Mt. Wildcat, D Peak (4,062 ft) & Mt. Wildcat, A Peak (4,422 ft) 1-2-15

Distance: 8.69 mi.
Elevation: 2,500 ft. (overall) 3,580 ft. (total)
Time: 2:00 (Wildcat D) 3:40 (Wildcat A) 5:10 (Wildcat D) 6:29 (Total)
Trails: Polecat Ski Trails, Wildcat Ridge Trails

Being at camp for New Years weekend as we normally do, it seemed a bit different coming into the White from the north for this hike. Weather for this weekend looked to be cloudy the entire time, but doing it this way made for a shorter drive than my normal 3.5 hours to get to the Wildcats.

Normally I'm not a big fan of hiking up a ski trail or something like that, I prefer to stay in the woods to hike a mountain. But given the longer and more dangerous options of using the trails on either side of the peaks, this was the quickest way to get the summits. It's also a very common route for winter peak baggers. All it requires is a $10 general access pass from the ski area.

Hiking up the ski trail

The standard route up the ski trails is to stay to the left using the Polecat trails and staying out of the way of skiers. This route proved to be steep at times as well as a bit icy in places, but footing was firm and there was no need to break trail. I made it up to the top of the ski trails in good time without any issues along them. I saw one ski patrol member that was cleaning up a small tree and had no issue with access to where I was from anyone. At the top of the chairlift, I could really feel the wind now as there weren't any trees blocking it. I quickly headed into the trees to go up the trail.

Nice hard trail between the peaks

I breezed over Wildcat D planning on spending more time here on the way back. It was a short steep climb up it and then again coming down off it. Now heading down, the hiking trail was quite firm and I decided to try using microspikes instead of my snowshoes. This worked well all the way out and back to the ski trail with only a couple places requiring care. With just the microspikes on, I was able to quicker up the trail. The ridge has a few ups and downs (B and C peak specifically), but nothing was too bad. It was a bit steep coming up onto C peak and some others butt sliding down made it a bit slicker for me going up. There are a few views along the ridge, but today the clouds made them not very good.

Short steep section

I made good time to Wildcat A peak and was able to look down into Carter Notch well. You couldn't see much further than that though. I had met a few people along the trail today that seemed like they were hoping to stay there tonight. But I also saw some of them at 19 Mile Brook trail head as I drove by, so maybe they didn't know all about self service season at the hut. It was cold on the summit and quite windy, so I spent less time than normal here before heading back.

Carter Dome from Wildcat A

The hike back to Wildcat D went well, as expected. The short steep descent off of C Peak took some care, but was never dangerous. Just before the platform on D Peak, I changed my damp layers for dry layers while I still had the trees to block the wind. I knew I was going to want more warm layers on the platform and for the hike down.

Heading back towards Wildcat D

Clouds were trying to clear some while I was on the platform, but they never did much. I was able to see up the range some and into the Gorham area, but that was about it. So after my pictures and such, I headed back down to the ski trail. Wind was blowing harder then the hike up it seemed, but that might have just been because I was now facing the wind. Goggles were nice to have for the descent. At one point I briefly talked with a nice couple that thought I was crazy for hiking up and down the mountain on a day like this. I didn't have the heart to tell them I thought they were crazy for paying $75 just to ski down a mountain (I fully admit I am not a skier) when I only had to pay $10.

Clouds still hiding the Presidential Range from view

Hiking down the ski trail as the sun gets lower

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Mt Wildcat D Peak (4,062) & Mt. Wildcat A Peak (4,422 ft) 6-27-13

Distance: 5.0 mi.(day 1) 3.8 mi.(day 2) 8.8 mi. (total)
Elevation: 2,404 ft. (overall) 3,479 ft. (total)
Time: 3:25 (Wildcat D) 5:51 (Wildcat A) 7:01 (Hut) 9:18 (total)
Trails: Lost Pond Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, 19 Mile Brook Trail

The plan for this hike originally was to hike up and over the Wildcats on day 1 and to the Carter Notch Hut for the night. Then for day 2, I would continue up over the Carters and to Mt. Moriah. Then back down the Stony Brook Trail to my car where I left it at the start. That was the plan, but not everything goes to plan.

Luckily, I arranged a ride with a fellow hiker from online and was able to spot my car at my planned ending point so I could hike back to it. I got a ride to Pinkham Notch Visitor Center so that I could start off on the Lost Pond Trail. I hadn't hiked this before, so I wanted warm up here before tackling the Wildcat Ridge Trail. I had done an out and back hike of the Wildcats from Glen Ellis Falls before and knew what I was in for. The hike down the Lost Pond Trail went quick and pretty easy, except a few scrambles over some large rocks. It was so foggy when I came through, that you could hardly make out the other side of the pond while right next to it. I thought, "No wonder it's called Lost Pond. I'm right next to it and can hardly even find it."

Lost Pond

Once at the junction, I knew the real work for the day was about to begin. A short bit of flat ground before a long relentless steep climb up the mountain. Approximately 2,000 feet of gain in 2 miles is steep anywhere in the Whites. I tried to take my time since my pack was heavier than normal with overnight gear and extra clothes. The rocks provide plenty of places to step, but the humidity was already making me sweat more than normal (which is enough anyways). The trail goes over some open areas that didn't provide much for views until higher up and above the fog that lingered all day it seems in the valley. Any decline or level spot in the trail is almost immediately followed by another steep section. On a nice day though, the views are nice along this trail including the Presidentials of course and even a view of Glen Ellis Falls from above.

Open ledge along the trail

Yup, it's steep

Just above the fog in the valley. There was tons of it too

Finally, after a long steady climb, you reach the less than obvious "E" Peak. This leads to a welcome gentle downhill to the top of the ski area. Then it's up just one more steep incline to the summit viewing deck. By the time I got here, I had gone through two quarts of fluid thanks to the humidity. Already time to add more to the camelbak and try to catch up on what I was losing. I changed into a dry shirt and socks here while taking in the views that were starting to get clouded back up again.

From the summit of D Peak

Coming down off of D Peak is a bit steep down into the saddle between it and C Peak. Once in the bottom, it then goes back up pretty steepily with some breaks of more gradual trail. After C Peak, the trail is more gradual with only brief steep pitches and few ups and downs. I'm still not sure which small hump is B Peak, but eventually you come to A Peak and the view point next to it. This looks down over the hut, into the notch, and across to Carter Dome. But today I couldn't see the hut below as clouds were flowing steadily up through the notch. Even Carter Dome was hard to make out at times. I took a nice break here even despite the flies since my legs were getting sore and a bit cramped. I had a few hours still before I needed to be at the hut, so I tried to drink more since I was getting a bit dehydrated with all the sweating.

On the way to A Peak

A Peak view point

After a while, I started my casual hike down into the notch. The trail was steep to start, but easy to navigate. Rock steps in many places and good footing. Some recent trail work had been done in a small patch that appeared to have gotten a number of blow downs. At the crossing of the slide, I was down into the clouds and couldn't see how much further it would be. Turns out, not too much more. Down in the notch, the Carter Lakes were covered in fog and you could barely make out the other side. I checked into the hut, filled a bottle with water, and went to setup my bed and take a rest before supper.

Upper Carter Lake

A room to myself

Just before supper

Of course the food was good for supper. I was hungry anyways, but the roast beef was great. There was more than enough for the 6 of us that would be here for the night. It was also funny seeing a croo member jump and scream after a red squirrel ran through the kitchen. After some panicking, he finally found his way back to the main area and out a window.

In the morning, I woke up to rain. After breakfast, we were given the weather report. More rain, heavy at times, windy, and chance of thunderstorms later in the day. Since the weather forecast didn't seem good for hiking the top of a ridge and my legs were more tired than expected, I made the safe decision to hike back to the road along 19 Mile Brook Trail. Turns out, all of us at the hut ditched plans for peaks and hiked out safely in the rain. I was looking forward to the 4 peaks planned for day two, but hiking in the rain isn't as much fun and the weather wasn't really good for being up high. My legs would have allowed me to bag Carter Dome, but since one of the groups at the hut was offering rides back to cars at other trail heads, I just headed down the trail. It was a pleasant but wet hike out. I'll just have to come back again to do the second half of this hike later.

Waking up to rain

Wet trail down the mountain.
Notice the canoe next to the brook. The hut croo stole it earlier this week from Lonesome Lake Hut and is bringing it up in stages

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Mt. Wildcat D (4,050 ft) and Mt. Wildcat (4,422 ft) 11-19-11

Distance: 7.2 mi.
Elevation: 2,463 ft. (overall) 2,943 ft. (total)
Time: 2:48 (Wildcat D) 4:03 (Wildcat A) 7:35 (total)
Trails: Wildcat Ridge Trail

The Trail starts out by crossing the Ellis River. Today it was pretty easy to step from rock to rock without getting wet or worrying about slipping. You then go into the trees and quickly come tot he Lost Pond Trail on your left. Continue straight and almost immediately you come to the steep uphill. There are quite a few large rocks making up the trail, but they aren't all that hard to get up and in many places have been moved like steps for you. But it does just keep going up and up and very steeply.It doesn't take long though and you come to your first view across the valley.

Skirting around an open rock face

Here you skirt around the open rock and then head right back uphill again over a little pit of a tricky spot (moreso on the way down). There was a coating of snow all the way up the mountain today. This made it a little slower going up these steep sections as it was hard to tell how slick the rock would be under the snow. A couple times I did find a bit of ice.

The steep rocky trail

The trail stays steep for quite some time on the way up. Occasionaly it comes out onto open rock faces that give nice views across the valley, but could be tricky with any more snow. After quite a while of steep trail, you finally get a bit of a break when the trail levels out some and goes past a small open spot on the trail with a limited view up the ridge. From here the trail goes up, down, up, down, up, etc. There are many brief downhill sections before more steep uphills. You start to wonder if you will ever get to E peak. Each time you think you might be to it, there is another.

View across the valley from the trail

Open ledge on the trail

Finally the trails levels out for a distance and you make it to E peak. Just a short easy walk after this and you get to the top of the ski trails just before D peak.

D Peak in sight

The trail goes behind the old building and then up a short steep climb to the observation deck on the summit. The view of the presidentials from the deck are great. You also can just see Wildcat and the Carters above the trees tot he Northeast. This gives you a bit of an idea how far you have left and what the contour is.

View from the observation deck

Carters and Wildcat A

From here the trail goes down somewhat steeply over what was only slightly slick conditions. Once you get down into the saddle, there are plenty of sections with well built foot bridges along the trail. I think but maybe one of these foot bridges were very solid and very strongly built. A lot of work was put in and it was done well. After a bit of an easy section, you start going back up towards C Peak. This section is scattered with short steep sections mixed between the gentle sections of trail. Over C and B Peaks there isn't much to let you know if you are at the peaks. Just your own judgement if you are at a high spot. The last climb up to A peak is a nice gentle one and suddenly there is a short path to your right that leads you to the view point across Carter Notch.

There are many well built foot bridges

Short steep spot

Carter Notch

I wish I had more time to site here and enjoy the view. But all I had time for was a bite to eat and some pictures. I had gotten a later start than I planned in the morning and didn't really want to go down the steep sections of trail in the dark, even with my headlamp. I headed back over the same route I came up without taking much for breaks or pictures. I did make sure to stop back at D Peak for one more view and to put some gatorade from a bottle into my bladder in the my pack. Coming down the steep sections wasn't too bad, but I certainly had to take my time. Down low on the mountain, most of the snow had melted, but there were still patches. Some of those smooth steep rocks that were a bit tricky on the way up were even trickier on the way down. I just took my time on these while still keeping an eye on how much light I had left. I made good time and got back to my truck at quarter till dark. I could see without my headlamp, but I would have needed it in probably about another 5-10 minutes.

All in all the hike was great. The weather cleared nicely and the wind wasn't too bad. The guide book is right in that you shouldn't under estimate this trail from looking at the map. I also remember seeing somewhere that they don't recommend this trail in the winter without crampons. I can see that this may be the case once things get a bit more snow or ice. There was just enough bare rock that I could get up with bare boots, but much more and I certainly would have had on my microspikes (as the one other couple I saw all day did).

View out through the trees coming down C Peak

Heading down the steep rocky stairs as the sun goes down

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE