Trip Reports
5.0 (1 trip report)
mike
Jan 17, 2026
Hiked on August 1, 1965
Hiked it when I was 17 with friend Gibby McIlvain after taking buses up from Washington DC and spending a night at the AMC Carter Notch Hut. Remember the smell of pine trees.
4,422 ft | Carter | 0 routes
Feels like 24°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.33" (24h) · 1.71" (48h)
~4°F drop per 1,000ft
Wildcat Mountain (A Peak) is showing DIFFICULT conditions
See exactly why with full AI conditions — hazard alerts, gear recommendations, and the best hiking window.
See Full ConditionsBest Hiking Window
The best window in the next 48 hours is Saturday night into early Sunday morning, when high pressure briefly builds and skies clear. Start as early as possible Sunday morning to summit and descend before convective activity develops Sunday afternoon. Sunday afternoon and evening should be avoided entirely due to risk of thunderstorms, freezing rain, and widespread mixed precipitation.
Trail: Ski trails, Wildcat Ridge Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Wildcats are in great shape. Enjoy the amazing spring conditions.”
Trail: Wildcat Ridge Trail, Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Carter Moriah Trail, Stony Brook Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant
“It was an amazing weekend to backpack the wildcat carter moriah traverse. The only snow i encountered was between carter dome and hight. Otherwise there was wet rock slab and running water on trail. I had the imp campsite all to myself. No traction was needed.”
Trail: Imp Trail, North Carter Trail, Carter Moriah Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, bushwhack, Lost Pond Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Small Patches
“Short version: SEND IT! Night & day from my experience in this range last Friday. Some running water on trails primarily above 2800' but all 1-2" at most. Plenty of washout debris on trails from the waterfall Friday- sticks, leaf piles, logs, etc. but nothing hazardous. Snow hanging on primarily from ascent to Hight through Carter Dome. Some ice but all manageable without the need to pull out micros. Gorgeous day and was able to take my time having done Moriah already off my originally planned day route. Hight is a treat!!!”
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth, Mt. Washington Avalanche Center, USGS Stream Levels, OpenWeather Air Quality.
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
No routes available for this peak.
Highest of the Wildcat peaks with ski area on slopes. Great views of Tuckerman Ravine and Mount Washington.
Elevation
4,422 ft
Range
Carter
Rank
#20 of 48
Difficulty
Moderate
Coordinates
44.2590, -71.2015
mike
Hiked it when I was 17 with friend Gibby McIlvain after taking buses up from Washington DC and spending a night at the AMC Carter Notch Hut. Remember the smell of pine trees.