| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Wildcat A, Carter Dome, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, Carter Dome Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 6, 2017 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Water crossings were manageable, and nothing more than 6 or so feet. Water is high in all areas as you'd expect. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Blow downs coming down cater dome to 19 mile after some high winds overnight |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
A couple, but they aren't out yet. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
What was supposed to be a long trek across the wildcats and the carter/moriah range turned quickly into a short up and down overnight.
19 mile brook was a quick and easy up to the first junction. Some left over monorail was manageable without spikes up to the hut. We dropped our packs and headed up to try and snag the cats. The trail up very quickly started into a monorail. It is fading fast, but with spikes were were all able to make a pretty quick ascent. Post holing wasn't too surprising given the temps and rain. We walked through hail, and mild rain, to hit a viewless peak and decided to call it a day. Back to the hut to plan for day 2.
The weather in the morning made for a relatively easy decision and we decided to break up the group. Four of us went back to the car, and four of us decided to hit Carter Dome before we went home. The trail up from the hut was mostly wet rocks, but very manageable with the slow pace up the steepest part. After it levels off a little the monorail was pretty consistent. From here until the decent the monorail was either manageable or inches wide at some points. Postholing should be expected, but staying away from the existing ones helped. Other times the trail was visible and could be used as a way around the ice. I used trail crampons from the ascent until the descent down from zeta pass. Others i was with used just microspikes and seemed to do just fine. Snowshoes are useless, and i wouldn't bother even going across the level sections.
From zeta pass down to the 19 mile was quick and easy...muddy, wet but not much to worry about.
A great time and we avoided most of the showers and bad weather. Made the best of it and bagged a couple. A great retreat with some good friends. |
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 | Name: |
Pete |
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 | E-Mail: |
peter521081@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-05-07 |
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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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