| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Middle Carter, South Carter, Carter Dome, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Camp Dodge Cutoff, Imp Trail, North Carter Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Nineteen Mile Brook Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of room when we arrived and the lot was clear of snow and ice |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
With careful foot placement we were able to rock hop across the 2 larger crossings on the Carter Dome trail. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nothing too memorable. There are still some tight spots on the Carter-Moriah trail up closer to Carter Dome. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None seen :( Conditions are pretty good for trail savvy puppers. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Still in Hell |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing lost and nothing found |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
We started in bare boots as the trail was mostly bare down low. About 1 mile up the Imp trail we put on spikes for Steve and Hillsound Pros for me. The ice is mild initially but progresses to some pretty impressive ice bulges that had us both staring in awe of them. Fortunately the temps were warm enough that most were grippy but as we got higher up the the temps dropped the ice got pretty bullet proof in spots. We used trees and some creative moves to stay upright. There is a defined monorail up high that requires some balancing. The descent off South Carter was icy and tricky because it has begun to snow in earnest by then which covered up all the ice - we still found it. The ascent and descent of Carter Dome was tedious. The monorail is narrow and on a steep sidehill. The flatter section downhill is all hard ice. I balanced on the monorail while the trees on the side pushed me sideways and dumped snow down my side and neck but when I tried to walk on the flatter section I had no traction even with Hillsound Pros. We both stayed upright but it was a slow ascent and the descent was worse with even more snow filling in our tracks and covering the ice.
All said this was a great day to offer grid support to a good friend so no regrets there. April is character building for sure. We got it done and were in great spirits and returned to our cars in one piece. |
|
 | Name: |
Uki |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ukisukinaminanu@yahoo.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2026-04-07 |
|
 | 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. |
|
