Caps Ridge Trail – Climbing Mt Jefferson

We were lucking out. Our first day in the mountains and all was going in our favor. The road to the trail head had been opened that morning, the sun was shining for the first day in a week and we only had a 2.4 mile, 2000ft hike to the summit.

The first mile of the Caps Ridge Trail climbs straight up through dense forest then opens out just below the first Cap. From there you could see

everything. From Vermont to the west flank of the southern Presidentials, to the summits of Mt. Washington and Mr. Jefferson. We could also clearly pick up the trail, and all the Caps between us and that summit.

The trail descriptions mention the glacial bowls occurring in a the large boulders just inside the tree line, but geologically what really stands out, for me, is the massive jumble of volcanic rock that make up the summit cone. Lots of lots of sharp, bumpie igneous rocks, three conglomerates of which have been named “Caps” and then just lots, and lots, literally a boulder field of others. Jefferson’s summit being the tallest pile.

We made it there in good shape and took a scenic route down to the Gulfside trail and around through the alpine meadows. A perfect start to the week, and only 8 more 4000fters to go.