carter hut: near-by camping

[the starchild]

hello all,

first i just want to say i have been lurking here for a few weeks and really dig the site and all the people who post. i hiked the bond cliffs, galehead, 13 falls loop (yet again) a few weeks ago and really rediscovered why i love backpacking and the backcountry so much. I hadn't been out since the spring; a looong very rainy 3 days out on the other side of the pemi on franconia ridge.
anyways, i had another trip already planned and am now planning another, feels great to be back to the reality of the trail and the good people.

my question:
my friend and i were planning on hiking up to carter notch hut, in the whites, in a few weeks, arriving friday late afternoon, exploring the notch and staying again sat. night, then heading along the ridge to imp shelter for our 3rd night. i've heard lots of good things and am super excited, lots of new peaks to bag, great views of the presi's and lots of great ridge hiking.

the problem is i found out this morning the hut is full on saturday. i assume there is some legal campng off trail near-by, maybe the exact legal distance from the hut. if anyone has any suggestions or knowledge about this i'd be very thankful.
Thank you in advance and i look forward to posting some photos and trail reports soon.

william
"chill will"
the starchild

 

[David Metsky]

Continue on past the hut towards the Wildcat River trail. Once you pass the 1/4 mile mark there should be some legal campsites. Ask at the hut, they should be able to direct you with more detail.

Another option would be to see if there are any cancellations that day, there are often a few if the weather looks bad.

-dave-

 

[MichaelJ]

There are sites in all three directions - down Wildcat River are the best, there's one up Carter-Moriah, and a couple by the Wildcat Ridge junction (whose legality I don't remember).

 

[fivealltheway]

A couple of years ago, we were told by the caretakers that a site at the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail/Wildcat Ridge Trail junction was a legal site (seems to be about 1/4 mile away). We actually camped at another site about a 5 minute hike down the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail on the west side.

 

[trailbiscuit]

If you're feeling ambitious, you can continue down the Wildcat River Trail into the valley to a campsite at the beginning of the Rainbow Trail, which will take you up the backside of Carter Dome. (Sorry, I can't remeber all the connecting trails.) It makes it a bit longer, but it's a nice spot to camp.

 

[MichaelJ]

Wildcat River Trail goes down to the Wild River Trail, which goes flatly and sometimes muddily up to Perkins Notch, where the Rainbox Trail comes in. I do seem to recall open woods there and am not surprised if there are campsites. Go just a little ways further and there's Perkins Notch shelter next to No-Ketchum Pond, and a huge area of open campsites behind the shelter.

This would be a fine time to be there. Normally it's very buggy, but with the cool of autumn it will be gorgeous!

 

[the starchild]

thanks for the info y'all. i'll most definetly ask the caretakers whats around, for some reason i wouldn't have thought to ask them.