Also on this trip

Trails Used

Ski Trails, Wildcat Ridge Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Great early morning out to tag the Wildcats. Everything was mostly dry, including some of the spots on Wildcat Ridge that can be tricky if the rocks are wet. All mud spots were easy to get around or step in without any lost shoes and any water on the trail was below the plank bridges. Please note that there is a lot of construction happening at Wildcat right now near the base so please proceed with caution. If you stay on the access road on the stream side of the lifts at the base, there are a couple of breaks in the construction barriers and ropes for you to access Lower Polecat. It is wide enough for the side-by-sides to go through as well.

Water Crossings

Concrete bridge near ski lodge is in fine shape.

Wildlife

Flies buzzing near recent wild animal droppings and a few hornets, but didn't seem to be coming out of a ground nest that I noticed.

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Ski Trails, Wildcat Ridge

Trail Conditions

Notes

Wildcats are in great shape. Enjoy the amazing spring conditions.

Parking

Plenty at the ski area all day.

Water Crossings

A couple big puddles had bog bridges across them.

Wildlife

A few that mostly left me alone

Trails Used

Lost Pond, WRT, 19 MB

Trail Conditions

Notes

Trails were in great shape from Lost Pond and across the Ridge (and down)… we carried spikes but never put them on

Water Crossings

No issues

Also on this trip

Trails Used

19 Mile Brook, Wildcat Ridge Trails, ski area

Trail Conditions

Notes

19 Mile Brook Trail had some sloppy spots above the Carter Dome Trail intersection and a short segment on snow near the top, not bad. The Wildcat Ridge Trail to Wildcat A included white ice to be negotiated in the steeps at the top, all avoidable with care. There were a few tricky sections with white ice and intermittent monorails on the Wildcat Ridge Trail from A to D, particularly on the final ascent to D, but spikes wouldn't have helped. Ski slopes were generally dry and easy going. Cold, windy day for this fun hike with Chris and Renee. We chatted with Half-and-Half and William who are currently at the front of the 2026 AT NOBOs. Just a few red trillium and nothing else flowering on this route today.

Parking

Two cars parked at 19 Mile Brook Trailhead at 7:30. Several spaces available there at 2:30. Plenty of parking for the car spot at the ski area.

Water Crossings

Major crossings are bridged on this route.

Wildlife

Not a one.

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Camp Dodge Cutoff, Imp Trail, North Carter Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Ski Trails

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Parked at Wildcat, rode my bike down to Camp Dodge to start the hike. Monorail was very solid all day, it will take quite a warm up or decent snow storm to need snowshoes at this point, but there is a lot of ice out there lurking under the snow. Bare booted in ~1" of new snow through Camp Dodge and up Imp trail for 1.5 miles. At that point, there started to be significant ice flows under the snow so switched to microspikes, which worked well up to Carter-Moriah Trail. Very narrow monorail under ~2-3" of fresh snow keeps you on your toes but microspikes still the way to go. S facing sections started to get slushy which added to the challenge. Some hard ice under the snow in places, especially coming down from S. Carter. Met another hiker near Zeta pass coming back from Carter Dome, he had started up to Hight but turned around as he felt it was a bit sketchy. I was gridding out the Carters today, and it was a clear/no wind day so I wanted to give it a shot and the climb ended up being not bad...packed monorail but not icy and my microspikes held well. I've been fortunate to have some great days on Hight and it is one of the best peaks in the Whites on a clear day. More elevated monorail from Hight back to Carter Dome trail and up to Carter Dome. Still crazy amounts of snow which means you get views you won't get in the summer as you can see over the scrub. Coming down from Carter Dome to the Notch had a lot of Slushy Side Slope of Doom. Spikes were balling up, but they were necessary with the new snow on top of the side slope. The steep section down into the notch after the lookout had enough rocks that you could mostly downclimb, but there is still enough ice that whatever your best traction is, you will be glad you have it. Crampons and an ice axe wouldn't be crazy. Heading up Wildcat Ridge Trail from the Notch was more Side Slope Shenanigans...mostly grippy with microspikes but you would not be sad with crampons...there are sections with solid ice under the snow which could become very exciting quickly if not careful. Once I got to A I was glad to see a lot of people had done an out/back from the ski area and the trail was pretty broken in (the ski area was closed Mon-Thurs this week, so people could climb/descend the trails all day as opposed to the usual "not when the lifts are operating". I didn't get to the ski trails until 4:15pm, so it didn't help me. Remembered to retrieve my bike down at Camp Dodge, one of these days I'm going to forget!

Parking

Parked at Wildcat, road a bike down to Camp Dodge. Shoulders a bit icy this AM so rode in travel lane and pulled over whenever a car came by...still beats walking.

Water Crossings

Walked across the pond in Carter Notch if that counts...