Chris went hiking May 9, 2011 6 miles 2,000 feet gained

Wilson River Trail

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This is what happens when you skim trip reports for instructions but don't read carefully because "eh, you'll just figure it out when you get there"

Originally intended to do Kings via Kings Jr. Started up the old jeep road and I guess I was on the right track but turned back too soon because things were looking untrodden so I thought I went too far. After finding several side trails that led to nowhere, I went back down to Wilson.

Then headed up Wilson, went up the ridge towards the regular kings trail a ways but decided to turn around. So then I found where I think Kings Jr used to end but that trail was also pretty dead end, so I turned around yet again.

Moral of the story: don't be dumb.

Trail Talk

Eric Peterson · May 10, 2011

Just trodded through there yesterday, going down from Kings, if you had kept following the old Jeep track it would have got you to the Kings proper trail. Did you make it to the big wash out? There is quite a bit of blow down in Old Kings Jr.. New Kings Jr starts a ways upon the Wilson River trail, about 2 miles, where there is a ridge intersection of sorts, someone pulled all my surveyors string down that I put up last year and I didn't bother re taping yesterday with flagging tape...

Chris · May 10, 2011

It's funny you say that - it was sometimes hard to tell what was tape marking the trail, what was tape marking the timber sale and those trees that seem to have won some kind of award :)

I guess I went up old kings - and your right - the blowdowns were annoying, but where I stopped (kind of at the hook on the map) the trail wear went away. Strange. Then there were other use trails which had to be human that went up the side, which I followed a ways but those too petered out after a few hundred feet. I did see where the road continued on up but didn't feel like dealing with all the blowdowns and thought, surely with all these less primitive use trails, I must be missing the actual trail.

I think I know where you mean by the ridge intersection - went down that path thinking it was Kings Jr, but ran into a washout and trail that seemed to traverse up a ridge that also didn't look maintained. I'm sure I'll be back.

Eric Peterson · May 10, 2011

Kings Jr meets Kings Proper just around the 2200' level at a Mazama or Brad French made sign that reads something to the effect of - 2200' .63 miles to go 1 country mile, look for the Kings proper trail to be blocked with branches and small logs. The Mazama's are constantly up there re blocking things, where I diverted to jet down the Old Kings Jr loop is also nicely blocked so it's kind of easy for me to find. The blocking is good, it keeps the flip floppers from getting off trail, so I understand why they have to keep things blocked... :)

Chris · May 10, 2011

I see - the sign is on the other end. I just started up from Wilson towards kings proper but canned it.

Flip floppers. Nice.

Eric Peterson · May 10, 2011

There's 2 signs that say Kings JR actually, one down towards Kings TH where the jeep track meets the Wilson River trail and the other one is up closer to Kings where I described the trail blocking at the 2200' level...

Chris · May 10, 2011

Okay thanks. I must be blind.