NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Wildcat D, Wildcat A, Carter Dome, South Carter, Middle Carter, Moriah, NH
Trails
Trails: Ski slopes, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Carter Moriah Trail, Stony Brook Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, March 1, 2015
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of parking in plowed lots at Stony Brook and Wildcat Ski Area. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All were bridged 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Carter Moriah trail between North Carter Trail and Stony Brook Trail is a mess of blowdowns and leaners.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw none, but would have been good conditions for them. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: 80% of the trails were a dream! Thanks to everyone who has packed them out in snowshoes. (See further below for the 20% that was a mess!)

Bought our uphill passes at 8am and they told us we could head on up the ski slopes even though lifts weren't open yet. Wildcat Ridge in great shape - well packed but soft enough to make for great snowshoeing and nice descent to the notch. Heading up Carter Dome the trail is wiped smooth of loose snow from butt sledders but not too icy yet. Above the ledges to the dome was the only place we saw any postholes or chewed up trail. Down from the dome and across the Carters is a great snowshoe track - probably not firm enough for bare booting and everyone we saw today was in snowshoes which was the right call for the day. Corridor is pretty tight in spots across around Middle carter due to high snow pack and leaning trees.

We heard reports early on that there were tracks heading towards Moriah and we got our hopes up. Unfortunately the tracks abruptly ended about 50 ft from the North Carter Trail junction at a nice little camp spot. So from North Carter Trail to Stony Brook was all ours - we had expected deep snow and tricky route-finding and that's what we got. Lots of blowdowns, lean-overs, deep snow and spruce traps waiting around every corner - be warned that this section is a bit of a mess. Just the 2 of us, so the trail is far from packed down.

Once at the Stony Brook junction, the trail was a breeze again - up to the Moriah summit and back to trailhead.

Nice day to finally check off a hike we've had on our list for ages - a one day winter traverse from Wildcats to Moriah.  
Name
Name: Jeff & Karine 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2015-03-01 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved