The forecast was for a hot but unusually, for a hot day, a clear day. Given that we opted for Mt. Jefferson the third highest peak in the Whites where even though valley temperatures may be 90 degrees it would be no more than 65 degrees with at least a mild wind. The trail head for Jefferson is the highest for any trail in the Whites also allowing you to stay cool.
We were completely in the clouds until the final twenty minutes of the ascent when just as forecasted the clouds lifted. The views from the top were terrific as was the views from the Caps Ridge going down. View wise this is an underrated hike
Q. When can a 5 mile hike with 2700 feet of climbing seem almost "harder" than our previous hike - a 20 mile traverse with 3700 feet of climbing? A. When you are climbing one of the rougher trails in the Whites – the Caps Ridge Trail. The Caps goes up over 3 Caps before climbing the summit cone. Use of your hands going up and use of your behind going down is frequent. Almost every step is jarring and in a few places the climb is just a little disconcerting.
About 30 minutes below the summit on the summit cone two hikers went by rather quickly. I know them I thought. It soon came to me that they were Bob and Geri, two of the most well known hikers in the Whites (I knew their faces from the VFTT online forum). They were hiking at the pace of Kate and Jordan who hiked and talked with them to the summit. Bob and Geri told us that Kate and Jordan compared favorably in attitude, enthusiasm and speed to the 2 reigning "kid champion" hikers who happened to be a brother and sister too. They were so impressed with Kate and Jordan that a few days after the hike they wrote them up in the same forum. From their write-up it may have seen to some that Kate and Jordan were hiking alone. I got a chuckle imagining some hikers reading the forum and thinking – "Wait a second; I have seen those kids hiking alone." Frequently Kate and Jordan get ahead of us and when they run into other hikers, the hikers are shocked to see them "alone" on these high peak trails.
We got some good news, encouraging and interesting news from Bob and Geri. The good news is that the scramble up Jefferson is more difficult than the Owl's Head slide (our last major hurdle). The encouraging news was that hiking the winter 48 is easier than we may think. We will definitely try our first winter 4000 footer; perhaps this winter. The interesting news was, confirming a report we had heard earlier this summer, they told us how the trails in the Whites were far harder than trails out West. Trails out West are not as rough, and they climb at gentler grades with more switchbacks. Peak #39
Distance 5 miles; Climb 2700 ft; Elevation 5716 ft.
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