Date: 2014-07-13
From: Carter Notch Shelter

To: IMP shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Up and out of Carter Notch about 6:30 AM. Fairly level trail between the ponds then a hard right and the about 1,500 foot rocky uphill starts. Steep and rocky. About 11 Am I ran into a couple of SOBO section hikers who asked about the trail I had done yesterday from Pinkham Notch. I said that I had rated it 10 out of 10 and at that point I rated that day (from Carter Notch) about 8 out of 10. I still had some issues at trail junctions. I am used to following white blazes and signs on occasion that actually say "Appalachian Trail" or at least mention the next shelter. Any or all of those make it easy to stay on the AT. New Hamphire seems to be different. Signage is good but white blazes are uncommon. AT signs are almost non existant and most often shelters are not mentioned on signs. New Hampshire uses local trail names on signs (mostly). I had to keep my AWOL guide handy. For example, yesterday I started on the Lost pond trail then to the Wildcat Ridge Trail to the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail to the Carter Moriah Trail. Today AWOLS guide was just confusing as to which trail(s) I should be on. As in "Carter Dome, Rainbow trail to east....Zeta Pass, two Carter Dome trailheads to west". HUH! I like it better when the guide lists "AT: Lost Pond Trail{} Wildcat Ridge Trail. My ATC map helps too. So far I have managed to stay on the AT but at times I am confused and hesitant. I actually dropped my map at one pont and had to go back about 200 feet to get it. DUH! At least I noticed before I was a mile away. Near Zeta paas I met a local hiker who was able to confirm that I was on the right trail and warned me that good water sources were few between there and IMP Campsite. He also warned me that the trail got considerable more difficult and that I would be hanging on to ledges with fingers & toes. The trail did get rougher and tougher & I was in some difficult sections. I was getting beat up using hands & knees and holding on to roots & branches & so on. Man was it hard.....Then I got to the really hard part. By my standards coming down North Carter Mountain was descending a cliff for about 400 feet. It was just a nasty descents that really pushed my physical (& mental) limits. There were numerous 10-15 foot nearly sheer near vertical descents interspersed with steep boulder descents . I was holding onto tiny ledges, roots, branches, rock knobs and feeling for toe holds. WOW! This was more like a cliff than a trail. Once I was in this area I had no choice but to finish descending. There was no way that I could have gone back up. I knew that it was supposed to rain later in the afternoon. I was really hoping that I would be down from North Carter Mountain before the rain. I could see getting stuck if things got slippery. I was visualizing getting stuck and hoping for cellphone reception for a 911 call. I am totally realizing that I have greater limitations than when I was younger. At my age an injury could easily cause permanant problems. I was really not happy with this descent. My hiking poles were useless and I tossed ten down each drop. It took me an hour to descend and My knees, feet, legs & hips hurt. There was a long boggy section later with a nice bog walk platform. After the descent I rated today as an 11 out of 10. I am so beat up. Anyhow arrived at IMP Campsite about 4PM. 9 & 1/2 hours to do 6.7 miles. I know that I am slow but this was way slower than I am used to but only the bog was "easy" hiking. There are 5 campsites at IMP but since it is suppsed to rain, I opted for the shelter. Water source is stram about 60 feet to the side of the shelter. Dinner was Libby beef packet, microwaveable Mac & cheese, vanilla Oreas, peanut M & M's. It did rain pretty good for over an hour about 6 PM. A young couple came into the shelter and had descended the "cliff" in the rain. I admire their ability. I hope to make Rattle River Shelter tomorrow & if I make it early enough I plan to go to Route 2 then to Gorham for resupply.