. There might have even been a sign? In any case, going up towards South Carter you can find a lot of space off to the west of the trail in open woods. Just be very, very careful you don't take a moose bed; they do live up there and would be very unhappy to find your tent where they want to sleep.

 

[bryan]

last i was in zeta pass there were some bootleg sites just outside the fpa heading north, but i have never found water there. lots of thru hikers use that as a camping area, but in my experience they always filled up in carter notch.

bryan