Wildcats Friday 26th

[HikerBob]

I know this is very last minute, I meant to post something earlier but it slipped my mind...

I'm going to be doing the Wildcats with options (conditional on how much the Wildcats beat me up) to add Carter Dome + Height and (a very optional) South Carter tomorrow, Friday 26th.

I have a pick up arranged for Nineteen Mile Brook trailhead so it's an opportunity to get the Cats and Carter Notch at the very least.

Depending on water level in the Ellis river I'll be leaving on the Wildcat Ridge trail from the Glenn Falls or Lost River Trail from Pinkham at around 6am.

Slow hikers (and I do mean s-l-o-w) are welcome to join me, faster hikers could probably start two hours later and catch me before 'E' Peak I definitely wouldn't leave any stragglers but neither would I expect to hold back fitter folk.

This will be a long, hot and strenuous day so if you choose to try and find me - be prepared

I'm leaving home shortly and will probably not be able to get online again (I did say this was last minute, right?) so if you do choose to go, look for grey pants, white shirt, green pack, red poles and a very red face... add in a lot of huffing and puffing and you have probably found me

Bob

 

[HikerBob]

The Wildcat Ridge trail:

"...more difficult and time-consuming than one might infer from a casual glance at the map..." AMC White Mountain Guide

"...is substantially more strenuous than the distance and elevation gain would suggest, many plan to add Carter Dome to the outing, but few actually do so!" Mohamed Ellozy

"What the hell was I thinking???" HikerBob

OK - So in my defense I did say Carter Dome was a maybe and I had read the above references and knew it would be a tough addition. On the day I still had enough time but the Wildcats (and all those pesky Wild Kittens) plus the heat and humidity had drained me. One look at the climb to Carter Dome from the outlook on Wildcat A put the seal on what I had already decided, I would be heading down 19 Mile Brook trail when I reached it.

Despite the strenuous nature of the trail I really enjoyed the climb up from Glen Ellis. Lots of scrambling and fantastic glimpses and full views back to George and the gulfs. There was one particular spot where the trail traverses a cliff with footing aided by rock drillings that would be unnerving in the wet and downright scary in winter. No margin of safety and a fall would hurt... a lot.

Once on the ridge there is only one word to describe things - 'updown'. If you don't think 'updown' is a word, you haven't hiked this trail! I lost count of, and gave up counting, all of the humps and dips. Just when you figure you must be on the last bit of 'up' to one of the summits it'll throw another dip, col or sag at you just to make you climb a little more.

The early morning views were clear but things got hazy as the day wore on and the heat and humidity increased. After the seemingly endless ups and downs of the ridge the views from the outlook off of Wildcat A into Carter Notch and of the Carters are a fantastic reward.

Pics are up and can be found starting

HERE

Additional blurb to come.