I have a love for canisters. Herbs and spices lined up neatly in matching glass bulk jars makes me very pleased; spotting a canister bolted to a spruce tree at the high point of a trailless summit? Priceless.

When I lived at the end of a dead end dirt road in Lyme I’d chase down glass Tostito’s salsa jars which were strung in trees atop minor peaks throughout Green Woodlands (Lyme/Dorchester trails); half for the joy of the unknown during a bushwhack but partially also at the satisfaction of adding my name to the register of folks who sought out and found these remote mountain top places.

*Fresh tracks along the Blueberry Mtn Trail*

When I had the opportunity to add my name to the summit canister/register atop Mount Redington (4,009’), one of the most elusive Maine 4000-footer bushwhacks, time suddenly stood still - the completion of a goal I had ruminated over for several years.

The White Mountains also contain quite a few canisters with summit registers tucked inside, the mountainous elves ensuring they mysteriously remain stocked with pencils and pads of paper all sealed neatly in waterproof Ziplock bags.

*Smarts & Cube behind Mist, Webster Slide & Wachipauka Pond*

I had wanted to explore the Jeffers area ever since a bushwhacking/trail running friend and I had meandered over to the Hogsback Ridge (2,815’) and Sugarloaf Mountain (2,608’) to catch a glorious sunrise on the Connecticut River Valley back in early autumn of 2020.

On that trek along the ridge several years ago, I clearly recall a suspicion that we had been following a path - something like an old road. First appearing (as far as I have found) on 1917 maps, a forest road ran along the Hogsback Ridge, over Blueberry Mountain (2,663’) and northerly over Hogsback Mountain, which was later renamed Jeffers Mountain in the late 1920’s and was measured to be 3,100’.

*Easy bushwhacking through coniferous forest*

As the Hogsback Ridge swung northwest, toward Sugarloaf Mountain, the old forest road (then repurposed as Jeffers Mountain Trail) descended the ridge to the north, meeting up with the old Black Mountain Trail which departed Long Pond Road (formerly North and South Road) enroute to Black Mountain (2,829’) and the old fire tower.

Armed with my own report of solid snowshoeing from yesterday, I made a repeat of my Blueberry Mountain climb; departing the Glencliff Trailhead at 7:17am and quickly snowshoeing down High Street to catch Long Pond Road which would take me back to the Blueberry East Trailhead.

Following the previous evening of strong winds and moderate snowfall, I even beat the loggers onto the gated forest road. Reaching the 1.0-mile mark I veered left, my snowshoe tracks along the Blueberry Mountain Trail had been 85% drifted over - as if no one had been there for days.

I climbed quickly with beautiful blue skies over head, stopping to see what was missed yesterday - views out to Cube & Smarts mountains, Carr and Cardigan were visible, Piermont Mountain rose proudly with its open quartzite ledge reflecting the morning sun, the ledges adorning the western slopes of Mount Mist were even visible - what a beautiful ascent.

If the reader is thinking of a first-time ascent up Blueberry Mountain - while the trail and forest is a treat to trek through, be sure to climb this little mountain on a good-weather day with plenty of clear skies - the views are breathtaking!

Reaching the summit in roughly 1-hour, I wasted no time diving right into the thick spruce and fir at a location just off the summit that I had spied on during several visits to the 2,662’ broad peak. To my surprise, the conifer grove was much more open and easy to meander through than I had expected, even affording several side trips to bright areas in hopes of unique views.

*Beautiful open hardwood while ascending Jeffers Mtn*

Stubbornly, there was one patch of blowdown that didn’t look too bad, I was met at the opposite end with three fallen evergreens with branches entangled and said “nope!”; with open woods visible just beyond, I turned back to retrace snowshoe prints and skirt around the mass of up-turned forest.

Just as I cleared the col and began angling northwesterly to follow the Hogsback Ridge toward the high point I stood stunned - two dark brown bodies moved slowly about 30’ away. Between two moose and I stood the last of the thick conifer patch. They were facing east but watching me intently, I slowly began west/northwest trying to keep an eye on them as I talked aloud to (hopefully) convince them I meant no harm and I wished them the best day.

Evidently my good intentions worked as I gave them both plenty of space and got well out ahead of them into the most beautiful open hardwood ridge. Continuing to step over their meandering tracks, I checked often to ensure they walked away from my direction of travel - I’d been followed by one moose on past bushwhacks but having two huge moose so close concerned me with them becoming protective.

Once out into the open birch meadows and hardwood groves, the land seemed to pile up, exactly what I envision when someone describes a mountain haystack. Views out to Mount Clough (3,561’) and the mighty Moosilauke (4,802’) began to show through the trees along the ridgeline.

Occasionally, there appeared to be a slightly grown in but still visible truck-wide path ascending the ridge but it became faded often so I merely continued sighting a clear patch as far and using a path of least resistance, simply snowshoe over to it, and repeat.

*Glorious mixed forest approaching Jeffers summit*

Eventually, spruce and fir became mixed into the primarily birch grove which I had been traversing through - all while remaining incredibly open and easy to navigate. Perhaps this was the reward I had longed for while waist-deep in spruce traps bushwhacking Mount Bemis several weeks prior!

While keeping a close eye on maps I was shocked to look up and spot a white canister with two bright red bands of reflective paint way off in the distance. I wasn’t even sure that Jeffers still had a canister when I began my trek through the woods - and on top of that, I assumed I had a little way left to go before needing to look for one - what another pleasant surprise!

*Descending into a forest readied for logging*

Unfortunately the cap was seized and I was not in the market to break anything just to sign in, I snapped several photos and thought about my next moves. My plans called for a possible trek out to the Hogsback ledges as well but with the excitement of the moose encounter fresh in my mind (plus another ~1-mile of bushwhacking to reach the west-facing cliffs), I decided today was a good day and began east.

Continuously through open forest, I used a technique of skating and surfing atop the 8” of loose powder which lay atop the hard crust from the freeze-thaw cycles of several weeks ago. It was smooth sailing - literally like sailing atop snowshoes and coasting down the northeastern face of Jeffers Mountain.

I aimed basically straight down the grade, knowing that I would soon intersect an old logging road (old Black Mtn Trail) that I had used to access The Hogsback and Sugarloaf years prior, eventually guiding me back to Long Pond Road and onward home.

Hitting the logging road in no time at all, it was now a simple 3-mile trail run on snowshoes back to Glencliff. An uneventful trek out if you don’t count me almost running directly into a Forest Rangers truck as I stared east to the alpine zone atop Mt Moosilauke, at least he was friendly about our encounter!

The Benton Range; Sugarloaf Mountain, Hogsback Ridge, Jeffers Mountain, Blueberry Mountain, Owls Head Cliffs - what a treat to have in ones backyard; a place to go to escape the busier peaks and trails of the White Mountain National Forest and step into some lost history.

Overall stats for the day:
8.11-miles
3hr 32 minutes
2,149’ elevation gain

Blueberry Mountain - 2,662’
Jeffers Mountain - 2,994’

Jeffers Mountain

Vose Spur to Mt Carrigain: A bushwhack

Blueberry Mountain Trail: End-To-End