Elk Mountain - Kings Mountain Loop recommendations

[fishdivasn]

Hello! I'm planning a hike this weekend to approach the Elk Mountain - Kings Mountain Loop from a back-country site off the Elk Creek Trail approach (north end), which would put me between the two summits as a starting point for the loop hike.

I'm looking for recommendations on whether to go clockwise or counter-clockwise. (Elk Mountain - Wilson Creek - Kings Mountain, or vice versa?) I was originally tempted to hit Elk Mountain first when fresh, as the trail descriptions make the Elk Mountain Trail sound more challenging than the Kings Mountain Trail. But I'm reconsidering the wisdom of doing the Kings Mountain descent along the ridge towards Elk Mountain as the last mile of a very long day.

From anyone who's done it--would you consider the descent from Elk Mountain along the ridge towards Kings to be more sketchy? Or the descent from Kings Mountain along the ridge towards Elk to be more sketchy? (Which would you least like to do with tired legs at the end of the day?)

A potential third option would be to just hike back and forth along the ridge to both summits, and say "screw you" to the loop. To my understanding, this would mean missing out on some views between Elk Mountain Summit and Elk Creek Trail head, but ... are those views worth hiking all those extra miles and ascents/descents?

[Peder]

Go counter clockwise: Up Elk and across to the saddle (where there is the Elk Creek trail as an escape route back to your car), follow the trail toward Kings Mountain (where there is a short slightly exposed section), hit the Kings Mountain summit, follow the trail down and then the Wilson River trail back to your car.

Going clockwise the "slightly exposed" section is a bit more "exposed" and the descent from Elk Mountain is kind of steep and on gravel-like stuff.

[fishdivasn]

Thanks, Peder!

[fishdivasn]

Although, actually I'll be starting at the bailout point from Elk Creek trail, going over to Kings, down to Wilson Creek, and then up Elk Mountain and back to my campsite on Elk Creek. But the idea behind going counter-clockwise to avoid exposure and that it's better to go up the gravel than down still applies, yes?

[Peder]

Although, actually I'll be starting at the bailout point from Elk Creek trail, going over to Kings, down to Wilson Creek, and then up Elk Mountain and back to my campsite on Elk Creek. But the idea behind going counter-clockwise to avoid exposure and that it's better to go up the gravel than down still applies, yes?

I would still go CCW. It is the more comfortable direction.