Hiking in the White Mountains: Carter Dome Trail

Showing posts with label Carter Dome Trail. Show all posts

Middle & South Carter, Carter Dome, Wildcat A & D Peak (#18, #19, #20, #21, #22)

Date of Hike: 2/13/10

Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail: 1.9 miles
Carter Dome Trail: 1.9 miles
Carter-Moriah Trail: 6.8 miles
Wildcat Ridge Trail: 2.7 miles
Polecat/Tomcat Ski Trails: 2.5 miles
Total Miles: 15.8 (6,200 elevation gain)

Trip Report:
- Left RI at 3am, on trail at 7am, finished around 3:30
- Temps in the mid teens to high twenty's, wind gusts around 25mph out of the NW above 4,000 feet. Cloudy skies until noon then clear skies with 75 miles plus visibility!
- Made good time up Nineteen-Mile and Carter Dome trails. Carter Dome Trail has a series of seven switchbacks on it which are pretty annoying, two of which are really long and boring!
- At Zeta Pass I switched from microspikes over to snowshoes and booked it over to South Cater, however as soon as I started over to Middle Carter the trail was hard to follow with some snow drifts. Unfortunately the White AT blazes on the trees that you always see when you don't need to see them were few and far between but I stayed on the trail except for one part and was able to get to Middle Carter summit without much of a problem
- Once I got back to South Carter I finally started running into a bunch of people, a dozen over to Carter dome and another eight or so down to Carter Notch
- The hike up to Carter Dome was a struggle at times, the trail was very choppy and narrow and the winds picked up near the summit
- Switched back to microspikes for the hike down to Carter Notch and on the steep parts I glissaded down being careful not to lose control and go into a tree, rock, or over a very long drop!
- Stoped in at Carter Notch Hut to refuel, warm up, and energize myself for the steep climb (1,050 feet in .7 miles) up to Wildcat A Peak
- In the "It really is a small world" outside the hut I bumped into Bill who was the guy who picked me up when I was trying to hitch-hike last month! We then set off for Wildcat and bumped into Jeremy (Rocket 21) who I met on Franconia Ridge in December, and Eric and we all set off to tackle the Wildcat Ridge. Both Jeremy and Eric have done a single season Winter 48 in the past which is a pretty amazing accomplishment!
- The Hike over the Wildcat Peaks was great and the views of the northern presidentials were kick ass!
- Once we got to the Wildcat Ski Area we descended the Polecat trail and enjoyed the close up views of Tucks and Huntington Ravine as skiers and snowboarders zoomed by us
- Back at the Parking lot Jeremy had his truck and let Bill and I get a lift along with him and Eric back to the trailhead which saved us a boring dreadful road walk!

Pictures: Click here for all pictures

Carter-Moriah trail

Carter Dome from Wildcat A Peak

Mount Adams and Madison

Mount Washington from Wildcat Ridge trail

Wildcat Ski Area

Views while hiking down Polecat ski trail

Video: Walking down polecat with skiers going by

Middle Carter (4,610 feet)

Middle Carter from the Carter-Moriah Trail north of South Carter

Middle Cater is located on the Appalachian Trail and has limited views to the east and north from it's mostly wooded summit. The hike to and from the summit is probably only interesting to peak-baggers looking to knock off one of the 48 - 4,000 footers. There are a couple of good views of the Presidential Range and surroundings areas between South and Middle and North and Middle Carter. The two ways to reach the summit of Middle Cater are both off NH16 from the Nineteen-Mile Brook Trailhead via Nineteen-Mile Brook, Cater Dome, and Carter-Moriah Trails, or the Imp Trailhead, via The Imp, North Carter, and Carter-Moriah Trails.

Trip Reports:

August 13th, 2016: MMD 50K 2016

April 17th, 2016: Up NH 16, Camp Dodge Cutoff, Imp Trail, North Carter Trail, across Carter-Moriah Trail and Wildcat Ridge Trail, down Polecat Ski Trail

January 31st, 2016: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail, across Carter-Moriah Trail, down North Carter Trail, Imp Trail, and Camp Dodge Cutoff

October 4th, 2015: Up Stony Brook Trail, across Carter-Moriah Trail, down Carter Dome and Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, NH 16 road walk

August 15th, 2015: Up Nineteen-Mile and Carter Dome trails, across Carter-Moriah Trail, down North Carter, Imp, Camp Dodge-Cutoff, and NH16

March 28th, 2015: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, across Carter-Moriah Trail, down North Carter, Imp, and Camp Dodge Cutoff

January 17th, 2015: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, across and down Carter-Moriah Trail, up and across Wildcat Ridge Trail, down polecat ski trail, road walk on Route 16

December 22nd, 2014: Up Polecat Ski Trail, across and down Wildcat Ridge Trail, up and across Carter-Moriah Trail, down Imp Trail, Camp Dodge Cutoff, and Route 16

November 10th, 2013: Up and down Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Carter Moriah Trail

June 22nd, 2013: Wildcat/Carter Traverse

May 5th, 2012: Wildcat/Carter Traverse

July 30th, 2011: MMD - More and More Difficult: "Pinkham Notch Loop" Dolly Copp Road, Route 16, Up North Branch of Imp Trail, across Carter-Moriah and Wildcat Ridge, down Polecat Ski Trail, up-over-down Lila's Ledge to Old Jackson Road, Up Tuckerman Ravine and Lion Head to Washington, across Clay, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison via Gulfside, Clay Loop, Jefferson Loop, Isreal Ridge/Lowe's Path, and Osgood Trail, down Daniel Webster-Scout Trail, road walk back to Barnes Field

May 29th, 2011: Moriah/Carter/Wildcat Traverse Traverse

September 5th, 2010: Wildcat/Carter Traverse

February 13th, 2010: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook, Carter Dome Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail (South & Middle Carter), on to Carter Dome, down to Carter Notch, up and across Wildcat Ridge Trail, down Polecat Ski Trail

July 17th, 2009: Up and down Nineteen-Mile Brook, Carter Dome Trail, and Carter-Moriah Trail

Carter Dome (4,832 feet)

Cater Dome and Carter Notch from Wildcat "A" Peak

Carter Dome is the southern most mountain in the Carter Range sitting high above Carter Notch and across from Wildcat 'A' Peak. The summit has obscure views at best, there used to be an old fire tower that was taken down several years ago taking away the magnificent views. To reach the summit from the west via Pinkham Notch (Route 16) is by the Nineteenth-Mile Brook Trail and then a steep climb up the Carter-Moriah Trail or hiking the Nineteenth-Mile Brook Trail and Carter Dome Trail. From the East (Wild River Wilderness) the Black Angel Trail and the Rainbow Trail are remote, beautiful, and provide easy grades although longer mileage wise.

Trails I've Hiked

-Nineteeth-Mile Brook Trail and Carter-Moriah Trail: 5.0 miles 3,500 feet elevation gain. The Nineteenth-Mile Brook Trail has easy to moderate grades and good footing most of the way and is a very popular trail as it ends at the Carter Notch Hut. The Carter-Moriah Trail asecends north 1.2 miles and 1,550 feet from the Nineteenth-Mile Brook Trail, the trail is very steep at first then ascends moderately and has rough and rugged footing but there are great views down into Carter Notch and across to Wildcat 'A' Peak from outlooks.

-Carter Dome Trail: 5.0 miles, 3,400 feet elevation gain (via Nineteenth-Mile Brook Trail). The Carter Dome trail has easy to moderate grades with good footing, there are a series of several short switchbacks!

Trip Reports:

August 13th, 2016: MMD 50K 2016

April 17th, 2016: Up NH 16, Camp Dodge Cutoff, Imp Trail, North Carter Trail, across Carter-Moriah Trail and Wildcat Ridge Trail, down Polecat Ski Trail

January 31st, 2016: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail, across Carter-Moriah Trail, down North Carter Trail, Imp Trail, and Camp Dodge Cutoff

March 28th, 2015: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, across Carter-Moriah Trail, down North Carter, Imp, and Camp Dodge Cutoff

January 17th, 2015: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, across and down Carter-Moriah Trail, up and across Wildcat Ridge Trail, down polecat ski trail, road walk on Route 16

December 22nd, 2014: Up Polecat Ski Trail, across and down Wildcat Ridge Trail, up and across Carter-Moriah Trail, down Imp Trail, Camp Dodge Cutoff, and Route 16

October 12th, 2014: Up Mount Meader Trail, down Basin Rim Trail, up Black Angel and Carter-Moriah Trail, Down Rainbow and Wild River Trail, up Eagle Link Trail, across Meader Ridge Trail and down Moutn Meader Trail

June 22nd, 2013: Wildcat/Carter Traverse

May 5th, 2012: Wildcat/Carter Traverse

July 30th, 2011: MMD - More and More Difficult: "Pinkham Notch Loop" Dolly Copp Road, Route 16, Up North Branch of Imp Trail, across Carter-Moriah and Wildcat Ridge, down Polecat Ski Trail, up-over-down Lila's Ledge to Old Jackson Road, Up Tuckerman Ravine and Lion Head to Washington, across Clay, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison via Gulfside, Clay Loop, Jefferson Loop, Isreal Ridge/Lowe's Path, and Osgood Trail, down Daniel Webster-Scout Trail, road walk back to Barnes Field

May 29th, 2011: Moriah/Carter/Wildcat Traverse

September 5th, 2010: Wildcat/Carter Traverse

February 13th, 2010: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook, Carter Dome Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail (South & Middle Carter), on to Carter Dome, down to Carter Notch, up and across Wildcat Ridge Trail, down Polecat Ski Trail

November 22nd, 2009: Up Nineteen-Mile Brook, Carter Dome Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, up and across Wildcat Ridge Trail, down Polecat Ski Trail

August 16th, 2008: Lost Pond Trail, up-across-down Wildcat Ridge Trail, Up Carter-Moriah Trail, down Carter Dome and Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail

South Carter (4,430)

South Carter (left) from Carter Dome

South Carter is a wooded viewless summit located on the Carter-Moriah Trail (AT). If you continue on to Middle Cater there are some decent views of the Presidential Range from an open ledge that the trail runs through for a short section. The hike to and from the summit is probably only interesting to peak-baggers looking to knock off one of the 48 - 4,000 footers. The two ways to reach the summit of Middle Cater are both off Route 16 from the Nineteen-Mile Brook Trailhead via Nineteen-Mile Brook, Cater Dome, and Carter-Moriah Trails or the Imp Trailhead, via The Imp, North Carter, and Carter-Moriah Trails.

Trails I've Hiked

Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail / Carter Dome Trail / Carter-Moriah Trail: 4.6 miles, elevation gain of 3,000 feet. Nineteen Mile Brook Trail is well defined, has easy grades and good footing while running along the Nineteen-Mile Brook. The Carter Dome Trail has good footing and moderate grades but has about five long boring switchbacks! The Carter-Moriah Trail is part of the Appalachian Trail and is well blazed, easy to follow has ok footing with decent grades and a short steep section as you approach South Carter summit.