Wacky weather on the Wildcats!

Trip Details
Date: March 7^th, 2016
Total Distance: 9.38 mi (via Trimble Outdoors Navigator Pro on iPhone 4S)
Total Time: 4 hours 32 minutes
Total Elevation: 2875 ft gained
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In southern part of the northern New England states, winter was all but over. Temperatures had recovered to the 50ºF mark and the snow was melted. In the White Mountains, Mother Nature was not done yet. BishopX and I had hoped to get to nab Mt. Washington in this mild winter but the weather did not cooperate. Even though on this day temperatures at ground level were expected into the mid-30s, winds were expected to reach into the 30 mph range at elevation and snow that would lead to a couple of inches of accumulation.

We decided it was best to stay in the trees, but via a coin flip we decided on the Wildcats. Our chosen route would take us up the Polecat Ski Trail and then onto the Wildcat Ridge Trail where it would finally enter into the trees. The ski trail is exposed and we paid for selecting this route. Not only do you have to by a ticket to hike up the mountain for $10, but we also had wind whipping snow into our face for much of the climb up. Due to the warmer temperatures, though, it was too uncomfortable to bundle up and cover your entire face as we trucked up the ski trails. So we bared it for an hour and eventually made it to the col between Wildcat D and E. I have to say that some of the skiers were not happy to share the trail and some even attempt to spray snow at us.

The start of the ski trails.

The sign at the top of the col between Wildcat D and E.

The view from Wildcat D was nonexistent. So we changed layers and continued on along the Wildcat Ridge Trail. Previous trip reports from the weekend had stated on the ridge snowshoes would help, but we found it well compacted and just wore our spikes all day. The snowshoes got a free ride. The trip over to Wildcat C is miserable. The drop off Wildcat D is painless as we just slid down, but then it is a steep ascent back up to Wildcat C.

The platform at the summit of Wildcat D.

Looking towards the other Wildcats...you can faintly see something...

The Presidentials are out there somewhere...

From Wildcat C, the clouds lifted for a few seconds and we got a view back to Wildcat D and E.

Wildcat B has a few more steep spots, but then it is a quick trip over the main peak at Wildcat A. Once again the view was nonexistent. I was able to finally find the two markers on the tree at the summit. This was my third time on this summit and never saw these before. After some lunch, we started the best part of the trip and what made it all worth it. The White Mountain Guide Online states this 0.7 mile descent from Wildcat A to the junction with Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail should take 22 minutes. This is ridiculous as this part of the trail is insanely steep and you would basically have to sprint down it during the summer months. In the winter, we get an unfair advantage though as we butt slid down huge portions of it. We arrived at the junction with Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail 14 minutes after we left the summit. Take that!

So excited for the view!!!!

Look at that view!!!! The Carters and the Carter Notch Hut are out there somewhere...

BishopX pondering life at the edge.

The summit of Wildcat A.

It was snowing pellets.

The gentle walk out Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail is a boring 3.6 miles which was made worse by the fact that the sun came out and started melting the snow. Our spikes were balling up due to the warm snow so we were forced to take them off and carefully walk across exposed ice where it was visible. Thankfully, the snow from earlier had covered up the majority of it except in a few spots.

We arrived at the trailhead and then drove back to the Wildcat Ski Area to pick up the other car. All the summits were still in the clouds, but the rest of the sky was blue. So besides some miserable wind and snow on our hike up we did not miss anything as the summits never cleared.

The mileage is only off by approximately a half of mile if you factor in about 2.5 miles for the ski trails.