South & Middle Carter - 02/17/2008

[Mike P.]

Date Hiked: Sunday, 02/17/2008

Trails(s) Hiked: 19 Mile, Carter Dome, Carter-Moriah, North Carter, Imp, Tote Road to Camp Dodge, short road walk on Route 16

Total Distance: Approximately 9.75 miles & 3500 feet of elevation gain

Difficulty: Very Difficult, see conditions below

Conditions: Trail Conditions: Able to bare boot it up to Zeta Pass, , from there back to Camp Dodge we were breaking trail, looked like just one set of tracks from Zeta pass all the way down Imp Trail. A few down trees as far as South Carter. after that we were in the canopy a lot, constantly ducking, crawling busting through the trees, thanks to 5 or 6 feet of snow on the Carter Moriah Trail. North Carter had a few blown downs, as did Imp, North Carter & Imp had a ice layer that almost supported our lightest hiker, Tote road into Camp Dodge easy to follow with a thicker crust & some wind packed snow in the clearing.

Special Required Equipment: Snowshoes essential, we didn't see anyone on the trail all day & the three of us did not pack the trail down enough especially with the weeks weather looking iffy Sunday Night & later in the week.


Trip Report: - If I hadn't of bushwhacked Isolation a few weeks ago, I'd have called much of the Carter Moriah Trail between the summit a bushwhack. Our strongest hiker is still recovering from a foot injury, so from just off South Carter to the end, only two of us broke trail. Weather on the Carters held off until we were done. Had a few shots of the Presidentials before they got socked in.