June 13, 2009
I'm continuing to "redline" as I work on the Grid. What does that mean? As I'm working toward climbing each of the White Mountains 4000 footers in each month, I'm trying to take as many different routes to the top as possible. Today I will be climbing the Carters and Moriah via the Wild River Wilderness. I parked at the Wild River Campground and hit the trail at 7:30.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A warning that the bridge 3 miles down the trail no longer exists.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This had to be a fairly new sign considering this just became a wilderness area a couple of years ago.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I made great time on this easy trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Now I had 4.9 miles on the Black Angel Trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
First I had to rock hop across Wild River. I was only successful in keeping one foot dry.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The trail was muddy with lots of mosquitos, but as I climbed higher there was less mud and therefore less mosquitos. Finally, as I neared the top of the trail, I got my first view of the day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
As I figured, I didn't see anyone since I was coming in the "back door", but once on the ridge I saw plenty of hikers. I ditched my pack and hiked the .4 miles up to Carter Dome. I got a good view of what was ahead.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I returned and picked up my pack. I briefly thought of bypassing Mount Hight since it wasn't a four thousand footer, but I didn't want to miss out on the awesome view that I knew was there.
Left to right: Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison.
We are into June but there are still a few patches of snow up there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
View to the northeast
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I took my first break of the day here. First I talked with a couple A.T. thru hikers who were flip flopping (Hanover, N.H. to Katahdin then Hanover, N.H. to Springer) and then I talked with a couple hikers who were peakbagging.
Up next, South Carter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I headed down to Zeta Pass and then up and over the wooded summit of South Carter. I had another great view of the Presies as I headed to Middle Carter. Once over Middle Carter I took this picture toward the northwest.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bog bridging between Middle and North Carter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I hadn't been on this section of trail for quite some time. I stopped just before the summit of North Carter for my 2nd break of the day. I had a great view to the east.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Because South and Middle Carter are now on the border of a wilderness area the summit signs have been removed. The sign on North Carter was still there however.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Next up is Mount Moriah. There is no trail to the summit of Imp but the trail can't be more than .1 or .2 miles from the summit. I will have to bushwhack that . . . but not today.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
More bog bridging
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I began my final ascent up to Mount Moriah. Once I reached the the first set of ledges I ditched my pack since I would be returning this way.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The summit of Moriah is just off the Appalachian Trail. You have to go up a short scramble to get there. This spot is much easier in the winter when the crevice is filled with snow.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Just a few more yards.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From the summit I had a great view of Shelburne Moriah, a New Hampshire 100 highest that I still need to climb.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
View to the east
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I returned to the ledges where I had left my pack and took my 3rd and final break of the day.
I headed down to the trail junction where I took another new trail, the Moriah Brook Trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Back into the wilderness
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
As you would guess from the name, this trail follows Moriah Brook. I lost track of how many times the trail crossed the brook. The last time was at Moriah Gorge, a potentially dangerous spot after a heavy rain. I had to wade across the knee deep water.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I was almost done for the day when I came across this suspension bridge.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For a video clip click here.
I got back to my vehicle a few minutes before 7:00, a long but rewarding day. Best of all, I bagged six peaks including four 4000 footers. That brings my Grid count for June up to 37. In doing so, I passed my January total of 36 making this my best Grid month so far.
| 
