Adventure on Elk Mountain

There's two kick-butt hiking trails in the Oregon Coast range - Kings Mountain and Elk Mountain.  Both have the reputation for steep climbs, so much so that the Portland Mazamas mountain climbing club regularly uses them as conditioning hikes.

It's nearly 3.5 miles to the Elk Mtn trail

I'd hiked Kings Mountain a couple of times (posts here and also here) and survived the grueling ascent.  Hearing that Elk Mountain was much more difficult than Kings I'd shied away from visiting it's steeper cousin.  However this past spring, with my goal of trying new hikes, curiosity got the best of me.  It was time to find out just how bad this trail really was.

Ferns lined the trail

I picked a Sunday in early June for my Elk Mountain conquest.  There are many ways to access this trail, the easiest being to park at the nearby Elk Creek Campground, where according to my hiking book, it's a mere 4.2 mile round-trip up and down.  But in my mind 4.2 miles wasn't much of a hike.  To add some mileage I decided on parking at the Kings Mountain Trailhead and taking the Wilson River Trail 3 miles to access the trail's beginning.  Combined with the climb up and down this would give me a good 10-mile trek.

(Many hikers opt to do the extremely difficult Elk-King traverse, bagging both peaks and traveling nearly 13 miles and 3500 feet of elevation gain.  I wasn't yet ready for that!)

Unknown pink flower

For various reasons, I ended up getting a late start, and it was nearly noon when I arrived at the trailhead.  Thinking the flat three miles along the Wilson River would be an easy romp, I only packed one bottle of water, and minimal snacks.  The trek up Elk Mountain wasn't that far distance-wise.  How long could it take?

The coast range forests were beautiful

So off I went through the fern-filled forest lining the Wilson River.  It was a lovely jaunt, and I took my time photographing the many huge mossy trees, plentiful ferns, and colorful wildflowers.

Huge mossy tree

Since the Wilson River Trail supposedly followed the Wilson River, I'd incorrectly assumed it would be flat.  Nope!  From the beginning this path climbed steadily until near mile two where it dived downhill to cross Dog Creek.

Columbine

The view of Dog Creek from it's bridge crossing was quite lovely.  But then it was another fairly steep scramble up the opposite bank.

Crossing Dog Creek

It had taken me well over an hour of hiking with still no sign of the Elk Mountain Trail.  Just when I was beginning to doubt my directions, the path came into view.  But according to the trail sign, it was a mere 1.4 miles to the top.  I'd been expecting 2.1 miles (according to my hiking book), so this was even better!

Finally Elk Mountain trail's beginning

William L. Sullivan in his book "100 Hikes on the Oregon Coast and Coast Range" describes the Elk Mountain Trail as "scrambling up a steep, rocky crest with all the subtlety of a bobsled run."  I'd say he was spot on.  From the trail's very start it ramped uphill sharply, someplaces nearly vertical.  The path was a mess of slippery rocks and loose dirt.  As I ascended, I had to be careful not to slide backwards.  How was I ever going to get back down this?

I came upon a huge paintbrush patch

Not far up the trail I ran into a man and his very young daughter.  The man had a huge pack fully loaded and the girl was calmly eating Cheetos.  The man explained he and his daughter were training for a Mt St Helens climb (that explained the heavy load).  The girl was quick to announce that she was "six and half" years old.  I was amazed someone would take a young child on a such a steep, difficult hike.  But the little girl appeared to be having fun, and wasn't complaining in the least.  I left the duo behind as I continued my climb.

Paintbrush brightens up the cliff

One plus to all my climbing misery - orange Indian Paintbrush was blooming profusely on the trail's lower portions.  Gave me an excuse to stop and photograph (er...rest).

Lovely orange paintbrush

I hadn't climbed too far before the tops of adjacent hills began to come into view.  Although the day was overcast and threatening rain, there was still enough scenery visible to reward my hard efforts.

The highway, far far down below

I kept slowly trudging uphill.  The steepness didn't let up in the least.  In some places I literally climbed hand over hand up the rocky slopes.  Sweat poured out of my body, I gasped for air, and my legs ached.  Stupidly only carrying one bottle of water forced me to carefully ration my fluid intake.

I have to be close, right?

Although the views continued to improve, the climbing did not.  I kept picking my way slowly uphill through the slippery loose dirt and crumbling rock.  I swear it was the longest 1.4 (or 2.1) miles of my life!

I was never so happy to see this sign!

I kept hoping the summit would be just up the next rise.  But, beyond that rise the trail would continue upward.  I dipped through four different saddles, each one getting my hopes up.  Finally I wound around a small hump and there on the top I glimpsed the summit sign and register.  What a sight for sore eyes!

Plastic tube inside summit box

I'd made it!  Happily I posed for numerous summit selfies then admired the fabulous view and blooming beargrass nearby.  After that I opened the register box and took out a plastic tube housing the trail register itself.

Summit register inside tube

It was fun to read all the fellow hiker's comments.  Settling down with a snack and a few sips of my precious water, I proceeded to leave my mark in the book.  Thinking the worst was behind me, I innocently commented "A tough climb but worth it."  Little did I know the worst was yet to come......

What I said before hiking back down

For I still had to get back down that steep, rocky, slippery treacherous trail.  Beginning my descent, I got a huge wake up call not five steps from the summit.  Without warning my feet slid out from under me in the loose dirt and I landed flat on my butt.  Picking myself up and continuing downward, not a quarter mile later it happened again.  The loose rock and soil acted like ball bearings underfoot.  Surviving those two sliding falls made me slow way down, gingerly watching my footing, and anchoring each step with my trekking poles.

A few blooming beargrass puffs

Downhill progress was painfully slow.  It was actually harder than climbing, because my legs had to continually keep applying the "brakes" via my knees and quad muscles.  My legs, already spent from five miles of travel (two of them uphill) were starting to tire.  Near the bottom, I actually sat down and butt-slid some of steeper sections.  It was easier on my worn-out leg muscles and safer than descending by foot.

I was happy to find beargrass!

Normally descending a steep hill takes much less time than climbing it.  Not so with Elk Mountain!  It took me the same amount of time to get back down that sucker.  I met several other hiking parties, some still climbing, others descending (all much quicker than me - how did they do it without wiping out?)  I even met a couple of trail runners - I can't believe anyone could run that trail, especially downhill.  And while creeping downhill about a half mile from the summit, I again met the man and his daughter still ascending.  Amazingly the young lady was as cheerful she'd been earlier.

Sweeping Coast Range panorama

I can't even begin to tell you what a relief it was to finally reach the Wilson River Trail again.  But it was almost 5 pm, my legs were toast, I was nearly out of water, and I was still three miles from the car.  However, I knew the only way to get home was to keep moving, so I put my brain on autopilot and concentrated on covering those final three miles (or 3.5 if you believe the sign) as quickly as my tired body would allow.

Obligatory summit selfie

It was a death march!  Quads, feet and knees protested, my dry throat begged for water, and my empty tummy grumbled.  I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was when I finally glimpsed the parking lot through the trees.

What a tough hike!  My knees and quads hated me for two days afterwards.  In retrospect, I now know why most people will hike up Elk Mountain and down Kings.  I may climb Elk Mountain again someday (well, not anytime soon) but I will most certainly not descend that trail - I'll find another way down!

Stats:  Wilson River Trail, 3 or 3.5 miles one way - Elk Mountain Trail, 1.4 or 2.1 miles one way, (depending upon which book or trail sign you believe) for a total of either 8.8 or 11.2 miles.  Elevation gain - 2000 arse-kicking feet in 1.4 or 2.1 miles!