30 September-5 October: Conquering the Wildcats, The White Mountains, New Hampshire!!!!

Winter will soon be setting into The White Mountains in New Hampshire.  Therefore, we decided to jump down to New Hampshire from Caratunk, ME and complete The Whites before we are closed out of them by winter weather.  A CVMA sister, Wingnut, who lives in Maine, graciously offered to give us a ride from Caratunk, ME to Gorham, NH (The White Mountains).  So Wingnut picked us up on Tues 30 Sept and drove us to New Hampshire.  We started hiking on Thurs 2 Oct.


Thursday, 2 October, it was recommended we go north over the Wildcat Mountain section of The Whites, so today we started at Pinkham Notch and Headed north, climbing over Wildcats E, D, C B and A.  As you will see below the climb up the Wildcats was very steep and it was definitely a better choice to go up than down them.  Contrary to what most might think, going down such steep climbs is so much harder and dangerous, up is crazily the easier way to do it.

Hendo's Mom climbing up Wildcat E.

Mom asking where the "hiking" is in this section.

Boulders lodged in the crag to make "steps".

Hendo climbing up the wooden blocks secured to the side of Wildcat E's sheer face section.

A view of Mt. Washington from ontop Wildcat E

Hendo and Hendo's Mom ontop Wildcat E and above the clouds, undercast is cool.

Moose tracks along the trail of Wildcats Ridgeline

There are 8 Appalachian Mountain Club Huts located throughout The White Mountains.  You can go online and make reservations, hike in, get a hot dinner, dry bunk and hot breakfast.  As thru-hikers, the huts will take in a few thru-hikers for Work For Stay each evening.  For Work For Stay, the huts will feed you dinner and breakfast leftovers and allow you to sleep on the floor of the dining room, in return for some help washing dishes or clean up the hut.

Off in the distance Carter Notch Hut, small green roofs in the valley, where we will spend the night tonight.

Closer picture of Carter Notch Hut

Friday 3 October, Today we hiked over Carter Dome and Mt Hight.

Hendo on top of Mt. Hight

Sat 4-Sun 5 Oct, Mother Nature intervened and brought in some sketchy weather so we had to zero.