Mount Jefferson

Trail: Caps Ridge Trail

Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable

“Beautiful day for this. I only made it as far as the area where the boulders start getting challenging for short people. Texted Prema, who was a little ahead that I was waiting, and gave her a turnaround time for the summit. I enjoyed my seat and my view, contemplated on what a difference nearly 25 years had made, because that's the last time we did this trail. I'm 2 inches shorter then when I did this last. She summitted a couple minutes after the turnaround time, I told her to enjoy it and keep in touch. And hikers coming down filled me in as well. Thanks to the father/son hikers for taking her pictures. Caps Ridge is a great trail. If scrambling slows you down, start early. Even if you only make it partway, it's worth it. Here's the rest of the story from Prema. As the caps are above treeline, there are wonderful views the whole way up to the summit. Summit was nice, a good,clear day did not go to waste. Summit was nothing but rocks. You can hear the auto road traffic. A note about blazing, there are a few very faded blazes above treeline.”

Trail: Caps Ridge Trail, Cornice, Gulfside trail, Jefferson Loop Trail, Gulfside trail, auto road, crawford path, monroe loop trail, crawford path, Eisenhower loop trail, crawford path, webster jackson trail, crawford path

Conditions: Dry Trail

“Well we wanted to get sunrise but also get back to where we left off the day before. So back up caps and the cornice where colors started around 4:15 am. Up to Jefferson we got to see sunrise around mt Adams. Thankful for the no breeze and comfortable temps. Over to washington and on the summit, barely any people as it was before the cog and the road opened. After we left… the flood of people from the huts were let out. We left our packs at the junction and went up and down Monroe quick. We hit Franklin on the way and continued to Ike and Pierce where all the people were again. Made it down and the car read 79! Lovely time!”

Trail: Cog Rail Trail, Gulfside, Jefferson Loop

Conditions: Dry Trail

“Slept poorly and woke up early enough to leave southern NH around 3am. Arrived and was moving by 0500 at cog hiker parking area. Got up to Jefferson over clay in short order though my calves and achilles began to get pretty tight. Hit some vitamin I & slowed my pace a bit. After tagging Jefferson came back over Clay & started up the cog. Ended up taking gulfside up when the train came up next to me and emitted a huge nasty black cloud which, not only do i not want to breath in, but made it more challenging to move up along the tracks. I think they should retire that method of fueling the train.... but anyway hit the summit & ate my lunch as at that point I was feeling not so much up to the task of going down to Lakes and then coming back up to get the 7K vertical gain i was seeking. Headed down to the hut and stopped just before the hut at lake of the clouds. A SAR team was passing by (without someone) and it appeared they were gathering around the hut. I wanted to keep to myself so i turned before getting to the hut & it had been a long day. When i got back to the top of washington, i decided to buy a one way cog ticket down to save my knees from the descent that is never great. All in all a great summer day.”