Mt. Jefferson

Trip Details
Date: September 22^nd, 2017
Total Distance: 5.5 mi (via Garmin fenix 5X)
Total Time: 4 hours 42 minutes
Total Elevation: 2917 ft gained
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The first day of fall brought some of the best weather I have experienced on top of Mt. Jefferson. With winter quickly approaching and BishopX making his hiking return for the season we knew we needed to knock out a Terrifying 25 trail. We chose to do the up and down of Caps Ridge Trail that makes its way to the summit of Mt. Jefferson from the height-of-land in Jefferson Notch. This trail has the unique experience of starting at 3009 feet and in only two and a half miles you reach the summit.

My watch disagrees slightly...

The trail itself makes its way through the woods on some rough footing at times and then eventually pops out at pothole rock that has some great views into the notch. It also shows you what is to come with the three caps that rightfully earn the trail a spot on the Terrifying 25.

Looking up at the caps from pothole rock.

Looking out towards Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, Mt. Hale, and the Twins.

Mr. No Pants showing his patriotism.

The middle cap has the most difficult scramble as you have to scale a wall where you have to choose your hand and foot positions carefully. The first and third cap felt more like standard scrambles you would see on any of the these mountains as the trail moved around the rock formations instead of over them.

Looking up the first cap. This looks way more intense and steep than it really is.

Looking over to the castle on the Castle Trail.

Looking up the second cap. This was the crazy one that had the vertical slab you had to scale.

Pothole rock

Looking back at the first cap.

The rock formation at the top of the third cap.

The fall colors were not at peak yet. Maybe another week.

The Franconia Ridge behind the Twins.

Jay Peak in Vermont

After the third cap, you look up the trail at what you wish is the summit but it is an illusion and a false summit. The true summit is set further back that once you make it over the false summit you will see it.

The misleading false summit.

Mt. Clay and Mt. Washington

Mt. Washington

BishopX with Mt. Washington in the background.

Bokeh effect!

We spent almost an hour on the summit eating our lunch and enjoying some Tabasco Scorpion Sauce. The number one ingredient is scorpion peppers and the sauce is hot, but thankfully the burn is not so painful that it makes it inedible. Tabasco did a good job of balancing the heat and flavor.

BishopX making his way to the summit.

Looking towards Mt. Clay and Mt. Washington.

Plenty of people enjoying the nice weather...

Great Gulf

...but the Cog looks rather empty.

That pile of rocks is Mt. Adams.

Looking over at the Carters and Mt. Moriah.

The Jericho Mt. wind farm.

Mt. Blue in Maine

Tabasco Scorpion Sauce with a bokeh effect!

BishopX loading up his tuna packet with some scorpion sauce.

After lunch we made out way down and it was rather uneventful. The trail is straightforward and in great shape.

People making their way down the second cap.

Mr. No Pants on the second cap.

My lame attempt at lollygagging that did not even get a retweet from Bruce Campbell.

After the hike we discovered Upper Ammonoosuc Falls after seeing a marker on Google Maps. Water levels were high enough to support cliff jumping, temperatures were warm enough (low to mid 70s), and the water was cold (but not freezing). This was a blast and I cannot believe I have never found this before as it is literally right off the Base Station Rd and has a parking area as well as signs indicating swimming is safe, but at times dangerous (during high water).

The mileage is off by about 0.5 miles from the White Mountain Online Guide.