Flags on the 48, on Wildcat D

September 11, 2011

    An awesome hike today with Chris and Moses the hiking dog. It’s been a while since I have done a strenuous hike or climbed a 4000 footer. My purpose in hiking today specifically was to be on a summit for Flags On the 48. Flags on the 48 is a ceremony to memorialize the victims of 9/11. An American flag is flown on each of the 48 mountains in New Hampshire that are over 4000 feet in elevation. People sign up every year for it and I have wanted to participate but the timing was never right. Today was my chance and since it is the tenth anniversary it seemed appropriate.
    I picked up Chris and Moses at 6:45 and we headed off.  On the drive down Rt. 16 we noticed a cool cloud formation over the Southern Presidential range an stopped for photos.

Wildcat D is, as you look up the ski slopes at Wildcat ski area, slightly  to the left of the top station for the gondola. We were  concerned, the trails would be washed out or have multitudes of blowdowns to deal with in the wake of Irene. Other than some evidence of minor erosion, there were no problems, at least on this trail.
    The Wildcat Ridge trial begins on route 16 at the Glen Ellis Falls Parking lot and ascends the end of the ridge to Wildcat E and then traverses across the ridge up and down through a series of saddles to D,C, B and finally Wildcat A, another 4000 footer. The trail then descends to Carter Notch to join the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail. We decided to Park at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center to avoid having to ford the Ellis River. After parking, we got our packs together and soon headed out. We crossed Route 16 to pick up the Lost Pond Trail which would take us to the Wildcat Ridge Trail.

It first crosses the Ellis River on a footbridge and then follows downstream for a half mile, passing several inviting pools that beg to be fished or waded in. The trail skirts the East shore of Lost pond.

Ledges and large boulders surround this pretty little pond. Soon we drop down to the end of the trail and turn left onto the Ridge trail and begin to climb …and climb…and climb.
    As you climb the steep trail to gain access to the ridge the rewards are quick to come.

Open ledges appear every few hundred yards with opportunities for good views and a rest. Although progress is slow, you gain elevation quickly. As we climbed, a couple of groups overtook and passed us. We were comfortable with our pace as the hike was under six miles. We only need to be on top in time for the raising of the flag which was to occur at noon.

 The day was clear and the views were getting more spectacular as we gained elevation. Glen Boulder, Slide Peak and Boote Spur were the first to show then Mounts Washington, Madison and Adams came into view.

The large glacial bowls of Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines were very impressive from our vantage point. After the last open ledges. The terrain flattened out for a bit and then started to climb again to the top of Wildcat E and then dropped into the shallow saddle between E and D. As we were going across, we began hearing an odd noise like a warning noise or alert beeper. I thought it was someone’s cell phone.

It turned out to be the Gondola which unloads within yards of the trail. I read in the trail guide that it did but wasn’t prepared for all the people and the large terminal building. We passed through quickly and began the final climb to Wildcat D. We were passed by a man who had a length of PVC pipe attached to his pack. He was the first of the group of  Boy Scouts of troop 91 from Manchester New Hampshire who were flying the flag for Flags on the Forty-Eight.
    There is a raised platform at the summit which is above the trees so there are good views from a mountain which would otherwise be viewless. We sat and ate our lunch as more of the scouts arrived and readied themselves to raise the flag. in ones and twos, the final sections of the PVC flagpole arrived on the backs of Boy Scouts. There were six four foot sections of 1 ½  inch pipe which slid into 2 inch pipe and were duct taped in place. Six guy lines were attached and tied to the railings to stabilize the pole. A pulley and lanyards secured the flag in the usual manner. The scouts and their leaders worked together to assemble everything in time to raise the flag at noon.

In due time the flag was in place and a short ceremony followed, with the Pledge of Allegiance being said and a moment of silence for the victims of 9/11. I forgot to bring binoculars on this hike but others who had them reported being able to see flags on some of the other peaks.

We hung around for a few more minutes and headed down. The hike down was, due to the steepness, nearly as hard as the climb up. Moses the hiking dog amazed me with his agility, bounding down the steep, rocky trail like a ball in a pinball machine. Head down, tail up, he seemed to be enjoying himself. The views caused us to pause at every open ledge and snap a few more photos.

We got back to Pinkham about 3:00 and headed home.  Wildcat D was my  36th 4000 footer. I have 12 left. I’m hoping to finish in the next year.