Carter Range
Where: Carter Range (Middle Carter, South Carter, Mt. Hight, Carter Dome), NH
When: August 4, 2025
With: Steve
In my quest to climb the 48 NH 4000' peaks, I needed the two Wildcats and the three Carters (I'm saving Owlshead for last). My neighbor, Steve, has been working on The Grid (each of the 48 peaks in every month), and he needed the Carters in August. I'd hoped to get the Wildcats in July, but it didn't work out, so the Carters moved to the front of the line and I asked if he wanted company for the hike.
Our original plan was to go in two cars, leaving one at the 19 Mile Brook trailhead and driving the other to the Imp Trail. The day before the hike, Steve suggested taking just one car. We'd park at 19 Mile Brook, walk a short distance north on the highway, then cut through the Joe Dodge camp to the Imp Trail. That was the route I'd planned to take if I was doing it as a solo hike, and it cut a couple of miles off the Imp Trail.
Steve picked me up at 5AM and we were at the 19 Mile Brook parking area at 8:30. The lot was already nearly full, with just a couple of spots open. Surprising for a Monday morning. We packed up, then did a quick walk along the highway to the Joe Dodge camp. Steve had been there before and guided us through the camp.
A short access path led to the Imp Trail, which we followed south, with Steve leading the way. I'd been concerned about his pace - on his quest for the Grid, Steve's out doing long hikes a few times each month and is in good condition. The last time we hiked together, he'd moved along at a pretty aggressive clip. I hoped my mountain biking would help me keep up with him this time, but I needn't have worried. Steve settled into a moderately relaxed pace that suited me just fine.
As these trails usually do, the path became rougher and began climbing, but I never really struggled. The Imp Trail departed north, and we continued on the North Carter trail until it ended at the Carter-Moriah trail, which we followed south. Now on the Appalachian Trail, we began encountering AT Thru-hikers. Most were north-bound (NOBO), except one couple who passed us heading south (SOBO). All were generally in good spirits, though one man did admit to being a bit tired of it all. Those headed north were approaching a number of significant milestones: the end of the White Mountains, the final state on the trail (Maine), the 2000 mile mark, and of course the finish on Katahdin. Thoughts of, "I may actually be able to do this" may have started creeping in.
We summited the first 4K peak (Middle Carter, 4610') just before noon, pausing briefly to take a photo of the small cairn marking the top before continuing. Now up on the ridge, the major climbing was behind us and the walking was easier. A little less than an hour later we were on South Carter (4430'), where we chatted with a NOBO thru-hiker awaiting the arrival of his companions. After a quick snack/lunch, we headed steeply down toward Zeta Pass, passing the hiker's friends (two women) on their way up. They were relieved to hear they were nearly at the top of their climb.
Zeta Pass is a deep notch between South Carter and the final 4000 foot peak (Carter Dome, 4832') in the range. The path back to our car departed west from the pass, but we needed to get to Carter Dome first. There were several options. One was a simple out and back on the Carter Dome Trail. There was also a loop option that would add Mt. Hight. Though it's well over 4000 feet high (4675'), it's considered to be a secondary summit of Carter Dome rather than an official 4000 footer, so it wouldn't count toward my list. However it had something all of the Carters lacked...an open summit with views.
That said, the lure of views was a moot point this day. Wildfires in Canada had resulted in a thick haze. It turned the sun into a cool-looking glowing orange orb, but obscured any views we might have had. However, the idea of a loop rather than an out and back was inviting and would only add 0.3 miles to the hike, plus I'm always up for another summit. We decided to do the loop. That left us with one more decision - climb Mt. Hight first, then Carter Dome, or vice versa. We decided on the former, though Steve cautioned that the climb up Mt. Hight was tough (but fairly short).
After a short rest at Zeta Pass, I asked Steve if he was ready for the climb. He'd been struggling a bit on the ascents all day, but said he was up for it. I said, half joking, that he could always just stay at Zeta Pass and relax, and I'd meet him back there after hiking the loop. We walked for just a few minutes before he said, "Y'know, I think I'll take you up on that." It was a significant statement. It meant he wouldn't get to Carter Dome, one of the peaks he needed for his August Grid, and signaled that he'd decided to abandon, or at least pause, his pursuit of the Grid.
I wasn't completely surprised. We'd been discussing these quests during the hike, noting their artificial, self-inflicted nature, and said we looked forward to their completion so we could hike "for fun" again. To some extent, the lists took the enjoyment out of hiking, with some climbs being done solely "because I need to get that peak". For several of the peaks, neither the summit or the hike is especially interesting. They're only climbed because they're on the list. Thankfully I only have to do those once, but a Gridder has to climb them 12 times. Those discussions, coupled with his difficulties on the climbs all day, led Steve to his decision.
So Steve returned to Zeta Pass and I headed up the Carter-Moriah Trail (still the AT) toward Mt. Hight. I moved along pretty aggressively before taking a break to rest about halfway up. Continuing, I kept up a steady but slower pace, with the trail refusing to let up - a rough, rocky path that climbed relentlessly. Just when I thought it would never end, a lone hiker came down the trail and said, "You're nearly at the top." I thanked him for that bit of encouragement, and sure enough, a few more steps brought me to the open summit.
I sought out the unmarked high point, stood atop it, and looked around to admire the non-existent views. The haze certainly diminished the experience, but it was still pretty dramatic. After wandering around the summit area a bit, I checked the map on my trail app and set off for Carter Dome. A short distance below the Mt. Hight summit I passed the SOBO couple again, who were taking a break along the trail.
The path then rejoined the Carter Dome trail and continued on a short, easy walk to the Carter Dome summit. It had the remains (footings) of a fire tower, with a USGS elevation medallion embedded in a block of concrete. I chatted with a father & son there who were out on a three day hike (Imp Shelter the previous night, heading to the Carter Notch AMC hut). The SOBO couple arrived as I was leaving. I wished them well on the rest of their journey before pointing my feet back down the trail. It would be all downhill (literally!) from here.
I was back at Zeta Pass pretty quickly, rejoining Steve about 90 minutes after I'd left, and we began our walk back to the car. The first leg followed the Carter Dome Trail down into the valley, where it ended at the 19 Mile Brook Trail. The Appalachian Trail has been temporarily rerouted onto that trail after the closure of a river bridge on the other side of Pinkham Notch, but we didn't encounter any thru-hikers on it. It was getting late in the day and they were settling in to their spots for the night.
At a stream crossing along the way, I called a halt and took the opportunity to wash my face and neck with the cool mountain water. The temperatures had been pretty pleasant all day - not too hot, not too cool, with a slight breeze from time to time. Now down off the ridges however, it was getting warm, and the humidity was creeping up. Steve later regretted not dunking his head as well.
The rest of the walk out was just steady plodding along a trail that grew increasingly softer and smoother. Because of the relocation, there were temporary white AT trail markers covering the previous blue paint blazes. 19 Mile Brook was always nearby - mostly right next to the trail, sometimes a short distance away - and the sound of the rushing water accompanied us as we walked. When we began to hear traffic sounds as well we knew we were getting close to the end. Steve had guessed we'd be done at 5PM, and at 4:58 we arrived back at the parking lot.
13.3 miles, 4652 feet of elevation, 7:43 moving time, 8:15 total time. Peaks number 43, 44, and 45 on my NH 48 4K list. An excellent hike.
