THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, September 30, 2010
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FRIENDS ON THE CAPS RIDGE TRAIL TO MOUNT JEFFERSON We met Sharon and
Sarah at the end of exit 34C at the top of Franco- nia Notch. They drove up from New London and we only had five miles drive to meet them at 8:30 am. We should have been em- barrassed that they were there waiting for us.
of Washington’s summit while we were driving up Base Road. This was go- ing to be a great day for the six of us to hike. Dr. Kris really talked me
into taking our friends up Jefferson via Caps Ridge Trail. The trail really is a beautiful route but it is
Leaving Mount Jefferson behind us on the Gulfside Trail nearing the intersection of the Jewell Trail. The Gulfside Trail is part of the Appalachian Trail.
We left their car at the
end of the Jewell Trail and we all traveled in my rig up the Jefferson Notch Road to the Caps Ridge Trail. The weather forecast was promising. We were hopeful that the clouds would lift since we had a short glimpse
strenuous and requires a lot of scrambling using all fours. It is also the short- est way to the summit of Jefferson and a quick way to get above treeline. Jody doesn’t like heights; I know this but Kris was confident that she was going to be okay. Sarah
Sharon, Dr. Kris, Jody, Rachel and Sarah are all smiles as we begin our hike up the Caps Ridge Trail to the summit of Mount Jefferson, elevation 5,716 feet. The trailhead is located at the height of the land on the Jefferson Notch Road--the highest public highway in New Hampshire, elevation 3,009 feet.
doesn’t enjoy heights ei- ther and I should have remembered how she felt about the summit of Car- digan! The first mile on the
trail passed quickly. We posed for photos on the outcropping of granite with the numerous pot-
See PATENAUDE on 10 1-
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