best way to hike wildcats if solo

[carla]

Any pointers out there on doing the wildcats if you don't have a second car? i've done them before by going up the ridge trail from ellis, climbing up to A, backtracking to E, going down the ski slope, and walking back to the car at ellis. pretty arduous...is there another way to skin this [wild]cat (sorry!), or a different direction/approach?

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I used my bicycle to spot the car. Park the car at Pinkham and coast downhill to 19 Mile Brook Trail, lock your bike in the woods and hike back to your car.

Tim

 

[dailey7779]

You could hike up the ski slopes then head over to "A" down to Carter Notch, out the Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail then just road walk back to the car. This way you don't have to backtrack between "A" and the Ski slopes. Or park at Ninteen-Mile Brook Trailhead and do the road walk first.

Have a fun hike!

-Chris

 

[JustJoe]

I did as Tim did but in opposite direction. I parked at NBT lot and rode, uphill , and stashed the bike in the woods near the Glen Ellis lot. I chose that direction only because if I felt up to it I would be adding Carter Dome. Which I did.

 

[Fourfingers]

To avoid much of a road walk, park at Pinkham Notch, take the Lost Pond Trail to the Wildcat Ridge Trail and climb the ridge all the way out to the summit of A Peak, then return back to the top of the gondola between D and E. Descend on ski slopes - I think the gentlest descents are to the left of the gondola and a couple of lifts. When you get to the bottom, it's only about 1.1 back to the car at Pinkham.

I'd climb up the Wildcat Ridge Trail and go down the ski slopes, because the climb up the ridge on the slabs is more fun than hiking up grass slopes.

If you don't mind leaving in the middle of the morning, the AMC shuttle can get you from Pinkham Notch to 19 mile Brook. The 19 Mile Brook Trail is a very gentle walk up to Carter Notch. It's a rough scramble up rocks and roots to Wildcat A from there, but then descending on ther Wildcat Ridge Trail will get you to Rte 16 about a mile south of Pinkham - or take the Lost Pond Trail back to the notch.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I did as Tim did but in opposite direction. I parked at NBT lot and rode, uphill

I rode uphill from Stony Brook to 19MB and hiked back down over the Carters and Moriah. Nice warm up!

Tim

 

[MichaelJ]

Do you want to walk the whole ridge, or are you just interested in peak bagging A & D? If the latter, out and back via the ski slopes is easy and straightforward, or leave your car at the ski area and bike down to 19 Mile Brook to make a traverse instead.

 

[--M.]

Hitch-hiking?

I parked at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and hitched back from 19-Mile Brook. I was a dirty mess, the car was a show-room-new Lexus suv, with a family of four, including two little kids. They saw me hesitate in my filth and called "Come on in, we're worse. We just finished King Ravine!"

A buddy and I got a ride early Sunday morning from around Camp Dodge (had come out across the street) to PNVC, no problem. It's a special area (it's obvious why you're out there); just keep your eyes open and be smaht.

I've also used a local taxi to stash a car at Dana Place and then get to Wildcat; that might be unnecessarily expensive for your end-points.

Good luck!

 

[peakbagger]

If you are just peakbagging, the out and back from the Wildcat Ski area trails is the easiest, although you do miss some nice territory climbing up from Pinkham Notch via the AT (which adds an hour compatred to the ski trail. I personally dont think the actual walk up or down Wildcat E from Carter Notch is particulary fantastic although Wildcat E and Carter Notch are both great once you get there.

I do see a lot of folks hitching along RT 16 and see bikes stashed on occasion. Obviously unless you want an extra workout, leave the bikes at Pinkham end as its one long downhill with the exception of a slight rise sough of the auto road.

I had to cut a trip short this spring with Earl and Sue and had to walk backup Rt 16 from 19 mile brook to the Ski area. It wasnt that bad and the shortcut through the wildcat C lot is a nice diversion. I expect taking the aqueduct ski trail over to the Glenm House from the dam on 19 mile brook trail would have cut out some elevation and distance but I needed to drop some gear off at the trailhead.

 

[Elizabeth]

To avoid much of a road walk, park at Pinkham Notch, take the Lost Pond Trail to the Wildcat Ridge Trail and climb the ridge all the way out to the summit of A Peak, then return back to the top of the gondola between D and E. Descend on ski slopes - I think the gentlest descents are to the left of the gondola and a couple of lifts. When you get to the bottom, it's only about 1.1 back to the car at Pinkham.

I've done this same route described above, which is nice. I have also done 19MB Trail, Wildcat Ridge, Polecat ski trail, ski area service road, and a road walk on Rte 16. I would not recommend that as highly because of the long road walk. However, I later learned that you can reduce your roadside mileage by using part of the Great Glen resort's Aqueduct Trail:

http://greatglentrails.com/summer/outdoor-center-2/trail-map/

Worth a try.

 

[Damselfly]

Have never had a problem getting a ride from folks leaving either the Wildcat parking lot, or the 19-mile BT parking area. Folks love to help people hiking. We've often put the car where we want it at the end, then hitch a ride in the morning... knowing it's nice to have your car waiting for you.

 

[carla]

Peak bagging only....

Yeah, only looking for Wildcat A and D this time. I'm on a quest to finish my second 48 and these are the last two! Thanks for all your advice--very helpful. I think a bike stash is how I'll do it. Sounds fun...!

--Carla

 

[Mike P.]

I've done the bike thing & also hitched from 19 Mile to PNVC which most weekend mornings has plenty of hikers willing to pick up another hiker, even an unattractive brutes like me

if I was going to do it again, I'd go with the bike. Park the car at PNVC or Wildcat if descending there & then coast down to 19 mile & leave the bike in the woods there. (locked & a little bit in) (When I did the bike, I parked at PNVC & then decided later to descend Wildcat so I still had a small road walk.

 

[RoySwkr]

See Elizabeth's previous note if you want a loop

My preference is up and down ski trails, you can save half the climb back up D if you find the herd path connecting to the ski trail