I got an absurdly late start Saturday(11:45am) walking up the Polecat ski trail on Wildcat(1:20). Someone had broken trail up to Wildcat D from the chairlift, but only to check out the telephone tower, apparently. There were faint tracks under about 5inches of snow that started down east of the platform, then curled north. I followed this lead for about an 1/8 of a mile when it became clear whoever broke the trail had gone off trail then quickly turned around. Except for freshly broken branches, it was hard to tell because on trail the 7-10foot spruce made the going a tight squeeze even with a day pack. I am convinced I was on trail within the first 1/8 mile because I passed a cut spruce stump on the way back. I concluded the trail between D and A would be extremely difficult to follow and could end up being nothing but a nasty bushwhack for 2miles.
I skiied down the Polecat on blades and headed to 19Mile Brook trail. There were probably 10 cars at the trailhead. Some cars had parked earlier that morning and had 4-5inches of snow on them. Some cars had been overnight and at 3:30pm had about 8inches of snow. I got up to Carter Notch hut just before six. !9 Mile Brook was well packed and I passed at least 12 hikers coming down the trail from the hut. One hiker said there had been a failed attempt to hike Carter Dome. No one had heard of any attempts to hike Wildcat.
As it was getting dark I saw the Wildcat ridge trail was unbroken, and knew trying to find my way, breaking trail up the side of Wildcat in the dark would be shear folly, so I headed back down. There was the possibility of begging for mercy at the hut as I hadn't brought a bag with me then trying to break trail early on Sunday. But I decided it was best to start fresh on Sunday and see what could be done with the Oceolas. (That's another trail report.)
I have bagged 45peaks in winter, 41 of them this winter. Still hanging out there are Wildcat A, obviously, Waumbek and Cabot. Al and I will, hopefully, bag Waumbek and Cabot this Saturday and early Sunday. If I bag Wildcat A by 6:30am Saturday morning, I will be one wet noodle come 7:30 Sunday morning provided we make it to the York Pond fish hatchery in time.
I skiied down the Polecat on blades and headed to 19Mile Brook trail. There were probably 10 cars at the trailhead. Some cars had parked earlier that morning and had 4-5inches of snow on them. Some cars had been overnight and at 3:30pm had about 8inches of snow. I got up to Carter Notch hut just before six. !9 Mile Brook was well packed and I passed at least 12 hikers coming down the trail from the hut. One hiker said there had been a failed attempt to hike Carter Dome. No one had heard of any attempts to hike Wildcat.
As it was getting dark I saw the Wildcat ridge trail was unbroken, and knew trying to find my way, breaking trail up the side of Wildcat in the dark would be shear folly, so I headed back down. There was the possibility of begging for mercy at the hut as I hadn't brought a bag with me then trying to break trail early on Sunday. But I decided it was best to start fresh on Sunday and see what could be done with the Oceolas. (That's another trail report.)
I have bagged 45peaks in winter, 41 of them this winter. Still hanging out there are Wildcat A, obviously, Waumbek and Cabot. Al and I will, hopefully, bag Waumbek and Cabot this Saturday and early Sunday. If I bag Wildcat A by 6:30am Saturday morning, I will be one wet noodle come 7:30 Sunday morning provided we make it to the York Pond fish hatchery in time.
Last edited:
