Elk/Kings/Little Kings trifecta 10-May-2011

[mayhem]

I think I rather do Elk to Kings loop over to DM then back up Kings to Elk creek....not sure...20+miles & 7000'

[Eric Peterson]

The West Ridge of Kings looks interesting all by itself

Yup, going to tackle this soon. I was just joking about that fancy loop trip I suggested
for you VM, mainly because it had all those killer off trail ridge hikes and you and I
seem to be the ones doing them that we know about.

@ Dennis and Mayhem, both of those loop options sound sik!

Would be a lot easier to do those than the slower off trail ridge hikes but of course
super tiring. I'm pretty spent when I just do the combo Kings/Elk traverse. Last year
my buddy and I did add Kings JR, started there and traversed to the 3 way split and
went back down Elk Creek Trail, bypassng Elk proper. That's why I dread that 3.5 miles
or so of Upper Wilson River trail, seems killer after doing the mega traverse.

[mayhem]

The West Ridge of Kings looks interesting all by itself

Yup, going to tackle this soon. I was just joking about that fancy loop trip I suggested
for you VM, mainly because it had all those killer off trail ridge hikes and you and I
seem to be the ones doing them that we know about.

@ Dennis and Mayhem, both of those loop options sound sik!

Would be a lot easier to do those than the slower off trail ridge hikes but of course
super tiring. I'm pretty spent when I just do the combo Kings/Elk traverse. Last year
my buddy and I did add Kings JR, started there and traversed to the 3 way split and
went back down Elk Creek Trail, bypassng Elk proper. That's why I dread that 3.5 miles
or so of Upper Wilson River trail, seems killer after doing the mega traverse.

? Serious a double loop plus the climb out of diamond mill is easier than a couple of bushwhacks? Invite me sometime

[Crusak]

Crusak, if you have not done Kings recently you really should do Kings a couple times or something similar to get used to what the whole loop is about...up & down:). I got your back my friend

I've done Kings once, back about 5 years ago? It was November, pouring rain, and the trail up was a huge muddy mess all the way up. It was so wet and cold! I remember coming back down It was very slippery. At times we found ourselves walking backwards down the slope to avoid slipping and rolling, it seemed so steep. So my memories of Kings are cold and dark.

Yeah I should give that one an up-and-down go, great suggestion! And I won't let the mazama crowds see me suffer.

And I have yet to check out Little Kings also. Very exciting to have untapped trails in the Coast Range still waiting for my feet to tread!

(sorry to temporarily hijack your thread, Vanmarmot)

[Roy]

This was my third try at this loop this year. Did Little Kings and Kings on April 3 but was turned back by rain squalls. Then on April 9, I did Elk but was unable to make Kings because of way too much snow on the steep traverse below Kings. Today, finally, everything came together and I was able to do a grand loop of Elk, Kings, and Little Kings, plus a nice section of the Wilson River Trail. It was still cloudy when I left the TH but by the time I reached Elk, the clouds had started to lift – although Kings was still hiding.



The trail down from Elk was snow-free until it became the old road on the NE side of the ridge. But the snow was pretty consolidated and easy to walk on – only about 12” deep, no need for snowshoes.



The snow got a bit deeper further west along the ridge/road but remained easy to walk on. Shortly before the junction with the Elk Creek Trail, the clouds lifted completely and Kings came into full view.



Still a fair amount of snow in sight and I was getting anxious about the traverse. There’s still snow at the junction with the Elk Creek Road but it's going fast.



When I finally got to the traverse, I found that most of the trail was either snow-free or could easily be seen through what snow remained.



However, the last section of trail, where it switchbacks steeply up to Kings, still had a lot of snow on it. I’d been following an old, but fairly consistent set of tracks, but at this point tracks started going in all directions. I traversed across at the arrow.



The last section was mostly all snow and, as soon as I saw daylight on the crest of the ridge, I just headed straight up. Snow in this area was firm and allowed for kicking good steps so I didn’t need the microspikes I’d brought along.



Descending this section, as if you were trying to go from Kings to Elk, would be a lot more confusing than ascending it because the trail is almost completely snow covered and there are few clues as to when to start traversing. But short sections of the trail are starting to show and it should be pretty clear in 1-2 weeks (that is if it doesn’t start snowing again!). After the traverse, it was a short stroll to Kings,



and then down and over the diminutive summit of Little Kings (under the arrow).



I suppose this sign is more daunting if you haven’t already climbed over Elk and Kings to see it.



“Bucolic” best describes my walk back to the TH via the Wilson River trail – sunlight, warm breezes, birds singing, insects buzzing, etc., etc.



Great day! - triple crown loop completed, snow defeated, honest work avoided (11 mi, 4200’ total gain).

Nicely done and a excelent tr. The weather got you April 3rd? Sorry
had to chuckle when I read that one. No malice intended your weather on hikes is uncanny!

Again thanks for posting. -Roy today

[Roy]

So the snow was present, but not bad enough to need traction? No postholing? And of course, blue skies on VanMarmot Tuesday.

I've done the loop a few times before but never with snow so late in the year. No postholing unless I got too close to a snow covered tree. The traverse is too steep for snowshoes and, unless you got there real early in the morning, too soft for microspikes. Give it a couple of weeks and you can probably give it a go without snow.

* collective cheers from the crowd! *
great news... and now I'll have to start seriously looking at doing the Elk Mtn-Kings Mtn loop for the first time. Probably first part of June, I'm guessing. Although I admit that I find the thought of doing that it a bit intimidating.

I think your fit enough for the loop under good conditions .My son and
I did it last year I found it to hike harder than the numbers. We had a long ealy summer day and used alot of time.

My son thinks its harder than Defience,South sister and MSH.

You and I did Dog in Jan not nearly as hard but you have pace you seem to be able to keep.

I would love to go with you we seem to have a simalar pace. I am dinged up right now kind of stuck with Hamiliton ,Eagle creek and such no complaints though.

Consider going on line there is always people out there doing that loop from what I have seen safety comes first and they seem to take thier time.

Mr Mayhem or even Van may have time to take you on the loop . That would be like the best sherpa leading you up Everest. Peder is a strong hiker If I can get my act togeather by next summer He wants to to the Whittier loop Eric and Dennis are pretty darn good in that area to.

Do not want to put anyone on the spot just ideas for you enjoy -roy today

[DennisTheMenace]

I just realized I screwed up on my fantasy misery hike. I meant
to put the east ridge but left it out for some reason. It should
have read

Start from the Elk Creek Camp and then take the Wilson headed to
Kings but instead leave the Wilson for the east ridge to Kings.
Then once you summit Kings continue on to the 3 way junction then
down the Elk Creek Trail. Then once you reach Elk Creek campground
get back on the Wilson but then immediately take the trail to Elk
Summit then continue back to the 3 way junction again and then back
to Kings summit again. Then continue down the Kings trail but then
crossover to Kings Jr. once you reach that .8x mile to Kings sign.
Then from Kings Jr head down back to the Wilson and then from Wilson
back to the elk creek campground.


Now I just want to be clear like I said. I'm personally not gunho
enough for this at least now and don't consider myself in the league
with some of the other elk/kings regulars(most notably Mayhem or even
VM or Eric although I did seem faster in my recent hikes). But as soon
as I start to make really good progress in regard to speed/distance
then I often start getting foot problems and to a lesser extent knee
problems.

That west ridge to Kings does sound interesting tough. It will be
interesting to hear your report on that Eric.

[Eric Peterson]

I meant
to put the east ridge but left it out for some reason

That east ridge of Kings was slow going for me when I did it, but it was
foggy and rainy. Probably could speed it up if it was a VM weather day.

Honestly, I can only handle 1 off trail steeper ridge hike per day even though
I think I'm in better shape at this time this year than last as I pretty much kept hiking
through this past winter as opposed to last year when I didn't own any snow shoes.

Yeah, that sounds pretty miserable too!

If I was more into back packing, something mega loopy like what you guys have
been talking about would make sense, spend the entire weekend doing a figure 8 loop
of some sort.

@ Dennis - I can't wait to do the west ridge of Kings, just need a decent weekend day
of clear weather.

[Peder]

Then from Kings Jr head down back to the Wilson and then from Wilson
back to the elk creek campground.

Dennis - I think that you should include the west ridge of Elk here on the way back from King Jr to the Elk Creek Campground. This itinerary could be a good warm-up to this site’s “3D” aspirants (three times Mt Defiance in a day). Personally I find shorter hikes far more enjoyable; I guess that I am not into suffering!

VanMarmot – sorry for the thread hijack. Many thanks for the great report, it was very enjoyable and now I know my descent route when I do the west ridge of Elk (over King and King Jr).

[mayhem]

From Eric P
I noticed on Sunday there was a lag bolt/screw missing on the Coronary Ridge sign.

From me 5/14/11
I looked all around the tree but I could not find the lag bolt

I did get an I phone pano shot though.
http://occip.it/pt4xp8tz