Carrigain

[Trail Walker]

Mt. Carrigain Information

Heading to Carrigain on Columbus Day to complete the NH 48 4K. Any information that will help in our planning is appreciated.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Heading to Carrigain on Columbus Day to complete the NH 48 4K. Any information that will help in our planning is appreciated.

At that date, be prepared for anything! Snow, ice, rain, wind, or beautiful calm day!

Seriously, there is a little bit of exposure near Lowell, and at the top.

Also, there are several water crossings, so be aware of recent precip.

On the plus side, it's a great place to finish on.

Go here, print out the results, and you'll have lots of peaks to find.

Enjoy!

 

[Waumbek]

Here's a recent "trip report" by my favorite contemporary White Mountain writer:

http://www.winnisquamecho.net/Articles-c-2009-09-23-149566.113119_Climbing_the_mighty_Carrigain.html

 

[NewHampshire]

Seriously, there is a little bit of exposure near Lowell, and at the top.

Damn, sounds like MY kind of idea to summit Carrigain!!!!

Brian

 

[DougPaul]

Get there early so you can get a parking spot.

Doug

 

[Mike P.]

Ditto what DP said, I'd look at getting there very early. If a lot of precip the day before or so, crossings could be cold & wet, possibly impassable. (Impassable is unlikely)

Did it on 10/4/2008, very cool day (glove liners, fleece gloves & G-Tex jacket needed on top & on top of Signal Ridge) with a dusting of snow at the very top.

 

[RoySwkr]

Get there early so you can get a parking spot.

My last few trips I've used the Carrigain Brook Rd instead of the first part of Signal Ridge Trail, never had trouble parking there and it's free The crossing is almost within sight of the road, if you don't like it you can cross on the road bridge and do a sidehill bushwhack to the road. The first part was logged a couple years ago and perhaps could be driven if not for a gate and a missing bridge, the last bit is overgrown but no worse than the upper Signal Ridge Trail.

If you can't figure out where this road is from the map, best you stick to the trail

 

[yvon]

Normaly, when they close the road for winter?

 

[MichaelJ]

My last few trips I've used the Carrigain Brook Rd instead of the first part of Signal Ridge Trail

It always looks so wet underneath - is it muddy or does it have firm footing from the trail back to the road?

 

[MichaelJ]

Normaly, when they close the road for winter?

Once it gets icy or snowy enough to be a hazard to drive. Keep an eye on
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/conditions/roads_status.php

And if that shows it as closed, but the gate is open, you risk it having been opened by a logger or other private entity and getting stuck behind the locked gate later that day.

 

[Mike P.]

Yvon, what Michael J said, it does vary years to year. They do try to keep them open until mid-November & then it's weather dependent.

A two foot snowfall down low would likely close them early, on the other hard, the road was open on 12/30/2006 due to light snow fall during the late fall & early winter.

My shorter than expected winter hike was a make up for doing it my first time when the road was closed due to a wash out.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

My last few trips I've used the Carrigain Brook Rd instead of the first part of Signal Ridge Trail, never had trouble parking there and it's free

Thanks for the reminder, never did it that way but have often thought of trying it.

If you can't figure out where this road is from the map, best you stick to the trail

AMEN!!!

 

[yvon]

Thank you MichaelJ and Mike.
I will try do do it this month.

 

[NeoAkela]

Some snow up there today!

 

[Shoes to Views]

If you have the time and energy, and it's not too wet or icy, I heartily agree with Steve Smith's article. This makes a great loop hike. We did it the opposite direction, but I would definitely hike through carrigain notch and up desolation, then down signal ridge trail.

The hike through the lowlands of the desolation area is so different from signal ridge that it gives the hike an entirely different character. There should be some great opportunities for viewing wildlife and different scenery.

 

[Trail Walker]

thanks for all the great info - looking forward to the day and completing the NH 48.

 

[SherpaTom]

Carrigain is my last stop as well which I planned to do with my son & friend to complete our list. We planned to summit it twice in August but once canceled due to weather and another by injury to my son (damn skateboard). Planned again 10/3 but monsoon kept us off the mountain. The 4th try is now slated for 10/17 but showers are predicted so we'll see. I'll be very curious how things went for you. I know every day is different but still would love to hear about it and then view your pics.

 

[Trail Walker]

It was a great day - see our post on Trip reports for the details - Thanks everyone!

 

[audrey]

Carrigain Brook Road

After having accompanied Terra and the rest of the crew partway up the Signal Ridge Trail on Saturday, we returned via Carrigain Brook Road. It was beautiful and dry, though the brook crossing will get non-waterproof boots wet. There was a line of slightly submerged rocks for tiptoeing across, otherwise the water was ankle-deep, much like the crossing on the Signal Ridge Trail. We didn't scout alternatives such as bushwhacking to the Sawyer River Road bridge which probably would have been easy, as Roy says.

The two spots that are growing in don't even rate a mention.

The frustration was that we could glimpse the flaming reds and yellows of the slopes of Carrigain between the trees but never got a good look.