I took a day off on Thursday, and Garry and I had planned on a Bonds traverse to help out his younger son on his quest for the 48. But a somewhat-dismal forecast from the Mount Washington observatory had us changing plans and we ended up doing South and Middle Carter. On this day we would find that the forecast was wrong, and we could have done the Bonds - it was an absolutely gorgeous, blue-sky fall day. We still had a great time on this hike.

First we had a buffet breakfast at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. Nothing like an expensive breakfast to start the day off right ($15 for non-members and $13 for members, noisy kids were no extra charge). Then we headed up to Nineteen-Mile Brook trailhead where we decided to do the loop counter-clockwise, something I hadn't done in my two previous trips to these peaks.

We made good time up to Zeta Pass and enjoyed cool temps and clear skies. On South Carter we had very limited views, as expected. Then we continued on towards Middle Carter, where I noticed a nice big rock that we could climb on for some views from the Carter-Moriah trail.

Just fantastic conditions, I had forgotten how nice it was on this range




We got to watch a glider soaring overhead; I didn't manage to get any close-up pictures but at one point he was almost right over our heads.





As we got closer to Middle Carter we had superb views of the Presidential Range. From left to right, Washington, Clay, Jefferson, Adams and Madison.


It doesn't get much better than a day like this. This hike reminded me that even if you don't get views on the summits themselves, you can have great ones on the way.






We were reluctant to leave but even though it was a great day, it got a little cool to be standing out there for too long, so we headed down the North Carter and Imp trails, and exited via the Camp Dodge bushwhack.

All the pics: https://flic.kr/s/aHskmTVuur

The forecast for that day was definitely mixed. NOAA, MWOBS and NECN all calling for clouding up with a chance of showers. Weather Underground and Weather Channel both called for sun all day. Peter and I debated a lot of option too because of it. But both said windy however so the Bonds may not have been very enjoyable with a couple open miles of the same biting stuff we got on Webster. Nice views of Evans Notch but the Carters at best to me are a decent consolation prize, which is what you used them for so, you win! But skipping right past the best summit of the range?? I couldn't possibly walk right by Hight on blue sky day like that.

There are apparently decent views on that range that aren't from heght. When I went up middle Carter I saw the inside of a cloud. Pretty cool looking into maw of the great gulf. Looking at the pics with all the warm colors makes it seem nice and warm at least.

We thought briefly about adding Hight onto the trip but nobody wanted to do the extra mileage. To be honest, I even thought about abandoning my friends while they did the Carters (remember, this was a peakbagging trip) and hiking to Hight on my own. But I kept that thought to myself.

Always nice to help out a friend with some peakbagging (that's probably the only way I'll see a good number of the 48 again in my life) but next time give 'em a push for the extra mileage and better scenery. Tell them it's good training if they have their sights set on the Bonds. They don't hike themselves. No more Mr. Nice Bob!

Don't make the same mistake I made on the Kinsmans.