Elk/Kings/Little Kings trifecta 10-May-2011
Posted: May 10th, 2011, 5:01 pm
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).
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).
