Kings Peak Day Hike

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I climbed Kings Peak in Sept of 2010. I showed up at the trail head the night before planning to make it a 3 day climb, but that night decide to try a day hike as that way I would have more time to do other things over the weekend.

I attempted Kings a few years before in July, but when we woke to a cold 6+ inches of snow, we climbed a while and turned back a mile away at the bottom of the last ridge.

I started at about 5 in the morning and made quick time except for the five big bull moose I found in my headlamp beam. A sidetrack off trail to avoid them did not take to long. The sun rose as I was pulling out of the trees into the basin. A quick look around helped me to decide and head for the scree gully. It was full of snow and would have been better avoided. It was very icy and without an ice axe or crampons it was not easy or very safe. Also, the sun hitting the rock above was causing several to break loose and head down the chute. once above the gully, it was quick work the top. There was still a couple feet of snow, but previous hardened tracks made the going pretty quick. Total time to the top was about 6 hours.

I decided to head back down by way or the basin. It makes for a longer trip, but I was not excited to get back into the gully. Once through gunsight pass, I made quick time and got back to my car about 5 hours later for a total time of 11 hrs. That included a lot of jogging both directions on the lower trail. I spent the rest of my time off hiking up around the Tetons. Great time on a cool peak

Jeremy