| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Wildcat E, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Route 16, Lost Pond Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, August 20, 2022 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Huge amounts of room at the Wildcat Ski Area. Pinkham Notch, however, was completely full and the overflow lots were pretty much full as well. Glen Ellis parking area was mostly full as well when I stopped there after the hike. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None on this route. I checked out the crossing of Ellis River on Wildcat Ridge Trail right next to Route 16 - a guy I passed said that he did it with dry feet, but I crossed in Crocs at the end of the hike (just to redline that tiny bit) and it wasn't difficult. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No blowdowns that I remember. Very little mud. All signs are in place. The hundreds of stone steps that go up this steep climb were generally in good condition, and the trail was easy to follow. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Experienced, hardy dogs could probably do the climb, but an inexperienced dog could have major issues with the steep ledge scrambling. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Very few. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
This wasn't the hike I intended to do today, but this ended up being an excellent Plan B that delivered a steep, strenuous climb and beautiful views. The road walk from the Wildcat Ski Area to Lost Pond Trail is about 0.8 miles, and is easy - the shoulder of Route 16 is nice and wide. Lost Pond Trail alternated between smooth and rough, and it has a few minor ups and downs but nothing serious. The serious climbing begins immediately after turning onto Wildcat Ridge Trail. A lot of it consists of steep climbs up rock steps - the footing was very rough for much of the climb but the work to create the rock steps was appreciated. The toughest scramble IMO was just above the first viewpoint, maybe 500 vertical feet up - you have to scramble up a steep, narrow ledge with a dropoff to the left and a deep crevice in the rock to the right. There are enough handholds and footholds on the ledge, but it was a little unnerving and I can imagine it would be way worse if the rocks were wet. Some of the scrambles further up were thought-provoking but IMO not scary since the rocks were dry and had fairly good grip. And many of them revealed incredible views - Mt. Washington was completely in the clear along with spectacular views of Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines, and Raymond Cataract was visible as well. The upper part of the trail has several small but steep and rough descents interspersed with the climb. There's not much of a marking at the summit of Wildcat E, but it's fairly clear when you're there, and then it's a short and easy descent to the top of the ski area.
When I decided on this route, I didn't know if the ski lift was operating or not, so I had planned to hike down Polecat ski trail. However, it turned out the ski lift was operating (and thus there was a whole bunch of tourists enjoying the views from the top). Upon making inquiries, it turned out they were allowing hikers to descend using the ski left, and even better, the descent was free! I couldn't pass up an offer like that. I thought about my hike at Cannon Mountain last week, where a large sign at the trailhead proclaimed that hikers were not allowed to descend via the Tramway. I mentioned this to the lift operators, who said that since Wildcat is in the WMNF, they are therefore more accommodating to hikers than a place like Cannon Mountain which is owned by the state of NH. Before descending, I enjoyed the views from the top of the lift - the views to both the northwest and southeast were excellent, with the Doubleheads featured prominently in the latter.
This was a very enjoyable day, where I feel like I both got a serious workout and enjoyed being a tourist at the same time. The climb up to Wildcat E from Glen Ellis probably wouldn't be considered terrifying for an experienced hiker on a good-weather day with dry rocks, but don't underestimate it - it is a long, steep, rough, and strenuous climb and is absolutely no joke. And I would not recommend doing it on a rainy day - some of the ledges could be extremely difficult or downright dangerous. Plus, you'd miss the incredible views. |
|
 | Name: |
GN |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2022-08-20 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
