Middle Carter Trip Report

As has been noted, it was a beautiful day for us to conduct our memorial observance of 9/11. My wife dropped me off at the nineteen mile brook trail parking lot around 0730. The school group for Carter Dome was assembling at that time as well. I guess the PVC pipe strapped to my ruck indicated that I was part of the FOT48 as folks noted that I was a “Flag Man” or “Flag Pole Man”. Upon hitting the trail, I was joined by Jay, he was completing his “48 in all four seasons” with Middle Carter being his last peak for his summer list. We dsicussed his search for abandoned logging camps in the White Mountain area and time past quickly. I went up Carter Dome trail and he continued along Nineteen Mile Brook. I crossed South Carter around 1030 with no sign yet of the South Carter Team and arrived at Middle Carter around 1120. My first time to Middle Carter and you had to work for your views except to the East. I had the Flag up around 1150. I had eight visitors to Middle Carter – two section hikers from Conway doing the Carter Moriah trail, Jay who linked up with a through-hiker “Nimble Feet”, and four of the South Carter crew came over to see if they could see their flag (they could)and see what kind of set up I had. I ate lunch with Jay and Nimble Feet and the South Carter Team was very enthusiastic and scanned the ridge for other flags. I enjoyed their company. My set up was four 4 ft sections of PVC and 4X6 flag. I struck the colors at 1400 and passed over South Carter as they were taking down their Flag. On the way back to the parking lot at Nineteen Mile Brook, I encountered about 40 people. 24 were part of FOT48 and 19 of them I believe were from the Carter Dome team – that must have been a good time on Carter Dome! The folks hiking in the afternoon seemed to be very aware of the FOT48 effort and expressed appreciation and support for FOT48. Again, I heard several times, “Make way, Flag Man coming through”. It is great to part of this effort and to be associated with the all the people I encountered on the trail in support of FOT48.

My thanks to all who did the planning, coordinating and provided the encouragement for all of us to get out there and participate.

CT319

2002 – Moriah
2003 – Moosilauke
2004 – Iraq (Liberty)
2005 – Middle Carter