Wildcat, Winter and Dogs

[bikehikeskifish]

Anyone done any routes on Wildcat with their dog this year? I worry about the slide and E being very icy. I am contemplating paralleling the improved area in the woods up D peak and looking for beta...

Tim

 

[DayTrip]

Last weekend I did the Wildcats via 19MB side but only to D and the ski area. It was in incredibly good shape, packed powder/granular, a few easy duckunders and a few drifts in B/C col and some scratchy areas on the "step" section going from C to D. I spoke to a guy who came up the other side (wearing crampons) and said it was pretty sketchy and he didn't want to descend that way so I guess that section is much worse than the rest of the ridge. This is the only time I've done A to D so I don't know what a "typical" comparison would be from these areas to D, E and the steep climb up from Glen parking.

 

[Hikes with Hannah]

I hiked them 12/27/15 when there was some decent ice but no real snow yet, not sure how relevant this will be but will give a quick synopsis anyways - we went up 19 MB and down the ski area (made it to D just after the ski area closed and Polecat wasn't even open because of lack of snow) - there was some ice crossing the slide but it wasn't the worst we saw all day and the dogs managed it without a problem. For the trickier spots on the ridge (mostly the steeper sections heading down C to D if I remember correctly), the dogs found their own way in the woods a few times and did better than us humans did. I would have been hesitant to head back down from A to 19 MB because there had been freezing rain during the day which would have made things trickier, all the humans were in micros all day and managed fine with the route we took. Good luck!

 

[IQuest]

I'm looking for info on this as well. Option A will be an out and back from 19 MBT. 14~ miles I think. Otptin B would be 19 MBT to A, across the ridge, then down Polecat after hours. Does anyone have a measurement (distance and elev+ for walking the road from the ski area to 19 MBT?

 

[bikehikeskifish]

A quick measure on Google Earth says about 2.7 miles from the C lot at Wildcat to 19MBT.

Tim

 

[KPMMBM]

We did the climb to E peak this past Sunday. very icy, My sense is that it would be tough for dogs (it was pretty tough for me ). A couple spots were thick and steep ice with no avoiding via a side track. D to A and down to 19 MBT was icy but most every bad spot had a alternate sidetrack in crusty snow. This all changes today and tonight but I suspect it just gets worse.

 

[Mike P.]

If planning on the road walk, bring some lighter shoes. Wish I had when I've done the road walk. In other seasons I've brought a bike for the road section from higher up in the Notch back to 19 Mile.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Dogs can't ride bicycles

Tim

 

[TJsName]

Dogs can't ride bicycles

Tim

In Weare on Sunday I saw a tandem bike with a dog sitting on a platform behind the second bike. I was impressed!

 

[DayTrip]

A quick measure on Google Earth says about 2.7 miles from the C lot at Wildcat to 19MBT.

Tim

This is pretty close. I think I measured 2.3 miles from end of dirt road on Rte 16 to 19MB lot. That dirt road up is fairly long. From ski area to 19MB trailhead is almost entirely down hill with a brief hill at Auto Road/Glen House site. And at least as of last weekend when I did there is no snow whatsoever on Rte 16 so it was an easy walk and out of the traffic flow.

 

[IQuest]

Anyone done any routes on Wildcat with their dog this year? I worry about the slide and E being very icy. I am contemplating paralleling the improved area in the woods up D peak and looking for beta...

Tim

This was the slide crossing Sunday as we descended. Unfortunately I lost the picture of the uphill shot. We did an out and back from 19 MBT.

 

[peakbagger]

I expect folks have figured out that taking the dirt road from the gate access north of the primary Wildcat parking lot saves that one last hill on RT 16. I have not yet taken what looks like a short cut along the water line from the Glen house to the dam on 19 mile brook. It looks like it saves distance and elevation.

 

[Heather&Kali]

The platform behind the tandem bike may be in Kali's future.

 

[TJsName]

The platform behind the tandem bike may be in Kali's future.

If I didn't see it with my own eyes I don't think I would have believed it. I didn't get a good look, so I'm not sure if it was a custom build or retail purchase. It was behind the bike, but mounted to the bike with no wheel, probably about a foot or so off the ground. I'd guess it was a 25-35lb dog on it. Looked like a nice set-up. Kind of like this, but lower and looked a bit sturdier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gchpHtL7ZGQ

 

[peakbagger]

Are we forgetting about Toto in a basket ?

http://images.mocpages.com/user_images/48287/1368898113m_SPLASH.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/3087713012_72af06656f.jpg

Awfully big basket for a Golden