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Mt. Jefferson via Caps Ridge Trail
Route Summary This is an out-and-back hike to Mount Jefferson, a 4000-footer with 360-degree views. Caps Ridge Trail will be followed all the way. There are a few "caps" along the way which are simply rocky knobs providing viewpoints.
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Trail Guide Flashback for a moment to May 2008. I was hiking up to Carter Notch Hut with three friends. I know, I know, this trail report is titled "Jefferson." Work with me here for a minute though. I had driven up north with Cathie, my usual hiking partner. We camped the night before in Twin Mountain and met the other two at PNVC. So, there I was on Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail with three friends. We were hiking in snowy monorail conditions, with wild rainy weather. I had my new pants on and was feeling pretty spiffy. We leapfrogged with one another and were fast approaching the Carter Dome Trail junction. I was a bit ahead and stopped to wait for the rest. I wasn't really paying attention to Cathie as she approached, but she had found a key on a lanyard along the trail and was going to tie it onto a branch for the unlucky schmuck that had dropped it. Lo and behold, it was my key! Yikes! I had put it in my pocket with the lanyard hanging out and it must have worked it's way loose. Whew! Thank goodness I stopped when I did and Cathie didn't just hang it on a branch and keep on walking. Okay, flash forward to Sunday, September 6th. Cathie and I (and about a hundred others) were hiking up Caps Ridge Trail to Mount Jefferson. We approached the junction with The Link and I saw this guy (later learned his name was Andy) trying to tie a lanyard to a tree. Hee Hee, thought I. Some poor schmoe lost his keys. Been there. But wait. That is the exact same lanyard as mine! That's weird. And, hey! That is a single Toyota key… that looks just like mine! It can't be, that guy was ahead of me. Once I got over my bewilderment, the mystery was solved. It was indeed my key on my lanyard. (I was wearing the same pants, too!) Andy had been slightly ahead of us but then doubled back to check on his partner and the little guy she was hiking with. He then passed us again on the uphill. Apparently he had picked up my keys since doubling back and re-passing us and figured the owner would find them hanging in the tree. Weird, huh? I've made a vow to clip the key inside my pack and make a spare for Cathie too. So, if you're reading this Andy, Thanks again! The Jefferson hike was great. Stellar day. We got to the first outlook but there was a crowd so we kept hiking up. We came upon a group of boy scouts who let us pass them at the beginning of the first cap. It was definitely more than I thought it would be. Pictures just don't do justice to this hike. We made it up the second cap by side-lining a bit and avoiding the steepest lower section. After those two, the third and final cap was no problem. We stopped for a snack at the junction with The Cornice. I had to throw on my fleece because the winds were picking up as we got higher. After trudging along the rocks we finally made the summit. It seemed like it took a lot longer than two and half hours. After taking a few summit pics we retreated a ways down and found a nice sunny, grassy spot to hang out and eat lunch. We stayed on the summit about 45 minutes. We had an awesome view over to Mount Washington from our lunch spot. We started heading down, a little uncertain about descending the caps, but took it slow and soon we were down and onto the flatter sections. Though the hike is short, my quads were feeling the pressure of the constant braking on the rocks. All in all, we agreed it was a five-star day: we were hiking, we made it up and down in one piece, it was a gorgeous day, we'd get home in time to do stuff around the house, and the bonus is that we knocked another off the 4000-footer list (#22 for Cathie, #27 for me). |
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Driving Directions
The Caps Ridge Trailhead is located in Thompson and Meserves Purchase, New Hampshire, on Jefferson Notch Road which can be accessed indirectly from either Route 302 or Route 2.
Heading East on Route 302:
From Route 2 in Randolph:
Restricted Access: Jefferson Notch Road is open only in the summer and early fall. Other Notes WMNF Recreational Pass A parking permit is required to park at White Mountain National Forest trailheads and parking areas. You can purchase a WMNF permit from the forest service and other vendors and can also pay-by-the-day using self-service kiosks located in many parking areas. For more information on parking passes please refer to the White Mountain National Forest website. Rates:
More Mt. Jefferson Trail Reports |
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