Carter Dome

I just did the most miserable hike to Carter Dome.  Least favorite so far, and that includes Owl's Head.  Two thumbs down. Did not like.  The sad thing is that it should have been a nice hike, but SNOW.  The first 3.6 miles were actually quite lovely, it was like the mountain was lulling me into complacency. But once I got up to the Zeta Pass, it all went downhill (not literally, of course).

I had planned this a couple months ago, making two critical mistakes.  First, I didn't realize that it was Mother's Day weekend, and I would need to get to Canton for 2:30 lunch today.  Second, I ignored trail reports online that said that the hiking was awful due to the snow melting but not being gone above 3000 feet.  I should have stayed at home on the couch, even though I payed for the hut.  I would have spent the same amount of money not being miserable.

Anyhow, the first 1.9 miles was just lovely, a gentle slope uphill.  I came to an intersection where I could go left and have the option to do South Carter as well as Carter Dome, or I could go right, and stop at the hut and leave the unnecessary things in my backpack before going to the top.  I was seduced by the lovely path, and went left, hoping to bag two peeks.  For the next 1.7 miles, I was quite happy with my choice.  Carter Dome trail has switchbacks! Something you never see in NH; usually you just hike straight up the mountain. I got to the snow line and there were these two women who tried to talk me into going down - they said they'd been hiking since 7 am that morning and were worried about making it down by dark - that the hike was awful and basically that I was going to die out there.  They were pretty persistent, but then I was like "I'm staying at the hut" and they chilled out and I kept going.

Then I got to the pass.  There were two guys there eating salami, about to head down.  They were both exhausted; they also said that the ridge line was so horrible and they had post holed up to their waists several times each.  I gave the South Carter plan and decided to head for the Dome and the Hut. Everyone was right, it was awful.  I thought about turning back and just heading down a couple times, it was so bad.  One time I post holed to my waist and almost lost my boot in the hole!  That would have been a disaster!  It was really sketchy; I was by myself, probably no one else would be coming through that day, and it wasn't that safe.  I pushed on, carefully, tapping the snow with my hiking pole before stepping, or stepping in other people's tracks.  Even then, I still post holed a lot.  It took me over an hour to go .8 mile.  At one point, I saw another hiker, and she was like "you're almost at Carter Dome!" But I wasn't.  It was another .4 mile, which took about a half hour.  By the time I got to the top, I was soo exhausted, I looked at the view for like 30 seconds - I was like "I bet there's rock under where I'm standing and if it was summer I would sit right here and eat." But, I didn't dare go off the trail to sit down because I think the snow was like 6 feet deep.  So I kept walking. When I finally saw the cairn at the top I was so happy!

Even though there was no view, I still sat and ate on the cairn.  I rested for a little bit, but then I had to get going because it was like 5:30, I had 1.2 miles to the hut, and I wanted to be there before dark.   I walked for about a half hour, when I got to a ledge and could see the hut!  I was sooo happy, but at the same time it was so far away, and so far down.  The trail after that was really downhill.  There was more snow and some places it was so steep, I butt slid down.  Then, there was dirt!  I almost wanted to be like the Pope and kiss it.  Still, it was so far down. At one point the snow came back, and I post holed and almost thought I would break my ankle.  But finally, I got down.  I was so happy to be in that hut! It was only me, the caretaker, and a couple there for the night.  I ate an entire tin of pringles, some noodle soup, and went to bed.

The next day, I got up at 6:45 am, ate breakfast, packed up, and hit the trail by 7:30 (it's all so slow in the woods).  The first mile was mud, snow, crappy hiking.  Then, suddenly it stopped and it was all lovely again!  I was so excited!  But my legs were killing me, and I had to rush down to get to my mother's.  When I saw my car, I wanted to cry a little.  I was 10 minutes late for lunch, which wasn't that bad.

PS Additional info - when I was close to the top there was a sign for the junction of Mt Hite and Carter trail and it was so covered in snow that only the actual sign showed.

Things that  I did well:
brought baggies that I was able to wear in my boots when they got wet
didn't try for the extra mountain
bought a protein bar for when I felt especially exhausted

Things that I didn't do well:
changed my plan on the trail
didn't charge the batteries in my headlamp
started too late (7 am)
didn't listed to trail reports

I think I have to get back to lifting heavy weights.  These little weights for multiple reps suck, and I don't think it's as good as doing squats.  Plus, then I will have something else to blog about.