Wildcat Valley Ski Trail

[Raymond]

Has anyone been on this trail recently? I found some old reports, and I’m wondering if conditions have worsened or improved. How do the mudholes compare with, say, the Bradley Pond Trail in the Adirondacks?

Also, is there a local place where I could get a map showing the ski trails, or would I have to send away for it? The previous descriptions mention some confusing intersections, but the online and Map Adventures maps show just the one trail. Are there lots of unofficial ski trails intersecting it?

Thanks.

 

[KRobi]

Jackson ski touring has the map of all the ski trails in the area. No mud when under three feet of snow.

 

[Raymond]

Thanks. I want to climb the Wildcats in September, though. (I insist I’m not working on The Grid, but I am close to finishing September, so ...

And I’ve already done the Ridge Trail twice, so for red-lining purposes, which I’m also not working on ...)

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Has anyone been on this trail recently? I found some old reports, and I’m wondering if conditions have worsened or improved. How do the mudholes compare with, say, the Bradley Pond Trail in the Adirondacks?

Also, is there a local place where I could get a map showing the ski trails, or would I have to send away for it? The previous descriptions mention some confusing intersections, but the online and Map Adventures maps show just the one trail. Are there lots of unofficial ski trails intersecting it?

Thanks.

Hmm ... what trail are you asking about? The Polecat trail? The trail along the ridge? Something entirely different?

 

[David Metsky]

Here's a trailmap that should get you most of the detail you need. As you can see, there are a few junctions before you're on the Wildcat Valley trail proper but I don't think they're very difficult to follow. I've only done it on snow and only downhill, but the junctions were pretty well marked. I don't recall any unofficial trails once you're on the Wildcat Valley trail except you may get confused in the birch glad where there's no single trail bed.

 

[Raymond]

Thanks, Dave. I had seen a small version of that map, but not the big one you supplied.

Kevin, it’s a ski trail that I saw marked on the Map Adventures White Mountains map, but not the AMC maps. Goes from the D-E col south. Looks like it would shorten a loop of the Wildcats from the south.

 

[Raymond]

Some old reports here mentioned some confusing, unmarked intersections. I thought they were up higher, but maybe not.

I may give it a try, anyway.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Kevin, it’s a ski trail that I saw marked on the Map Adventures White Mountains map, but not the AMC maps. Goes from the D-E col south. Looks like it would shorten a loop of the Wildcats from the south.

Sounds good. I did a hike from the Jackson side many years ago on a trail that was lightly used. It ended near the hut. But, it was many years ago, and I've never been back from that side.

 

[NHClimber]

Was up in that area with the family hiking out to Halls Ledge a few weeks back. Trails seemed well-marked, though we did not get on the ski trail. When I did the Wildcats several years ago, I spotted a car up on 16 and did the Carters and Wildcats in one shot. Coming down Wildcat Ridge to Glen Ellis was a brutal end of that day. Probably smart to do them separately or two-day.

 

[Raymond]

I discovered that that trail is shown on the National Geographic Topo! map, unnamed. It shows the upper end of the trail on E Peak. Map Adventures seems to show it on E also, but word is its terminus is actually in the col. Dave’s map shows it in the col, too, and swinging toward D Peak before heading down.

Topo! also shows the trail that went over Chandler and Sable, and how many years has that been gone?

 

[David Metsky]

The Wildcat Valley trail leaves the woods right behind the old summit building, now removed. Not sure how the construction up there this summer has changed the layout of the trail but I doubt much has moved.

 

[ADKnBVI]

Here's a trailmap that should get you most of the detail you need. As you can see, there are a few junctions before you're on the Wildcat Valley trail proper but I don't think they're very difficult to follow. I've only done it on snow and only downhill, but the junctions were pretty well marked. I don't recall any unofficial trails once you're on the Wildcat Valley trail except you may get confused in the birch glad where there's no single trail bed.

My wife and I did it last year. It was damp but not that muddy. The only difficult part was the birch glade that Dave mentions. It had chest high undergrowth and the "trail" no longer has a footbed.