Black Angel Trail to Carter Dome

[Becca M]

Sept 15, 2012: Wild River Trail and Black Angel Trail to Carter Dome

I have always been intrigued by the trail title: Black Angel – seemed very mysterious….

Started out on from the Wild River Campground heading along the Wild River Trail, an old railroad bed. I kept hoping I’d seem some remains and finally noted a rusted bucket. So many metal culverts along the way, it seemed like it must have been converted to a truck road at some later point. I loved the remoteness of the area!

Not far from the start, this blowdown appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the trail – looked to be blown off the river by Hurricane Irene.

Wild River from the Wild River Trail - significant Irene damage

More Wild River – several sections and lots of river rock

Eventually, the trail separates from the river a bit and looks like a traditional former railbed

And I finally spotted something old…. A nice bucket trailside

Up onto the Black Angel Trail

Old enamel marker on a tree – looked like maybe “1 Mile”? From what? This was pretty close to the Wild River Trail

Intriguing fungus

And this fungus had started to decay

Branches seemed to frame the trail

Getting higher on the Black Angel into a beautiful birch glade

cont.

 

[Becca M]

cont:

Upper sections of Black Angel were so pretty

Valleys were starting to show gold

And then the trail got a little scrambly

From there I jogged to the summit, tagged it, and headed back into the Wild River Wilderness

A very pretty day, and a great place for solitude. I hope you enjoy!!! ~Becca

 

[una_dogger]

Black Angel is a great trail and a nice alternative to the standard approaches to Carter Dome.

 

[Driver8]

Nice pictures and report, Becca. I hope to climb Carter from both sides, first time this fall, if I can. The Wild River Wilderness sounds beautiful and your pictures add to that sense for me.

 

[Becca M]

thanks una_dogger and driver8!!!! It is truly a very special area!!!! I felt such joy in there!!!!

 

[una_dogger]

It is a special place...shhhhh!

i did a big loop up Black Angel and down Moriah Brook -- only saw people on Carter Dome and North Carter...great area. You can really "lose yourself" in there!

 

[IQuest]

Nice pics. I did a loop last year of the Carters through Shelburn-Moriah from WR campground and used the Black Angel Tr to ascend. I really liked that trail except while scrambling on the ledgy section near the top I was stung by a bee on the lip.

 

[Jimmy Legs and Little D]

Becca,
Several years ago when we hiked to Carter Dome via the Carter Moriah Trail, we wondered the same thing about the Black Angel Trail. Now we know. Thanks for taking us there.

Donna