Hikers take in the view from the summit of Jockey Cap. The hike is beginner-friendly to the open summit, which features sweeping views of the upper Saco River valley. Brentdoscher.com.

FRYEBURG — Upper Saco Valley Land Trust recently transferred full ownership of the 15.6-acre Jockey Cap parcel to the town of Fryeburg and completed a conservation agreement with the town.

A conservation agreement protects both the granite outcrop that is Jockey Cap, along with the surrounding forest, which includes early-succession mixed hardwood, scrub oak and six acres of rare pitch pine woodlands in Fryeburg. Submitted photo

“The Fryeburg Conservation Committee is excited that this transfer and agreement have come to fruition. The idea was first written about in the 2002 Fryeburg Open Space Plan. It took 22 years, showing that patience is sometimes required when dealing with land preservation,” said Nels Liljedahl, member of the Fryeburg Conservation Committee.

The conservation agreement protects both the granite outcrop that is Jockey Cap, along with the surrounding forest, which includes early-succession mixed hardwood, scrub oak and six acres of rare pitch pine woodlands. In the 1930s its southeast flank was home to the first rope-tow ski destination in Maine.

Jockey Cap provides a beginner-friendly hike to the open summit, which features sweeping views of the upper Saco River valley. The summit ledge hosts a granite memorial to arctic explorer Admiral Robert Peary, capped with a bronze rangefinder of his creation naming the surrounding mountains. The outcrop is also a popular destination for rock climbers, providing unique climbing routes as well as a high-quality bouldering garden near the base.

While the land may be conserved, Jockey Cap still needs support as the project enters Step 3: improving and maintaining the area for recreational use.

To learn more about this project visit usvlt.org.

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