Wildcat and Wildcat D, October 10, 2011, White Mountain National Forest

Sunrise, View from Wildcat

Day 2 of 2. Awoke at 4:30 AM sharp. After a hasty oatmeal breakfast, we headed out of Carter Notch hut decked out in headlamps and bear bells. By sunrise, we had climbed far enough up the Wildcat to get this pleasant view of the sun coming up over a third straight beautiful autumn day. Slightly concerned about missing a shuttle from Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, we had asked Mac, the hut caretaker, for a suggested bushwack to Pinkham. He offered the idea of descending on the Wildcat Ski Area slopes and then hiking the highway for a mile. So after a late morning rest and snack on the observation platform on Wildcat D, we took Mac's advice.

Carter Dome from Wildcat, Dawn

Bad move. The ski slope was littered with brambles, loose rocks, and scrub-covered hard-to-see ankle-breaking holes... It took forever to negotiate the slope, but fortunately no injuries. Next time, I'll just stick to the trail.

Carter Notch Hut, View Down from Wildcat

We finished our hiking weekend by mid-day, early enough that the others on the AMC shuttle were just heading out for the day.

The half-day section hike netted another two 4,000 footers... #s 5 and 6.

Peaks: Wildcat and Wildcat D
Elevation: 4,422 and 4,062 feet (Gain: 2,104 feet)
Distance: 5 miles
Route: Traverse, via Wildcat Ridge Trail, Wildcat Ski Slope Bushwhack, Road Walk
Conditions: Sunny, 60 degrees F

Middle Carter, South Carter, Carter Dome, October 9, 2011, White Mountain National Forest

View from Carter Dome

We hit the Imp Trail at daybreak for this pretty cool two-day section hike along the Carter-Moriah ridge. Our destination: Carter Notch Hut for an overnight stay. The blue bird weather afforded perfect trail conditions and nice views of the colorful foliage. We made quick work of all three Carters, culminating in the massive Carter Dome, followed by a super-steep descent into the picturesque notch where the hut is situated.

This late in the season, the place is staffed on a caretaker basis - no communal meal, just a room in the bunk house and use of the kitchen and composting bathrooms. We lugged a heavy load of organic sausage, freshly-picked Cortland apples, and imported Italian pasta and cheeses as a reward for a 10 mile day. The steeply-pitched descent into Carter Notch from Carter Dome, I think, is one of the most spectacular descents in all the Whites.

Entrance to Carter Notch Hut

This section hike added three more 4,000 footers to my newly-initiated White Mountain list... #s 2, 3, and 4.

Dinner at the Carter Hut

Peaks: Middle Carter, South Carter, Carter Dome
Elevation: 4,610, 4,430, and 4,832 feet (Gain: 4,688 feet)
Distance: 9.7 miles 
Route: Traverse, via Imp Trail (south branch) to North Carter Trail to Carter-Moriah Trail
Conditions: Sunny, 60 degrees F

Mount Moriah, October 8, 2011, White Mountain National Forest

APC on Moriah Summit, Mt. Washington in Upper Right

1 down, 47 to go?

There are 48 uniquely-designated 4,000-foot peaks in the White Mountain National Forest. A handful of ambitious outdoor enthusiasts (who like to call themselves "peak baggers") strive to reach the summits of all 48. I've run into plenty of them over the years on my hiking adventures.

I myself have never been a fan of competitive outdoor activities. The point of backpacking, for me, is getting away from the hyper-competitive nonsense of modern American society. But when my brother asked me to accompany him on a recent hiking trip to the Whites, I found myself soon warming to the idea of topping all 48. The first on my list... Mount Moriah.

Beautiful Day for a 4000 footer

We climbed Moriah as an up-and-back warm-up hike to a full Columbus Day weekend of hiking in the Carter Range. The town of Gorham is the perfect base of operations as our trail - Carter-Moriah - was easily accessible from town via a footbridge over the Peabody River, a tributary of the Androscoggin. We hit the trail at dawn, as is our ritual, and were the first hikers to the beautiful, open summit ledges.

Amazing views into the Carter Range to the south and the Presidentials to the west.

View from the Top

Peak: Mount Moriah
Elevation: 4,049 feet (Gain: 3,550 feet)
Distance: 9 miles
Route: Up and back, via Carter-Moriah Trail   
Conditions: Sunny, 65 degrees F