| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Wildcat E, Wildcat D, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lost Pond Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, December 4, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at Pinkham Notch AMC with tons of room. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Wet Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Bridged |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No blowdowns. One ice flow on Lost Pond. Lower Wildcat Ridge mostly wet rocks but they are rough and the footing was fine. The first traverse and chimney climb were about like a summer hike, and the next few tricky ledges had just a little black ice, less on the return leg. It looks like the first set of wood steps on ledge are new, although one has a bit of recent damage. Above them there was one tricky thick ice flow. At the second set of steps and the ledge above them it was dicey, there was some black ice in key places. Above that there were patches of ice in some of the east facing steeper sections in particular. More below. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Pepper had an easy day. Almost no snow meant no snowball fur. He waited on my request for me to spot him in a few icy patches going up, and then on the hike down he had no problems although he he waited and watched me on the tricky spots with what I can only describe as some concern. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
With dogs banned from the ski area, getting this hike in was worth taking a vacation day given the forecast at the end of the workday Monday, thinking the rain, mild temps and sun would have cleared the ledges. As soon as I provided notice, I saw Bryan's report for Ammo and wondered about doing some other hike from then on. But driving up there was sun in Twin Mtn so on we went on to the Wildcats. Fooled again. We were in thick fog the entire hike and I wondered if we would have to turn back at some point and do Carter Dome instead.
But the rocks in the tricky sections were clear or clear enough of ice and their rough shapes and crystalline structure provided good to decent traction. The upper ledges and above were mostly the same but with some black ice in key sections, and one flow ice, such that one can put on microspikes and grind them down, or continue slowly and carefully. I did both since I didn’t want to grind my new microspikes or Hillsounds, but if I had brought my old patched microspikes I would have used them and gone faster. It took us 25 min longer to get up to E than it does to go up and down D via the ski trails. We met only one other person who was just exploring, and he had an ice axe to help with the ledges and crampons if needed..
Right now a little more black ice and the upper ledges could be real tricky, and just a little less and they would be easy. Sub freezing temps alone might increase slipperiness generally since the rocks were at their best sort of dry. Experienced hikers should have the gear (traction at a minimum) and moxie to handle either, but more ice would make it tricky for a dog, especially one without winter experience on ice. I would expect a hike up A and over to D would be less exciting for dog and human. |
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
windriversjohn at gmail dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-12-04 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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