So, we planned an interesting route that was much longer than this one, hitting 5 peaks from Impface across the Carter-Moriah ridge and back down 19-Mile Brook trail. However, after bushwacking in our hiking boots alongside imp trail, which was covered in waterfalls of glittering ice, we ran into some seasoned hikers finishing their hike who told us they absolutely did not recommend continuing without microspikes or crampons. Two women coming down the mountain with microspikes said it was pretty treacherous in microspikes and wished she'd had crampons. So, we spent the next 2.5-3 hours bushwacking our way back down the trail until about impface, after which we no longer needed to bushwack as much. The ice seemed to start at about 3,000 feet and remained consistent until the top. So, we went back to camp and had an early dinner and bedtime.
In the morning we drove around and found microspikes in Gorham at the International Mountaineering shop. They were rentals for $15 a pair to be returned by the next day. Except for one mechanical failure which was fixed at the top of Carter Notch at the Carter Notch Hut, they were a vast improvement in speed and comfort over bushwacking. Instead of going up imptrail, we decided to start on the other side and go up Nineteen Mile Brook trail, hit Carter Dome and Mt. Height, and opt to go back down via Zeta Pass if necessary. We ended up having to take Zeta pass down instead of going across the ridge and also bagging Middle and North Carter before returning down the North Carter trail. We had started late (11:30 am) due to searching for microspikes that morning, which meant, with a 7:45 pm sunset, that we had just enough time for 2 peaks, and hiked the last mile or so in the dark with our trusty headlamps. The total distance was about 10 miles, about 60% of it ice. The only true views were at the peaks, with few breaks in the trees, but those views were phenomenal, unique, and well worth the effort. There's a view past Carter Notch Hut and before Carter Dome that looks down on Carter lakes and is truly phenomenal. It is not to be missed! That view alone makes the hike worth it. The hike from Carter Lake up to the view (there is a sign going up to the right) was intense and one of the most arduous in the Whites, a vertical staircase of granite, but as I said, truly rewarding. Tip: southfacing trails had the least snow, and this version of the hike made the most of those south facing trails. I spent the first mile or so from Zeta pass down on my bottom, sliding down, my microspikes to control speed. Winter gloves and snowpants recommended. Also sunscreen and sunglasses.
We finished the hike at 9:30 pm on Sunday, and were back to the campsite for a quick dinner at 10 pm. We did not backpack this trail, just brought out daypack. This was a good choice considering that without microspikes I fell a good 6 times on the ice. Both of us wish we had remembered out sunscreen and had planned ahead to locate the microspike rental shops. Other than that, a long weekend helped make this trip much more possible!
