Having been bogged down with work and other things, we had not been hiking very much in the past few months. We really were itching for a good hike and what better loop hike than my favorite up Carter Ledge trail on Mt. Chocorua's Middle Sister Peak. My Uncle (and his dog Georgia) who also had not been on a significant hike in some time joined us!
We began 10:00 am on the Piper Trail and turned left when we got to Nickerson Ledge Trail. We then joined Carter Ledge trail which traverses over the beautiful open ledges dotted with stunted Pitch and Jack pine. We began to run into some ice halfway up the ledges which was carefully avoided. The winds were gusting at the Middle Sister summit as was (and always is) expected, but was not as cold as we've experienced on other hikes. For mid-November it was a rather pleasant day!
We hiked along Middle Sister trail to the Piper Trail junction which we made our descent on. Despite a slip and fall by all three of us on the ledge scramble down we made it back down to the parking lot at 3:30 pm. This is still and always will be my favorite loop hike. Always quite and beautiful. We make this hike at least once a year if not more.