Having run this FKT’s trails numerous times (and “adopted” over 10 miles of them for maintenance), I submitted this route to 1) honor the namesakes of the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness Area and 2) encourage more people to check out the uncrowded beauty found on the eastern edge of the White Mountains.
Once accepted, Lisa & I were determined to get the first FKT. With the shorter September days, we started clockwise from the Miles Notch trailhead at 4:00 am under headlamps, heading up the Great Brook Trial to – hopefully - catch a Speckled Mountain sunrise while also insuring plenty of daylight if anything went awry.
Unfortunately, low clouds sabotaged the sunrise as well as Caribou’s spectacular views; a bummer for Lisa since she’d never run Caribou. In return, the clouds did keep the temperature comfortable all day (maybe a bit chilly on the top of Caribou) and - although the humidity was high- we had a smooth run, finishing mid-afternoon.
While wilderness areas present challenges (no blazes, overgrown trails, and felled trees), this route was generally easy to follow and the only section that slowed us down was the eastern half of the Haystack Notch Trail due to numerous large blowdowns.
And, except for the trails around Caribou (which had a dozen Labor Day weekend hikers), the wilderness area lived up to its reputation for quiet enjoyment as we saw just 1 other person all day - a fellow trail runner heading in the other direction on the far side of Haystack Notch.
For planning purposes: water was readily available - even after several dry weeks - on the Caribou, Haystack Notch, Miles Notch, and Great Brook trails.
With several miles of paved road, this is admittedly a mixed-terrain experience (but at least you’re running downhill on the road section if you take the clockwise route). Even with some pavement, and despite the low visibility, it was a challenging and enjoyable day that would be fantastic when cloud-free. Come out and give it a try.