Thursday, June 16, 2016

My 47th (Middle Carter) 4,000 footer!

This is what I call "The Northeast Group" (the Presidential Range on the left/center, and the Carter-Moriah Range on the right). Today's peak (Thursday, June 16, 2016) - Middle Carter - is in the purple circle:


I plan today's hike to start at the north trailhead for Imp Trail (along Imp Brook [3.1 miles], then up North Carter Trail [1.2 miles], then north to North Carter Mtn [0.3 miles], then south to Middle Carter Mtn [0.3 + 0.6 miles]. Then back down via the southern part of Imp Trail [0.6 + 1.2 +3.2 +0.3]:

Although the Mountains are in woods, there are viewpoints along the ridge, and at Imp Face. Estimated 10.8 miles altogether - let's see how "close to reality" that is.

Wow - Motorcycles Are EVERYWHERE:

they are all well behaved, but they are a little loud.

Imp Trail is a nice walk in the woods:

Going up along Imp Brook



Breaking out of the forest onto Imp Face, the view down Pinkham Notch is wonderful!!:


I hit the trail along the ridge (Carter-Moriah Trail, a section of the Appalachian Trail) at 3, and reached North Carter Mtn about 10 minutes later:

Although there is not enough up-and-down between it (4530 feet) and Middle Carter (4610 feet) to make it an "official" 4000 footer, it is still a nice peak to bag.

On the ridge from North Carter down to Middle Carter there are some GREAT VIEWS of the Wild River Wilderness (that is SUCH A COOL NAME!):




A "col" is a low point between two peaks. In today's case, it is a wet, boggy area at an elevation over 4000 feet! both in the woods

and in the open:



selfie on Middle Carter:

I don't know if anyone is counting, but only ONE 4000 footer left!!

Heading back down, there is a section on the southern part of Imp Trail that is REALLY WET:

yes, that is the "trail", just babbling away, and glistening in the sunshine.

All along the Imp Trail are these large pieces of beautiful birch bark


Back down on Route 16, I had a short 0.3 mile hike back to the car. The road went alongside the Peabody River (flowing north to the Androscoggin River):


Thank You God for a GREAT DAY! 11.43 miles in 5 hours 23 minutes, with an elevation gain of 3,494 feet!



I figured out how to get "Terrain View":


Thursday, June 16, 2016 (left home at 6 AM, home at 9:20 PM)
358 miles -- down into Boston, then up 95, then up 16 (12:30 at the trailhead)
11.43 miles -- hiking (5 hours 23 minutes)
3 1/2 hours to get home (including a Number 9 pocket at D'Angelo's in North Conway)

Music today was:

The Who - Live At Leeds (original album)

[loud rock music with my windows rolled down on the highway]

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Winter In America

[not-so-loud while driving in traffic on Route 1]

Lou Reed - Rock 'n' Roll Animal

[back to music on the open road!]

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night

[looking for Patti Smith - Horses, but this "H" album caught my fancy; and it sounded GREAT!]

The Beatles - Revolver

[listened to it 3 times through - good music I want to keep in my brain]

Bruce Springsteen - Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.

[after the hike, I wanted to hear the songs I sung to myself on the trails]

various artists - Pure Cool

16 jazz classics [not-so-loud music driving through North Conway and Conway]

misc. B-sides from Bruce's singles, collected on Tracks


last 5 songs on Born To Run

Backstreets, Born To Run, She's The One, Meeting Across The River, Jungleland
[EXCELLENT!! Brings back the transcendent moment of Clarence blowing his sax on the Jungleland solo at Giants Stadium - Caroline had gotten us 3 tickets for July 27, 2008]

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Art Museums and National Parks (on May 2, 2016 I finished a 4-day trip to NJ-PA-VA-DC)
hyperlink: dixonheadingwest
http://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/

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