Wildcats through Shelburne Moriah, 7/12/2009 - Views From The Top

LRiz · 07-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Participants: Sasquatch, FARMER, and I
Mileage: Around 23
Vertical: No idea, as I’ve misplaced my WMG…

The Cats/Carters/Moriah traverse – my white whale of hikes. I had hoped to attempt the hike on no less than three occasions this year, but unfortunately never got around to it due to tough trail conditions, poor weather, and lack of self-discipline on my part (as I have a terrible tendency to oversleep

). As you can imagine, I was pretty psyched when FARMER and Sasquatch expressed interest in joining me on the traverse this past Sunday. To make things a bit more exciting, we decided to throw Shelburne Moriah into the mix as well.

We set off from PNVC around 9:15am, Sasquatch leading the way at a blazing pace. I must admit I was a little nervous to be hiking with two super strong trail runners, but the guys were great and very sympathetic to my less-than-adequate trail running abilities. Nevertheless, the climb up was pretty fast, punctuated with a few brief stops to take in the fantastic views. We also encountered a pretty odd character who referred to himself as “The Ringmaster.” He was adamant about showing us his special magic trick, done using a little ring he picked up at Tractor Supply or something like that. It was really strange.

Reaching Wildcat D, we cruised across the ridge all the way to A Peak. The views from the outlook were, once again, just fabulous, with the Carter Range loomed imposingly ahead of us:

Down to the hut we went, where we filled up on water, consumed excessive amounts of sugar, and geared up for the climb to Carter Dome. Within minutes I had a massive sugar high, which of course made that nasty climb a lot easier to bear. We took things at a steady pace, and reached the summit of Carter Dome within 45 minutes.

After a short break, we decided that some trail running was in order. Jogging at my ridiculously slow pace, we hit Mt. Height, snapped a few more pictures, and proceeded down to Zeta Pass.

Looking back on Carter Dome:

Where we’re headed:

The climb up to South Carter was definitely the toughest of the day for me. Lacking caffeine and coming down hard from my sugar rush, I totally started to bonk. Fortunately, it didn’t last long, and after downing a few Larabars and GU shots I was feeling more like my usual self. Smooth sailing from here. We passed right over Middle Carter, took a quick break on North Carter, and then prepared to tackle the steep climb down to the Stony Brook junction. It certainly was steep, and pretty wet, but nothing that we couldn’t handle.

Once the grade eased up a bit, we picked up our pace and were on the summit of Moriah in no time. The wind had picked up by this point, and sitting around made all three of us quite cold. Nevertheless, we did stay up there for a good 15 minutes or so, chilling and refueling. I think FARMER downed an entire bag of trail mix.

At last, it was time for Shelburne Moriah. I’d heard great things about the peak, and was more than a little excited to check it out. The trail out there was muddy as heck, and Sasquatch was particularly good at finding the deepest, nastiest mud pits to step in. Passing the Rattle River trail junction, we hit an awesome stretch of springy bog bridges, and then finally reached the ledges before the summit.

What a surreal stretch of trail. Ledgy, open, and just wonderful. Almost otherworldly. A perfect peak on which to end the day.

Only 5.6 to go. We bounded down the ledges, banged a right at the Rattle River trail, and cranked up our pace as the trail smoothed out. The last 2.5 miles or so were pure heaven – absolutely perfect for trail running. I sustained a rather ungraceful fall which left my knee scraped and bloody. We hit the trailhead at around 7:50pm, amped up on adrenaline and feeling fantastic after one heck of an amazing hike.

Covered in mud, blood, and sweat, I honestly couldn’t have been happier. I live for days like these.

Thank you FARMER and Sasquatch for being such incredible hiking partners.

mookie · 07-13-2009, 10:49 AM

Nice one guys and girls. and rob!
that is a cool way to bang off a few amazing peaks!
Was on Shelburne Moriah first time ever last month and was pretty impressed!

dr_wu002 · 07-13-2009, 10:56 AM

Now it's a Cats-Carter-Moriah-Shelburne Moriah traverse for now on.

Congrats on a great trip. Can't wait to do this one (in the other direction) in a few weeks.

Great pictures BTW!!

-Dr. Wu

Gillian · 07-13-2009, 11:38 AM

Great TR Larisa with cool pics! Sounds like a fun day out in the mountains - nice job guys!

Sasquatch · 07-13-2009, 12:53 PM

The ONLY way to do the traverse is to add Shelburne-Moriah,what a magnificent peak with incredible views all around.A great hike with fine company and finally some decent weather!What a treat to have the ridge almost entirely ourselves,we only encountered a small handful of hikers all day,most notably THE RINGMASTER and one barefoot fellow near Hight.I would rank this hike right up there as one of the harder ones in the Whites:tougher than a Pressie,slightly easier than a Pemi. The lower portion of the Rattle River is ideal for running and this really helped to loosen up the legs, and quite fun as well. And blood was shed, which is always enjoyable.
Thanks guys for an awesome day.As a certain Swede would say"SHAKE N BAKE!"

Gris · 07-13-2009, 01:27 PM

should do the Moriah River/Gorge > Shelburne loop some time. tis a gorgeous hike

kltilton · 07-13-2009, 02:00 PM

It was a great weekend for trail running in the Carters. I went up over Imp Face, over Middle Carter, South Carter, Hight, and Carter Dome, then went down Carter Dome and 19 Mile Brook Trails, then Rt. 16 back to Imp trailhead on Saturday. I was amazed how dry the trails were considering the rain we've had. The Carter-Moriah Trail was great running. Looks like you all had a good time.

ferrisjrf · 07-13-2009, 02:37 PM

What's with all you people running through the woods? It's getting to be worse than all the jerks on MSRs in the winter.

If I was truly hardcore, I'd have joined y'all for this. Sounds like a helluva time.

Jason

FARMER · 07-13-2009, 02:53 PM

hey nice pictures and report. Had a great day in the hills with you two. what's next?

leaf · 07-13-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrisjrf

What's with all you people running through the woods? It's getting to be worse than all the jerks on MSRs in the winter.

If I was truly hardcore, I'd have joined y'all for this. Sounds like a helluva time.

Jason

Yeah me too. If I was able to get up from the couch Sunday morning.. woulda been sweet.

Kevin, Judy and Emma · 07-13-2009, 03:58 PM

Awesome hill! We did the loop from Wild River CG up over SM then Moriah and back by Moriah Brook Trail in May '08. Returned later that year for someone's 100 Highest finish.

We didn't have it to ourselves, though. Photographed this strange man there. I had heard of men who like to wear women's clothing, but had never met one until then.

KDT

ColdRiverRun · 07-13-2009, 05:12 PM

Hmm.., if shoes make the man.. do gaiters make the girl?

Farmer, did you do a double Pressie then do this hike the next day?

The major piece that could make these runs better is if they were in the ADK.

Just think we have The Great Range, the Loj loops, the Cold River Run, the Circle of Doom, the Dix Marathon, the ADK 2x4 (hike), the Bob Marshall... I believe something needs to be organized..

ferrisjrf · 07-13-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColdRiverRun

The major piece that could make these runs better is if they were in the ADK...I believe something needs to be organized..

If you build it...

ColdRiverRun · 07-13-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrisjrf

If you build it...

If you buy the beer...

FARMER · 07-13-2009, 06:53 PM

No, leaf misunderstood me at madison hut, i was planning a northern pressie out and back but decided on taking the crawford path after realizing i would make it to the highland center for the 1 pm shuttle. a double pressie? i'm scared

07-13-2009, 10:37 AM	#1
LRiz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Will run for beer Posts: 249	Wildcats through Shelburne Moriah, 7/12/2009 Participants: Sasquatch, FARMER, and I Mileage: Around 23 Vertical: No idea, as I’ve misplaced my WMG… The Cats/Carters/Moriah traverse – my white whale of hikes. I had hoped to attempt the hike on no less than three occasions this year, but unfortunately never got around to it due to tough trail conditions, poor weather, and lack of self-discipline on my part (as I have a terrible tendency to oversleep ). As you can imagine, I was pretty psyched when FARMER and Sasquatch expressed interest in joining me on the traverse this past Sunday. To make things a bit more exciting, we decided to throw Shelburne Moriah into the mix as well. We set off from PNVC around 9:15am, Sasquatch leading the way at a blazing pace. I must admit I was a little nervous to be hiking with two super strong trail runners, but the guys were great and very sympathetic to my less-than-adequate trail running abilities. Nevertheless, the climb up was pretty fast, punctuated with a few brief stops to take in the fantastic views. We also encountered a pretty odd character who referred to himself as “The Ringmaster.” He was adamant about showing us his special magic trick, done using a little ring he picked up at Tractor Supply or something like that. It was really strange. Reaching Wildcat D, we cruised across the ridge all the way to A Peak. The views from the outlook were, once again, just fabulous, with the Carter Range loomed imposingly ahead of us: Down to the hut we went, where we filled up on water, consumed excessive amounts of sugar, and geared up for the climb to Carter Dome. Within minutes I had a massive sugar high, which of course made that nasty climb a lot easier to bear. We took things at a steady pace, and reached the summit of Carter Dome within 45 minutes. After a short break, we decided that some trail running was in order. Jogging at my ridiculously slow pace, we hit Mt. Height, snapped a few more pictures, and proceeded down to Zeta Pass. Looking back on Carter Dome: Where we’re headed: The climb up to South Carter was definitely the toughest of the day for me. Lacking caffeine and coming down hard from my sugar rush, I totally started to bonk. Fortunately, it didn’t last long, and after downing a few Larabars and GU shots I was feeling more like my usual self. Smooth sailing from here. We passed right over Middle Carter, took a quick break on North Carter, and then prepared to tackle the steep climb down to the Stony Brook junction. It certainly was steep, and pretty wet, but nothing that we couldn’t handle. Once the grade eased up a bit, we picked up our pace and were on the summit of Moriah in no time. The wind had picked up by this point, and sitting around made all three of us quite cold. Nevertheless, we did stay up there for a good 15 minutes or so, chilling and refueling. I think FARMER downed an entire bag of trail mix. At last, it was time for Shelburne Moriah. I’d heard great things about the peak, and was more than a little excited to check it out. The trail out there was muddy as heck, and Sasquatch was particularly good at finding the deepest, nastiest mud pits to step in. Passing the Rattle River trail junction, we hit an awesome stretch of springy bog bridges, and then finally reached the ledges before the summit. What a surreal stretch of trail. Ledgy, open, and just wonderful. Almost otherworldly. A perfect peak on which to end the day. Only 5.6 to go. We bounded down the ledges, banged a right at the Rattle River trail, and cranked up our pace as the trail smoothed out. The last 2.5 miles or so were pure heaven – absolutely perfect for trail running. I sustained a rather ungraceful fall which left my knee scraped and bloody. We hit the trailhead at around 7:50pm, amped up on adrenaline and feeling fantastic after one heck of an amazing hike. Covered in mud, blood, and sweat, I honestly couldn’t have been happier. I live for days like these. Thank you FARMER and Sasquatch for being such incredible hiking partners.

07-13-2009, 10:56 AM	#3
dr_wu002 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Boontaka, MA Posts: 2,628	Now it's a Cats-Carter-Moriah-Shelburne Moriah traverse for now on. Congrats on a great trip. Can't wait to do this one (in the other direction) in a few weeks. Great pictures BTW!! -Dr. Wu __________________ To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. -Thomas Paine

07-13-2009, 11:38 AM	#4
Gillian Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Waltham, MA. Avatar: Kerry Mountain Rescue Posts: 306	Great TR Larisa with cool pics! Sounds like a fun day out in the mountains - nice job guys! __________________ "We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams." - Willy Wonka

07-13-2009, 12:53 PM	#5
Sasquatch Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Strafford,NH Posts: 267	The ONLY way to do the traverse is to add Shelburne-Moriah,what a magnificent peak with incredible views all around.A great hike with fine company and finally some decent weather!What a treat to have the ridge almost entirely ourselves,we only encountered a small handful of hikers all day,most notably THE RINGMASTER and one barefoot fellow near Hight.I would rank this hike right up there as one of the harder ones in the Whites:tougher than a Pressie,slightly easier than a Pemi. The lower portion of the Rattle River is ideal for running and this really helped to loosen up the legs, and quite fun as well. And blood was shed, which is always enjoyable. Thanks guys for an awesome day.As a certain Swede would say"SHAKE N BAKE!" __________________ "Going to the mountains is going home" Muir

07-13-2009, 01:27 PM	#6
Gris Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Flyin Thru The Night :-) Posts: 1,241	you guys should do the Moriah River/Gorge > Shelburne loop some time. tis a gorgeous hike __________________ Buy my new book 'Zen and the Art of Pessimisim,' or not. I guess it doesn't really matter if you read it.

07-13-2009, 10:49 AM	#2
mookie Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: south burlington, VT Posts: 848	Nice one guys and girls. and rob! that is a cool way to bang off a few amazing peaks! Was on Shelburne Moriah first time ever last month and was pretty impressed!

07-13-2009, 02:00 PM	#7
kltilton Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North Conway, NH Avatar: Skiing on Ethan Pond Trail Posts: 300	It was a great weekend for trail running in the Carters. I went up over Imp Face, over Middle Carter, South Carter, Hight, and Carter Dome, then went down Carter Dome and 19 Mile Brook Trails, then Rt. 16 back to Imp trailhead on Saturday. I was amazed how dry the trails were considering the rain we've had. The Carter-Moriah Trail was great running. Looks like you all had a good time. __________________ Trail Adopter: Attitash Trail (Table Mt. to Big Attitash) I bushwack for a living and hike for fun.

07-13-2009, 02:37 PM	#8
ferrisjrf Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 164	What's with all you people running through the woods? It's getting to be worse than all the jerks on MSRs in the winter. If I was truly hardcore, I'd have joined y'all for this. Sounds like a helluva time. Jason

07-13-2009, 02:53 PM	#9
FARMER Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 143	hey nice pictures and report. Had a great day in the hills with you two. what's next?

07-13-2009, 03:58 PM	#11
Kevin, Judy and Emma Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kingston, NH. Posts: 1,094	Shelburne Moriah Awesome hill! We did the loop from Wild River CG up over SM then Moriah and back by Moriah Brook Trail in May '08. Returned later that year for someone's 100 Highest finish. We didn't have it to ourselves, though. Photographed this strange man there. I had heard of men who like to wear women's clothing, but had never met one until then. KDT __________________ "Use what talents you possess- the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those who sang best." Henry Jackson Van Dyke

07-13-2009, 05:12 PM	#12
ColdRiverRun Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 669	Hmm.., if shoes make the man.. do gaiters make the girl? Farmer, did you do a double Pressie then do this hike the next day? The major piece that could make these runs better is if they were in the ADK. Just think we have The Great Range, the Loj loops, the Cold River Run, the Circle of Doom, the Dix Marathon, the ADK 2x4 (hike), the Bob Marshall... I believe something needs to be organized.. __________________ Cory D “I don’t know if momma was right or if it’s Lieutenant Dan. I don’t know if we each have a destiny… or if we're all floating around accidental like.. on a breeze. But, I think… maybe it’s both… maybe both are happening at the same time.” –Forrest Gump.

07-13-2009, 06:53 PM	#15
FARMER Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 143	No, leaf misunderstood me at madison hut, i was planning a northern pressie out and back but decided on taking the crawford path after realizing i would make it to the highland center for the 1 pm shuttle. a double pressie? i'm scared

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