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and our
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Feb 18 - 20, 2006 |
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Sat Feb 18.
Carter Hut, Wildcat’s A & D Waking up to a slightly white (snowy) morning, Dave Metskey / Christine (Kea) / Bob and I are heading to 19 Mile Brook Trail for the start of Seema’s Gourmet Hut weekend trip. We’re well aware of how cold it is, and the upcoming forecast – but bravely (or stupidly) are at the trailhead by 8:15, with the temperature at 8 degrees, ready to go forward with the plan. Seema and Brian are already greeting the early arrivals and passing out allocations of group-goods to carry up to the hut. We’re happy to meet HarryK, Charles and Liza (Blue) for the first time. MEB and Shizzmac are also getting ready. TJ shows up, but sadly is having major car issues and ends up being a responsible adult and taking it in to have it looked at instead of hiking. The river is quite beautiful with its display of ice sculptures, running water and surrounding trees. The trail however, is mostly glare ice. 30 minutes into the hike and several falls later, we finally get smart enough to put on the crampons we are carrying. This speeds up the pace and improves the comfort factor greatly. After leap-frogging with a few other hikers, we get to the hut around 11:30 – just in time to see a few familiar faces as Unfrozen Caveman and Big Earl are already there, having traveled up from Pinkham over the Wildcats. It is now approx –2 degrees, having dropped a few degrees in the last 30 minutes according to those at the hut. We pick out a room in the bunkhouse, drop/organize gear and get ready to hit the Wildcats. The temperature has now dropped to -5 degrees. Poor Dave is still recovering from a major case of whooping cough earlier this season, and he opts to stick out the afternoon in the hut. As we get across the pond, we run into MichealJ and Katie (Bunchberry) who are now moments from getting to the hut. The trail up to Wildcat A is steep, but there is enough snow to get a good hold and no worries about slipping on the slide area. The sporadic sun is now shining more fully, and Christine, Bob and I get some incredible views from the lookout just off the summit. It’s amazing to see Carter Lake so far below us. No time to dally we head off to B and C, enjoying clear skies and good views to our west along the way. From C, we can see our destination in the distance – yikes! it's still pretty far off. Somewhere along the line we all thought this hike was a bit shorter. Temps are cold, the sun is out and the wind is not too strong, so we trod on. The trail drops fairly steeply after leaving the C peak, but there are no issues as we’ve been wearing crampons throughout the hike. We drop our packs at the base of the final climb, and a few minutes later are standing on the platform on top of D. We are happy to reach the furthest point on our hike, and are rewarded with a few glimpses of Washington through the clouds. A group hug (for congratulations AND warmth) and we decide we better head back to the hut if we want dinner. The sun is still with us, and makes the hike back up C and over to B/A that much more easy to endure. We take the 20-yard side trail to hit the official peak of A, and make our way back down to the Notch and hut, arriving around 5:30 pm to find that the temperature is now at -10 degrees.. The group is inside, staying warm and eagerly waiting for dinner. We sadly learn that Hannah(Abster) and Jenn(cruddy toes) have headed back down. Now, the hardest part of the weekend: I’m standing in front of our bunks, in a dark and COLD room, trying to figure out what to change into. My brain cells have frozen and it is hard to think logically about what to do. Somehow I get on drier clothes and get to the main hut where we are minutes away from the most incredible feast, compliments of Ms. Seema and her helpers. (her report tells you the names of the dishes she created) She’s fed 18 of us, with extra food for some of the other guests and caretakers, and we are all so wonderfully fed that we forget the cold and manage to tune out the howling wind. Things I learned today: --hiking in temps this cold takes longer. Getting ready, fine-tuning the layers along the way, snacking – it all just seems to take a bit longer. --when goggles start to freeze, you get interesting blurry lines that slowly take over your whole vision. If you can keep stumbling along, heat generated on the uphills often will then clear the goggles again. --lay out the clothes you want to wear after the hike so you don’t have to think about what to put on when you return to a cold, dark bunk house. (inside sleeping bag is a good spot to put them) --when its this cold, try to be sure it is on a gourmet weekend with Seema so you are ensured wonderful food, and having the company of spouse/friends/other hikers truly makes it all worthwhile. Sunday: Carter Dome, Southern and Middle Carters. We’ve made it through the night low of –15, and wake to a sunny day. It is still cold, but a few degrees warmer than Saturday. After swearing the night before that this would only be a ONE NIGHT weekend, the light of the day makes us feel a bit stronger. We decide we can hike again, eat another delicious meal and spend the final night up here. I tell Christine this must be like childbirth – one forgets the pain and decides to do it again. Our hiking buddy Damon (DRitter) shows up to the hut around 8/8:30 hoping to join us over the Carters. He’s had a cold but fast hike up 19 Mile Brook. Most of the rest of the hut is heading over the Wildcats, but Damon-DaveM-Christine-Bob and I will head the other direction. We’re still moving slow and Damon with the patience of a saint holds out until we start the hike around 10:30. Approx 2 hours later, we’re on the top of Carter Dome. It’s a bit breezy at the top, but we were fairly protected along the way up. The sun is peaking in/out and we get a few views. At this point, Dave has pushed himself enough so he and Christine will head back to the hut. Damon, Bob and I head off to Zeta Pass. We’re again in crampons for the full day. We make great time to Zeta, and then up to South Carter. Damon is saying how he remembers the jaunt over to Middle Carter as pretty simple. Then I see the peak off in the distance. Like viewing Wildcat D yesterday, this last peak seems too far away. Damon keeps us on a productive pace and we reach the peak by 2pm, only 1.5 hours from leaving Carter Dome. The sun has become stronger and we are able to enjoy views of Baldfaces and Royces off to the east. We book it back over South Carter and to Zeta Pass. We’re down to 19 Mile by 4 PM where we part ways with Damon. We’ve made great time, but the last 1.9 up to the hut finds us going slower and slower. We get to the hut approx 5:15 PM. Bob goes in to start nursing a migraine he’s developed, and I head up to the bunkroom to get him some pills and do a quick change job. Having laid out my ‘evening wear’ ahead of time, I am much more productive changing tonight. Also helps knowing that dinner is moments away. I then find a wonderful surprise inside our sleeping bags as I pull out my clothes – Christine has left a warm water bottle for us, warming our clothes and offering a great hand warmer during the changing process? (We must think of a way to sabotage her potential move to Alaska) I can smell dinner even before entering the hut. Seema has outdone herself again, with a delicious Thai dinner. I am not shy and have a full 2 helpings of soup and noodles. Last night’s dinner was fabulous and this one seems even better. We wonder if Seema should give up her mice and instead run a restaurant somewhere? The rest of the group have had successful climbs up to Wildcat A, some made it to D, and others lounged in the hut for the day. Everyone is happy, well fed and enjoying some good laughs. Charles and Liza bake a round of cookies for desert to top off the evening. We’re so happy we stayed another night to enjoy this group. The stars are out again and the few degrees warmer with less wind make this night much more bearable as we travel between hut, bunkroom and bathrooms. Monday: back to trailhead Wake up to another stellar day of blue skies. MEB and HarryK have both left quite early to get down to the cars to make another hike elsewhere. Meri and Nancy are debating which peak they’ll hit on their way home. Seema and Brian will carry their packs up over Carter Dome to grab a peak on their way down The rest of us are pretty content to get up leisurely, enjoy breakfast and then start to pack up. The last of the group is ready to leave just before 10am. It’s quite a bit warmer and we are delayering before long. It’s an easy trip down (only complaints were my shins) and we enjoy the lighting and river/mountain scenes along the way. It’s been a wonderful weekend. Our thanks to Seema and Brian (the quiet one who keeps working all the time!) who organized such a great event. We’re happy to have challenged ourselves with the comfort of having other experienced hikers (and winter sleepers) with us. We greatly admire Wendy who on her first winter hike is in boots that are way too large, wearing crampons for first time, hitting the iciest and coldest weekend of the year, and still wearing a huge smile and making us laugh (especially as we search for her missing contact!). We’ve caught up with some more hiking buddies we haven’t seen for a while (John) and met still more for the first time (Noah). Christine and Dave have been wonderful as usual, even though we’ve abused Dave over his snoring. Hopefully I haven’t overlooked anyone in the massive trip report. Thank you all for a great weekend.
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Directions to the trailhead: From Gorham head South @ 5miles on Rte 16 to the trailhead and parking on the left. |
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and our