Which is the best way to do Middle and South Carter?

[WSC]

I am going out this weekend and looking to do Middle and South Carter, and will do a car spot.
Are there any advantages of starting at the Imp trail, and going by way of Carter-Moriah trail down to Nineteen mile brook, over doing it in the reverse?
Thanks
WSC

 

[JasonPatrikz]

The long way!!!

Well, i'm actually headed up there sunday but we are starting in gorham and hitting moriah, the carters and the wildcats and ending with the car spot at the ski area. Never done imp so not sure on that area.

 

[Raymond]

I haven’t gone both ways, but when I climbed those mountains I started at the Imp Face parking area and climbed to the ridge just south of North Carter, then followed the Appalachian Trail south over Middle and South Carters, Mount Hight, and Carter Dome. I continued down to the Carter Notch hut and descended Nineteen Mile Brook Trail to Route 16 then walked back to my car.

I think it was about 16 miles all told, maybe about ten hours or so, I can’t remember the details now. As far as advantages go, you could check the AMC guide and see if there’s elevation gain listed for both directions, and if there is then see if it’s markedly more one way or the other. I guess if you begin and end at the same spot as I did, it would be the same gain either way. Spotting a car someplace, you’d have to figure out which way is easier, if one way is.

It was steep going down into Carter Notch, but I don’t know that it was so steep that you’d want to go up that way instead. It was a long grind getting up to the ridge past Imp Face, too.

Be sure you don’t pass by Mount Hight, or miss the trail from its summit (sharp right turn, southbound) to Carter Dome.

 

[MadRiver]

Here is an alternative. Park at the trailhead and hike up 19 mile trail. Take a left onto the Carter Dome Trail, which connects to the Carter-Mariah Trail. Head over South and Middle Carter. Head down the North Carter Trail and connect to the southern Imp Trail. If you look at your map, you will see that the Southern Imp dips close to the Cowboy Brook and then heads north. a 100 yards our so after heading north you should see a large field to your right. The trail then crosses an old logging road. Take a left onto the road and it comes into Camp Dodge. You can park a car in the lower parking area of Camp Dodge. If not, it is only a 1/4 mile road walk back to 19 mile trail. This way cuts some time off the Imp Trail.

 

[dug]

By foot.

Oh, more detail needed.

I've gone up over the whole ridge from the "backside", but that was a three day trip in all.

I've done variations of MadRiver's trip before. Once, we didn't car spot but walked back to Nineteen-Mile Brook Trailhead. The other time we went in and out in the same route. Both times we went in via Nineteen-Mile and came out via Imp.

 

[nartreb]

A car spot is not really necessary for the loop you have in mind - the distance between trailheads is pretty short (roughly a mile [CORRECTION: 2.5 miles]), even without MadRiver's suggested shortcut.
Both trails are pretty gentle, I can't think of a reason for preferring one direction over another.
While you're up there I strongly recommend visiting Mt Hight - maybe I'd start from that end just to ensure I'm not tempted to skip it later because I'm feeling tired. Another extension that may be worthwhile is to take the northern branch of the Imp trail - the views are supposed to be better (I know firsthand that the south branch has none) but the trail is slightly more challenging and the trailhead is a few hundred feet farther north.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I usually do those two Carters as an 'over & back' from Zeta Pass, using the 19 Mine Brook trail. If you want to do a loop, then follow Mad River's suggestion. The spot where you'll begin the bushwhack is very obvious - the trail makes a decided right turn.

Sorry nartreb - the distance between 19 Mine Brook and Imp trailheads is not a mile - it's more like 3! And, the pavement is a damn hot walk in summer - yes, been there done that. Don't forget, there are 2 Imp trailheads, so if you do a car spot, remember which one you used. And yes, been there done that, although on that occasion is was very cold and snowing heavily.

 

[nartreb]

Sorry about that - it's a shade less than 4Km or 2.5 miles. Still an easy stroll - been there done that, in summer with an overnight pack.

 

[Tim Horn]

I find that it is easy to get a ride if you have a pack and use your thumb. If I am hiking with other folks I just drop my pack and jog down and get the truck and return. I would personally go in and out via Imp. It is a quicker hike (quicker gain in elevation) and the views from Imp going both ways make it my route of choice. You can also then go over to North Carter so you can see the nice views down toward Moriah Brook. Otherwise I would go up Imp and out 19 mile as it is a mellow trail that is easy to jog down at the end of the day with the bonus of being able to stop and take a dip in the brook and cool off. I have a hard time getting my head around car spots. It means using twice the gas to get to the trailhead, you have to shuttle back and forth, generally you waste as much time doing all that than if you just hitch or walk back. Besides if you can hike a 10 mile day on the trail you can surely manage a short road walk. Take the walk as a chance to pick up garbage along the side of the road. You may find that walking a few extra mellow miles at the end of the hike will help work the kinks out and protect you from injury. I guess I see getting back to where you left from is all part of the hiking journey, but thats me.

 

[DougPaul]

Sorry about that - it's a shade less than 4Km or 2.5 miles. Still an easy stroll - been there done that, in summer with an overnight pack.

The shortcut (bushwack parallel to Cowboy Brook) reduces the road walk to about .5 mi. Allso reduces the trail distance by about a mile.

If visibility is good, I suggest that you not miss Mt Hight--a short side-trip from Zeta Pass. One of the best viewpoints in the Whites.

Doug

 

[weatherman]

I like the clockwise loop too (Imp first), as I like to do trails that are new to me (as Imp was) earlier in the day, when I can pay more attention. Also, as others said, the road walk is downhill that way, and 19 MB is sooo easy coming out, you can just turn your brain off and cruise. And there are fewer hordes of people that way, perhaps the best reason. Everybody goes up 19 MB in the morning. Definitely do Mt Hight unless you are super tired or the weather turns bad, but the Dome is skippable unless you need it for a list or something.
Weatherman