These mountains are usually accessed from RT-16 on either the
19 Mile Brook trail or the Southern Imp trail.
Most popular is the 19 Mile Brook trail which is located north of Pinkham
Notch Lodge and barely
south of the Great Gulf trail. It's on the right side of RT-16 as you travel north. The trail winds gradually for a
while , you can take a left onto the ?Carter Dome Trail which switchbacks its way to the summit (best ascent in winter.)
19 Mile continues
more steadily up and over a small ravine to a little valley called Carter Notch. As you drop down to the lake you'll see
towering Carter Dome to your left, that trail is called ?Carter-Moriah trail. Nearby is also the ?Wildcat Ridge Trail.
The ?Moriah Brook trail starts at the end of FR12 which is off RT-113 in Maine. This can be reached from RT-2 in NH. It joins at ? Carter-Moriah and Stony Brook Trail. The route can be wet at times.
The ?Black Angel Trail also starts at the end of FR12, it follows ?The Wild River Trail first then joins the Black Angel to the Carter Moriah Trail near Mt Hight
THE MOUNTAIN
Carter Dome at 4,832 feet is the highest point on Carter-Moriah Ridge. It's a high round peak with a fringe of
growing conifer trees and a decent outlook ledge. I've climbed it from the hut and from the north making a ridge traverse
twice. Nearby is Mt Hight which I missed the first time. This is one of my favorite summits even though it doesn't
"officially" count.
Next in the ridge is South Carter at 4,430 ft. It's summit is completely forested but there are nice views nearby. The ridge is really beautiful through here. Heading south the ridge trail seems to go down a long ways before you reach a col and begin climbing Mt Hight
Going north you reach Middle Carter next at 4,610 ft. Again it's summit is forested. In spring there is an area near here which holds the snow for a long time. We ran into it on Memorial weekend in 2001. The ridge is fairly rugged but a hiker in reasonable shape can make it across in a day.
North Carter doesn't OFFICIALLY count, also Mt Lethe which seemed to have better views than the other Carters. From here you can go north along Carter-Moriah ridge to Mt Moriah.
Mt Moriah is further along on the ridge at 4,049 ft and has its Own page
Here's a Carters Trip Report
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