Leo & Doug at Carter Notch
During MLK weekend I joined a group from the Connecticut Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) for a weekend hiking trip in the White Mountains of NH. On Friday, the ten of us met at Joe Dodge Lodge at the base of Mt. Washington in Pinkham Notch. I was the only hiker not from CT and most of the group was already acquainted. My friend Leo Kelly was one of the hike leaders and he had invited me. Blog readers will recall that Leo and I hiked the Northville Placid Trail in June. Dale Geslien was the other hike leader; I had met her last spring during a CT Chapter urban hike in NYC.
Since the 1920s Pinkham Notch has been a Mecca for hiking, climbing, snowshoeing, and skiing in the Presidential Range and surrounding areas. In the front country, Joe Dodge Lodge offers comfortable bunkroom style accommodations with excellent meals provided in the adjacent Pinkham Notch Visitors Center, both facilities are operated by the AMC.
Our plan was to spend Friday at Joe Dodge, hike to Carter Notch Hut on Saturday, spend the night and return to Pinkham Notch for a final night at Joe Dodge on Sunday.
Our plan was to spend Friday at Joe Dodge, hike to Carter Notch Hut on Saturday, spend the night and return to Pinkham Notch for a final night at Joe Dodge on Sunday.
Ready to go.
On Saturday morning our group met in the “pack room” of the visitors’center and made our final preparations for our overnight trip to Carter Notch Hut. Being a holiday weekend the pack room was jammed with other hikers getting ready to hit the variety of trails in the area. I was glad to leave there and load my pack into the back of Leo’s truck. It was a short drive to the trailhead; although we were relatively early the parking lot was already jammed. It is a straight 3.8 mile, 1,900’ uphill hike to the hut. Our plan was to take a longer 5.9 mile route up and over Carter Dome with a 3,350' vertical rise to the summit and a very steep decent to the hut. At 1.9 miles we took
stock of the group and decided that some would go the 1.9 additional miles right to the hut, while others would take the longer route as originally planned. I took the long route, but in retrospect since I had a full pack on my back it would have been wiser to go to the hut and dump the pack, then go exploring without a heavy load.
stock of the group and decided that some would go the 1.9 additional miles right to the hut, while others would take the longer route as originally planned. I took the long route, but in retrospect since I had a full pack on my back it would have been wiser to go to the hut and dump the pack, then go exploring without a heavy load.
Carter Dome
The steep climb to Carter Dome quickly separated our new group of seven. Two hikers moved out well ahead of the others. They did wait a couple miles up the trail, but they were so much ahead that they got cold waiting and moved on. Two others were moving quite slowly and fell behind rapidly. Three of us waited along the way and tagged up with the rear party from time to time. Although we made steady progress it was evident that it would be late in the day before we would reach the hut. It was late and cloudy when we reached the summit of Carter Dome, so the promised view of the Presidential Range was not very clear. As we started our decent to the hut, the trail was badly postholed so progress was further slowed. It was getting dark and we discussed when to break out our headlights. About a half mile out we could see lights from the hut far below. We got our lights out and started down the steepest portion of the trail. I knew Leo would be watching from the hut and see our lights. The trail here was so steep that even in the dark we had little choice but to slide down most of the sections. At the bottom of the final steep pitch I stopped with another member of our group to wait for the last three. Before long I heard John, the next hiker and saw lights coming down. Although I could not see him around the curve, we were able to talk to each other. He decided to wait for the last two before coming down any further. Soon John yelled down that one of the two above him was “stuck” but OK, so he was dropping his pack and climbing back up. I did the same.
When I arrived on the scene the stuck hiker was off the trail, on a steep pitch, upside-down, on her back with her pack caught on a stump and holding her from sliding further out of control. John worked carefully to get her pack off and keep her from sliding. After awhile she was on her feet and I had her pack. John worked her step by step down the last two hundred yards of the steep pitch. It was slow going, but she had lost her confidence and needed the support to move safely. In the meantime, Leo and the hut caretaker had arrived on the scene and provided additional assistance. Leo cut steps and the caretaker took the injured hiker’s pack. Once on flat ground she started to regain her composure and move quicker.
When I arrived on the scene the stuck hiker was off the trail, on a steep pitch, upside-down, on her back with her pack caught on a stump and holding her from sliding further out of control. John worked carefully to get her pack off and keep her from sliding. After awhile she was on her feet and I had her pack. John worked her step by step down the last two hundred yards of the steep pitch. It was slow going, but she had lost her confidence and needed the support to move safely. In the meantime, Leo and the hut caretaker had arrived on the scene and provided additional assistance. Leo cut steps and the caretaker took the injured hiker’s pack. Once on flat ground she started to regain her composure and move quicker.
Inside the hut
It was late when we finally arrived at the hut. It was crowded, but we were glad to get there, take the packs off our backs and start hydrating. After a hot meal I was more than ready to hit the sack. The hut is heated in the evening, but the bunk rooms are not. My minus 20 degree sleeping bag was more than enough to keep me warm.
At 3,450’, Carter Notch Hut is in a beautiful location. It was built in 1914 and is well maintained. In the summer it is a full service operation and the rest of the year there is a caretaker present to oversee the
operation. We had shared use of the kitchen and dinning area. Capacity is forty people and the hut was completely full while we were there. A group of about twenty Boy Scouts and leaders were there and I enjoyed watching them work. They did the majority of cleaning and KP for everyone. It was a well run “boy lead” unit.
operation. We had shared use of the kitchen and dinning area. Capacity is forty people and the hut was completely full while we were there. A group of about twenty Boy Scouts and leaders were there and I enjoyed watching them work. They did the majority of cleaning and KP for everyone. It was a well run “boy lead” unit.
 The Hut |  one of two unheated bunk houses - note helicopter pad on roof |
Ready to hike out
Sunday morning broke clear with temperatures in the 20s. It was a great day to be in such a beautiful location. We took our time with breakfast and packing, departing about 11 AM. It took us just over two hours to hike down to the road. It was a great run and I enjoyed being out front all the way.
Equipment wise I got to use my new MICROspikes and MSR Lightning Accent snowshoes. Both performed well and I am glad to have them.
Equipment wise I got to use my new MICROspikes and MSR Lightning Accent snowshoes. Both performed well and I am glad to have them.
Back at the trail head
We checked into Joe Dodge Lodge Sunday afternoon, had a beer and took showers before heading down to the town of Jackson for dinner. Later that evening we gathered in the living room and debriefed the trip.
Monday morning I woke before everyone else and decided to forgo sleeping in to go grab some breakfast and coffee. As I mentioned, the food at the Pinkham Notch VC is really good. I sat in the dinning room and watched as a number of families with young children came and went. It was nice to see so many parents sharing the outdoors with their children, even in the cold winter of the mountains. I look forward to future outdoor adventures with my own
granddaughters.
Eventually our entire group made it to breakfast. Afterwards we said our goodbyes and headed home, richer for the experience.
I had one lingering after affect from the trip. The week before I was very active skiing and had not kept fully hydrated. I worked at catching up, but I was not quite there by hike time. I carried two liters of water on the hike to the hut, but with the delay in getting there, I ran out. By Monday I knew that I had a sinus infection coming on, I tried to tough it out and hydrate it away, but with another full weekend of traveling and skiing on the way I ended up taking an antibiotic to knock it out. I am healthy again and back on the slopes and hoping that the ground hog sees his shadow.
Monday morning I woke before everyone else and decided to forgo sleeping in to go grab some breakfast and coffee. As I mentioned, the food at the Pinkham Notch VC is really good. I sat in the dinning room and watched as a number of families with young children came and went. It was nice to see so many parents sharing the outdoors with their children, even in the cold winter of the mountains. I look forward to future outdoor adventures with my own
granddaughters.
Eventually our entire group made it to breakfast. Afterwards we said our goodbyes and headed home, richer for the experience.
I had one lingering after affect from the trip. The week before I was very active skiing and had not kept fully hydrated. I worked at catching up, but I was not quite there by hike time. I carried two liters of water on the hike to the hut, but with the delay in getting there, I ran out. By Monday I knew that I had a sinus infection coming on, I tried to tough it out and hydrate it away, but with another full weekend of traveling and skiing on the way I ended up taking an antibiotic to knock it out. I am healthy again and back on the slopes and hoping that the ground hog sees his shadow.
Leo & son-in-law Paul, aka Mountain Biscuit
Thanks to Leo I experienced a taste of the
White Mountains. I always enjoy new places and new adventures and now I have a better idea of what is available only a
couple of States to the east. I am already thinking about a visit there on our way back from skiing in Maine this spring.
Good times with good friends!
White Mountains. I always enjoy new places and new adventures and now I have a better idea of what is available only a
couple of States to the east. I am already thinking about a visit there on our way back from skiing in Maine this spring.
Good times with good friends!
Click here to see more photos from this trip.
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