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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Wildcat A ,Wildcat B, Wildcat C Wildcat D, NH
Trails
Trails: Nineteen Mile Brook, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Ski trails
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at Wildcat ski parking lot, with only one car, decided to do the 3 mile road walk to 19 mile at the start of the day rather than the end of the day. Using up the only luck we had of the day, we were picked up by the Carter Notch hut caretaker, who had finished up his day. Thanks you! 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Last water crossing snow bridged 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Nothing comes to mind 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: None 
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: Snowshoes from the start at 19 mile, bareboots had churned the new snow and two pairs of snowshoes on a traverse did little to help. Beyond the carter dome junction trail, only one pair of ski tracks(the caretaker had skied down from the hut earlier in the day). There was no indication that anyone had recently turned onto the wildcat ridge trail, and that should have been enough to call it for another day, but as luck would have it (or lack thereof) we continued, after all it's only .7 miles. We broke trail through 18 to 24" of drifted unconsolidated snow on the steep hillside. Snowshoes were useless, one step forward, 2 steps slipping back, crampons weren't much better. Try changing foot gear in 2ft of snow on a hill slide, soul sucking, doesn't do it justice. Two hours later for .7 miles, we summited Wildcat A. Snowshoes back on, the traverse hadn't seen any traffic either, there is no packed monorail, but the snow depth was more manageable at a foot. On the steep sections of the traverse, the unconsolidated snow just slid off the solid ice, along with anyone standing on it. The best part of the hike was the well groomed ski trail.
Coming weather conditions won't improve this trail! So many other to choose from!

 
Name
Name: Gridiots on Ridges, aka TicTacMan & Patches 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2026-03-26 
Link
Link: https:// 
Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

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