Wildcat O&B

[marty]

As of yesterday, the ski trails were still officially closed to hiking. That being said, we talked to a couple of people who did ascend/descend along the edges of the ski trail yesterday. They just stuck along the edges of the woods on the north side of the Polecat Trail.

We went up Wildcat Ridge and descended 19 Mile Brook, with a car spot. Wildcat Ridge from Wildcat E to Route 16 was not hard to ascend, but would have been tricky to descend yesterday, as there were lots of wet and slippery rocks. That condition should continue for a few more days, with rain predicted. The wooden steps were not scary at all, but if you fell, you could go a ways before landing, I guess.

FWIW, we did the Ellis River crossing yesterday at the beginning of the Wildcat Ridge Trail. The water was running pretty high. It was definitely difficult in two spots, but we all made it through without getting wet (or worse) with some risky rock hops. No way would I have done that hiking solo.

Marty

 

[Mike P.]

Don't many skiers hike in the summer? With many options for skiing, I'd think you'd want to be a friendly neighbor. Why lay out two or three bills for a family day skiing here instead of at Attitash or Bretton Woods?

The legal climate for hiking & skiing have made lawsuits tough to win & the ski slope terrain is amongst the easiest approaches to Wildcat so I can't see many summer fatalities or traffic. I suppose if they plan on ramping up a mt. bike operation like Killington does in the summer, you could get some fast and slow traffic.

 

[David Metsky]

Don't many skiers hike in the summer? With many options for skiing, I'd think you'd want to be a friendly neighbor.

As I followed up, there is no fee required for summer hiking on the trails. There is construction going on right now (the demolition of the old summit station) that is restricting access, but that seems understandable.

 

[peakbagger]

Per their own publicity the ski area was closed for the season on april 2nd. Therefore summer time rules would apply except apparently the ski area elected to keep the polecat closed until the demo was complete. I think they ran this thru the FS to make this legal but given their agreement last fall, the trails are open with no fee whenever the ski area is not in operation. If the forest service did not sign off on this closure it would be a interesting precedent less than a year since they established the new rules.

 

[Raymond]

Anyway, Shamples, the first time I climbed the Wildcats (July 5, 2002, the day Ted Williams died), I descended via the ski trails. I just took the likeliest line down, zigzagging back and forth, trying to stay on as reasonable a slope and in the shade as much as possible. I think it was mostly, if not entirely, Polecat.

It was fairly miserable, wading through chest-deep growth, and there were numerous hidden streams and divots that I kept stepping into. Descending Tecumseh via the ski trails was easier when I did that a couple of Septembers earlier. The only other ski trail I’ve been on was Loon Mountain’s, when I climbed that peak.

 

[TJsName]

I have yet to knock Wildcat off my list but it is on my soon to-do list now.

I probably won't have a car spot for 19MBT exit so I was thinking of parking at Pinkham Notch, taking that Lost Pond Tr to Wildcat Ridge Tr.

I know Wildcat Ridge Trail is challenging from everything I have read, but how treacherous is it to have to go back DOWN it? I plan on ascending this way and hitting all 5 Wildcat Peaks, but by the time I get out to A peak near Carter Notch, was going to backtrack and go back down the way I came. I am just not sure how it is to go back down to Rt 16.

Mileage-wise, it isn't too bad even though it's some pretty good elevation climbing overall.

Someone probably suggested this already, but I would recommend parking at 19MB in the AM, then thumb a ride to PNVC (or to Glen Ellis Falls parking area even!) and go from there. Don't have to worry about hurrying back to hitch a ride before dark, start at a higher elevation, and no 4 mile road walk when you're done. You can use the time and energy to do Carter Dome and Mt. Height.

 

[RoySwkr]

Per their own publicity the ski area was closed for the season on april 2nd. Therefore summer time rules would apply except apparently the ski area elected to keep the polecat closed until the demo was complete. I think they ran this thru the FS to make this legal but given their agreement last fall, the trails are open with no fee whenever the ski area is not in operation. If the forest service did not sign off on this closure it would be a interesting precedent less than a year since they established the new rules.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/whitemountain/alerts-notices/?aid=17349

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5419445.pdf