Elevation: 4,422 feet (1,348 meters) Prominence: 1,034 feet (315 meters) Location: Gorham, NH (Coös County, New Hampshire, USA) Range: Carter-Moriah Range Coordinates: 44°15'32" North     71°12'05" West Rating: Moderate/Difficult Features: Peak Bagging , Gondola, Glen Ellis Falls Distance of highlighted hike below: 8.4 miles with Wildcat D

Wildcat A Mountain, or just known as Wildcat Mountain is 4,422 feet tall with a prominence of 1,034 feet located in Gorham, New Hampshire in Coös County in the White Mountains on the East side of Pinkham Notch. It is one of 6 mountains in the Carter-Moriah Range along with Wildcat D Mountain.

Wildcat has 5 summits: A, B, C, D and E. Only A and D are considered part of the 4,000 footers. Summits B, C and E lack the 200 foot minimum topographic prominence to be considered a 4,000 footer. The E peak was formally believed to be taller than the D peak, and used to be on the official 4,000 footers list, but current topographic maps prove the D peak to be the taller summit.

This hike is a great opportunity to peak bag 2 official 4,000 footer mountains in one hike: Wildcat A and Wildcat D (along with B,C and E peaks). If you follow the highlighted portion of the trail below on the map, you can achieve this by following the Wildcat Ridge Trail from Route 16. After only 0.1 miles on the trail, you will reach Glen Ellis Falls. Between Peaks D and E, you will see the Wildcat Mountain Ski Area, which also has a gondola ride going to the bottom. (most often they won't let you ride it down because you are suppose to pay at the bottom first, but sometimes you can get lucky.)

The view from Wildcat A are not 360 degrees, but rather more like a 150 degree view from a lookout point. The view includes Carter-Dome Mountain, Carter Notch Hut and the Carter Lakes.

Lists Wildcat A Mountain are on:	= A patch is available for this list
New Hampshire 4,000 footers New Hampshire 4,000 footers in Winter season New England 4,000 footers New England 4,000 footers in Winter season      New Hampshire Hundred Highest New England Hundred highest New England Hundred highest in Winter season Northeast 111 Trailwrights 72 summit club 48x12 "The Grid"

The map below shows how to get to the summit of Wildcat A Mountain as well as Wildcat B, C, D and E via an in-and-out hike on the Wildcat Ridge Trail (beginning and ending at the same parking lot). You could also get to Carter-Dome Mountain if you add an additional 2.1 miles each way.

You begin at the Glen Ellis Parking lot located in Gorham, New Hampshire on Route 16. From the parking lot you will cross under the road through the foot tunnel and cross over the Ellis River. Not even 0.1 miles into the hike you will come to a path on the right hand side leading to Glen Ellis Falls. You will want to go left and continue for 2.0 miles, where you will land in between Wildcat peaks E and D, and will get a good view of Wildcat Mountain Ski Area and the gondola ride. Continue up a rocky hill to Peak D, where there is a newly built lookout deck with a great view of Mount Washington. Continue along the Wildcat Ridge Trail for 1.2 miles where you will find yourself on the C peak. It is not marked, so you might not even realize you are there. From C peak, another 0.9 miles will bring you past B peak and onto Wildcat A peak. There is a sign for a viewing area on the right. There are great views of Carter-Dome Mountain, Carter Notch Hut and the Carter Lakes. To get back to the same parking lot, retrace your steps back 4.2 miles.

Click to download PDF Trail Map of Wildcat Mountain, A Peak

View from Wildcat Mountain. The Carter Notch Hut and Carter Lakes both visible. Taken on 8/28/10.

The parking lot for this hike is located in Gorham, New Hampshire on Route 16 in the Glen Ellis parking lot.

From the South heading North on I-93
Take exit 35 to merge onto US-3 N / Daniel Webster Highway towards Twin Mountain/Lancaster. Drive 10.3 miles and turn right on US-302 E / Dartmouth College Road. Continue for 29.1 miles and turn left at NH-16 N / Pinkham Notch Road and continue for 10.8 miles until you reach the parking lot on the right hand side of the road. There is a sign indicating Glen Ellis Falls.

From the West
Heading East on US-2, merge onto I-91 S via the ramp to the White River Junction. Take exit 19 after 2.3 miles to merge onto I-93 S towards Littleton, New Hampshire. Continue for 22.2 miles and take exit 40 for US-302/NH-10 E towards Bethlehem, Twin Mountain. Merge onto NH-10 N/NH-116 W/NH-18 S/US-302 E/Dartmouth College Road/Main Street. Continue for 40.1 miles and turn left at NH-16 N/Pinkham Notch Road. Continue 10.8 miles. The parking lot will be on the right hand side of the road. The parking lot is signed as Glen Ellis Falls.

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