King's Peak Trail

Day 2
Originally uploaded by jdgemm

Continuing the summer tradition, last year Cape Scott, this year King’s Peak Trail.

Facts: King’s Peak Trail, located on Strathcona Park, Vancouver Island.

Elevation: 6774 ft / 2065 m (8th highest on Vancouver Island).

Quick Notes
Day 1
o Drove towards Gold River
o Started on trail after 7:00 PM, objective the “Meadow”
o Humping a log to cross creek
o Learning to use ice axe (self-arrest techniques), plunge step, going up ice on the fly
o Woman heli-vacced few days before
o Taking forever to reach the “Meadow”
o “Meadow’ is completely covered with snow
o Setting up tent using headlamps
o Boots feeling good, no ‘hotspots” or rubbing = no blisters

Day 2
o Slept well, woken up by other hikers
o Breakfast= powdered milk and muslix
o Trying to choose our ascent route
o Door #1, door #2, door #3
o Hiker’s route
o Watching others make ascents
o Met people who was with woman heli-vacced
o Learned she had slipped on snow during day hike, broken elbow, plastic shoulder
o Remembered her signature in record book at summit
o Learning to “boot ski”
o Hitting my knee in a hole near a rock, so unnecessary
o Bouldering to get up
o Snow covered trail
o Jamey and his “mountain yoga”
o Constantly slipping during descent despite plunge step effort
o Unnecessarily traversing around a stream
o Mist blowing up over the ridge
o Digging holes for our feet
o Cold water over coffee grinds

Day 3
o Amazed at steepness of certain areas considering had to hike up them with full pack
o Raining wakes us up
o Rainy so limited picture taking opportunities
o Bruised buttocks from falling in snow so much