Wildcat A (4,422') Wildcat B, Wildcat C and Wildcat D (4,070')

A Monarch butterfly 

feels history’s internal pull,

triggered by a shifting light,

planted three generations ago

For a moment, time stands still—

Bursting from milkweed

and restlessness, he looks up,

out of his small life,

(one that is no longer his),

Thousands of miles will be crossed

Somehow, he will live long enough

There will be nectar, 

waystations, and others like him,

roosting for warmth and riding thermals

To where it began, again

 A view of Wildcat A from the pond near AMC's Carter Notch Hut

 AMC's Carter Notch Hut

 At Carter Notch Hut, a menu of snacks and drinks for hikers

 Near the summit of Wildcat A (sign credits: Jonah Kiok-Kirshenbaum)

 View of Mount Washington from the Wildcat Ridge Trail

 Summit of Wildcat D with Mount Washington in the background (sign credits: Rose Kiok-Kirshenbaum)

 The gondola near the summit of Wildcat D

Hike level: Moderate-Difficult

Location: Gorham, NH

Driving distance from Boston: About 3 hours

Cost: FREE to hike; for accommodation (or just a snack) you can stop at the AMC Carter Notch Hut

Description: This route was a loop (with car spotting) that included the summits of Wildcat A, Wildcat B, Wildcat C and Wildcat D (but not Wildcat E). We started at Great Glen Trails, hiking the Aqueduct Loop to where it met the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail to the AMC Carter Notch Hut (about 4 miles). Then we doubled back to the Wildcat Ridge Trail and up to the summits of Wildcat A, B, C, and D (about 3 miles). From here, we hiked down the Polecat Ski Trail to Wildcat Ski Lodge (2.7 miles). The total mileage for the trip was about 9.7.