Early April Carters/Wildcat?

[hikes-with-him]

Hi all...

Have a vacation coming the first week in April...looking for an overnight (no tent so we need a hut somewhere). Hubby was supposed to go to the Carters/Wildcat staying at the Carter Notch Hut...but the trip got cancelled.

How would that sound for early April? We would probably take the AT (I think that would work) up and over to the hut...then to the other peak (or 2 or three) and back to the hut. Not sure which day would hit the most peaks. Anyway, how would the trail be in April? Wicked Muddy? Wicked icy? Too much of a mess to really travel? How about the Hut? Is it opened? Heated? don't have any clue about this area...so any info you have would be great.

Thanks.

 

[vegematic]

Hi Imzadi,
The vast majority of folks approach the hut via the 19 Mile Brook Trail off of RT16. The trail is a well-packed highway most of the winter but you will want to make sure you have some traction (microspikes or snowshoes with crampons usually suffice). From the hut it is common to dayhike Carter Dome or Wildcat A and you will likely find those trails to be packed out. There is a slide to be crossed going up Wildcat A from the hut that can be dangerous. I haven't yet been up that way in winter myself.

It is certainly possible to approach the hut by coming over either the Wildcat Ridge or the Carter Ridge, and a few folks will, but it will likely be rough going with a full pack. You'll rack up a great deal of elevation gain and loss coming across either ridge. I backpacked part of the Carter-Moriah ridge one winter (February) and found a lot of deep, untracked snow up there. It was slow going. From what I hear, the Wildcat Ridge can be similar. In April the snow may be more consolidated or it may be rotten at different elevations.

If you want to approach or return via the Wildcat Ridge Trail be aware that the stretch from RT16 to the ridge is quite steep and ledgy. In winter many hikers opt to use the Polecat (ski) Trail from the Wildcat Ski area. There is no charge to hike the ski trail and they are quite used to seeing hikers.

As for the hut, the bunkrooms and privies are unheated. There are 8 or so bunks to a room. The main hut has a wood stove but don't expect t-shirt weather inside. The self-serve kitchen and cookware are available to all guests to use and you should expect to wash what you use and replace (or more) any water you take. Water is obtained from the pond and the caretaker keeps a hole open through the ice for this purpose. Food is not provided.
-vegematic

 

[Jim lombard]

The ridge will still have winter conditions as Vegematic says. Snow hangs around up there until Memorial Day every year. I did this hike up Imp and across the ridge in May a few years ago. I would have snowshoes for sure in April.

Memorial day near Carter Ridge/Imp

 

[wardsgirl]

Ditto what he said

We hiked in this region a few years ago on Memorial Day (2005) weekend. The Carter-Moriah Trail was knee-deep slush with a hard crust. Postholing was painful on the thighs and shins. We definitely should have brought snowshoes, as the end result was a bloody mess.

There was one funny part of the hike though: My BF and I had just picked up our boots from Limmer after being resoled. We told Peter that we were going to wear them backpacking over the weekend.

Peter cautioned us, "Just don't get them too wet."

Each time we postholed our newly-resoled boots into the icy river that ran beneath the slush and crust of the Carter-Moriah Trail, we would deliriously question just "how wet?" was "too wet?!"

Good times, but that resole job didn't last very long!

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I think that April is by far the toughest month for hiking/showshoeing in the Whites, and a real challenge even with just a light daypack. Typically, the snowpack is isothermal (i.e., rotten from top to bottom), and last year that meant deep post-holing, even with snowshoes, especially if one could not find the "rail" (a consolidated part of the snowpack from winter use of the trails much narrower than you would expect), which can be hard to feel sometimes because of springtime melting of the surface that obliterates the old tracks. Given the deep snowpack again this winter, my guess is that this April could be similar to last year, although a lot could change over the next month. On our ski traverse of the Pemi this past Saturday, the snowpack seemed similar to that from last April (i.e., ski poles shot right through the snowpack up to the handle straps without reaching the ground). But, with the cold temperatures the past 48 hours, the snowpack should be frozen up again now, at least until the next big rainstorm forecast for this coming Friday. The problem with a deep snowpack in April is that once the pack goes isothermal, it does not completely freeze up at night, so finding the consolidated rail becomes essential. All that said, at least the Carters and Wildcats see a lot of winter traffic, so there should be a solid rail lurking in the snowpack if you can find it. And, I agree that both Cata hut and the Imp lean-to are fine places to lay over for the night.

 

[Mike P.]

Early April will probably offer almost winter like snow. Went late April last year on Willey & Field & snow was at about 2,000 feet, rotten all teh way up Willey & then still deep on the ridge.

It reminded of why I usually go late April to the......................






CATSKILLS

 

[hikes-with-him]

All of these discussions about slushy, messy trails was kind of what I thought. Hubby and I have discussed that April would probably be a very difficult time to hike anywhere due to the melting and mud and slush and snow pack up high...etc.

Hmmmmm.....

Other suggestions? I can't IMAGINE a vacation without some kind of overnight hiking trip...I'd really like the Carters and Wildcat...but

 

[wardsgirl]

During April School Vacation week, we usually head south for backpacking. Hiked the AT through NY last year, this year, heading for the AT in NJ. You really will encounter the nastiest of rotten snow and the beginnings of mud season in April in the Whites. It is the worst month to hike in New England. Trying something further south will definitely increase your chances of having a good time. How about the CT AT, MA (Berkshires) AT, or the Catskills? I don't imagine there will be a lot of snow/mud there. Last year, the weather was beautiful.

 

[RoySwkr]

I think that April is by far the toughest month for hiking/showshoeing in the Whites, and a real challenge even with just a light daypack.

I agree with this statement and it's the month I have the fewest peaks. On the other hand I've heard it's HE's favorite month and he should know.

One great advantage of the Carters trip is that stream crossing issues will be less than many other places. If you have loose cash you could pack into the hut where bunkroom is not heated but should be dry via 19MB or else camp in the area, fording minor brooks as necessary. Then day-hike both directions with no crossings. Not an efficient plan in summer but a response to the probable conditions.