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Pushing
on toward Middle Carter, the Carter-Moriah Trail dropped off gradually,
passing its junction with the North Carter Trail, a short trail that
connects the ridge to the Imp Trail.
The
trail then began to rise again, and about a mile later, I came out of the
woods on the bare alpine knob known as Mt Lethe. Technically just a
northern shoulder of Middle Carter, Mt Lethe boasts superb views in all
directions. The rugged visages of Mt Washington and the
Northern
Presidentials seemed almost touchable across Pinkham Notch.
This
was another spot where I could have lingered, but I soon pushed on,
reaching the summit of Middle Carter just a few minutes later. Middle
Carter is a tiny wooded summit with sharp dropoffs beyond the trees to the
east. A small American flag was attached to the summit sign. Since Sept 11, 2001, hikers have been putting flags on many of the White Mountain peaks.
On
the way back, I ran into the group of boys on Mt Lethe. They were
continuing on south, so I knew I wouldn't be meeting them again.
When
I returned to the Imp Campsite, I stopped to talk with Jay for a few
minutes, then took down my tent and packed up for the trip back to the
car. After hiking with a light pack on the trips to Mt Moriah and Middle
Carter, the added weight of the rest of my gear was noticeable, to say the
least.
The
rest of the hike down was uneventful. I said hi to a few hikers on their
way up. By the time I was back at the car, I was ready to sit and rest.
The trip down a mountain always seems to take longer than expected; the
trails magically gain a few extra miles. |
Mt
Washington from Mt Lethe. Mt Lethe is a small alpine knob just north
of Middle Carter. Unlike wooded Middle Carter, Mt Lethe has superb
views in all directions. |
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