Tuesday Trip Report: Alex Finishes a Complete Second Round of the NH4Ks on Wildcat D. Aug. 9-10, 2012

Our intention was to experience the western portion of the Wildcat Ridge Trail.  We hear it's a wonderful scramble up from Pinkham Notch, and that the hiker gets to climb up and over iron rungs, ledges, near verticle rock, and all kinds of other challenges the girls and I enjoy.  On our way across the ridge, we'd pick up Wildcats E-A and get two peaks we've had our eyes on for quite some time: Wildcat C, for Trailwrights, and Wildcat D, to finish Alex's second round of the NH4Ks.  We'd stay the night at Carter Notch Hut and hike out the easy way (19 Mile Brook Trail) the next morning.

Alex has been hiking almost every week since she finished her first round of the Four Thousand Footers back in August 2009.  She's done several peaks, such as Garfield, Cannon, and Washington, five times.  There are five or six peaks she's visited four times, and many she's visited three times.  When we sat down a couple of weeks ago and tallied the numbers, we realized she was only one away from an official second round and ten away from an official third round.  Alex decided she'd go ahead and finish that second round since, after all, when one is that close, it's difficult not to go for it.  Besides, it's right next to a Trailwrights peak we need, so why not.

Unfortunately, the forecast for the day of our hike was horrible.  Thunderstorms were "likely" by noon.  Since we had to drop our dog off at the kennel at 7am, we couldn't start this hike super-early.  We got to the trailhead at 9:45...we might have made it up and over before the forecasted boomers hit, but it would have been risky.  I told Alex it was her choice.  She wisely said we should not take the chance.

I sighed, told her she made the right call, and drove to the 19 Mile Brook Trail.  We'd go to the hut the easy way, hang out all day, and see if we could get the peaks the next day.

It's been almost a year since Tropical Storm Irene barreled through this part of the country, but no one will forget her anytime soon...

Humongous caterpillar...

Irene ate part of this bridge...

There's a wasp nest under a log a tenth of a mile or so past the intersection with Carter Dome Trail.  If you step on that log (as I did), then the angry critters WILL come out and seek revenge.  I got stung on my leg...OUCH.

Onward, to the hut...

Soon there...

Heading down to the hut, passing the ponds...

Just before reaching the hut, we ran into the same kind and jovial Appalachian Trail thru-hikers we had met a few days earlier near Mizpah Hut.  I bought the fellows baked goods (on sale at the hut) and we chatted for a bit.  Here they are, three happy hikers on their way to Katahdin.

Jeff, Uncle Spider, and Dude.  Good luck, fellas!  It was very nice to meet you.

After we checked in, the clouds decided to look threatening...

...and then they cleared out.  No thunder, no wind, nothing but blue sky.  Could have done the ridge after all...even so, Alex made the right call based on the forecast.  No matter, we had a blast at the hut.  The girls made new friends, Kate and Cole from New York City, and we played on the Ramparts (giant rocks near the hut) for a while.

The thunderstorms finally descended during the evening.  All through the night, the lightning flashed and the thunder boomed.  Things didn't look much better in the morning...after breakfast, another storm raised a racket all around the hut.  The girls and I decided to wait it out and go for the peaks as soon as the sun reappeared.

Waiting out the storm...

Finally, the storm wore itself out and went away.  The girls said goodbye to their new friends...

Alex and Sage with new friends, Kate and Cole.

...and we headed out and up.

Beginning the Wildcat Ridge Trail from 19 Mile Brook Trail...

View from the slide...

Crossing the slide and continuing up...

A steep half mile later, we reached Wildcat A's "View" sign...

The clouds were still attempting to dissipate, so our views were rather interesting...

We touched the summit, which is currently marked by a few rocks on a short herd path by the view.  Second time for Sage, third time for Alex.

Next came Wildcat B -- that summit was nondescript...I'm sure we crossed it at some point.  Then came Wildcat C, which we needed for Trailwrights.  We weren't sure where the highest point was, so I took pictures on a myriad of high spots.  Here's one...if this picture doesn't depict the actual summit of Wildcat C, then I'm sure one of my other photos does.

After C came a fairly deep col with lots of slick ledges and rocks to negotiate.

Climbing up to Wildcat D...

Summit tower!

Sage congratulated Alex on finishing her second round of the New Hampshire Four Thousand Footers...

Congratulations, Alex!

We didn't linger; the forecast had called for thunderstorms this afternoon and the skies were looking dark over the Presidential Range.  We therefore quickly headed down the ski trails.

I loved this descent.  There's something magical about walking through the fog...

Once at the ski area parking lot, I checked the time -- and got a shock.  We had left the hut at 9:10 and arrived at the parking area at 12:10.  It had taken us only three hours to hike about six up-and-down mountain miles (and on wet rock, to boot!).   

We went into the building to buy snacks and were told by the cashier that a thunderstorm was headed our way.  We still had a three mile roadwalk to get back to our car, so we hit the asphalt and walked as fast as we could along Route 16.  The storm caught up to us after we'd gone two miles...oh well, we almost made it.  The skies opened and the rain poured down...thankfully, a fellow coming from Mt. Washington's Auto Road gave us a lift so we didn't have to walk the final mile.

We didn't hike the specific section of trail we'd planned to explore (Wildcat Ridge Trail from Pinkham Notch to Wildcat E), but this was an enjoyable and productive trip nonetheless.  We're already planning our next White Mountain adventure, which will be next week.  After that, we'll head west and tackle a couple of larger mountains.  It'll be Highpointing, Round Three.  The kids and I are very much looking forward to it.