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Vancouver Island 2005
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Our second hike in Strathcona was up Kings Peak, one of the top 10 peaks by altitude on Vancouver Island. It is a short but very steep outing, even by the easiest route, climbing almost 6000 feet in just 7km. The trail is excellently maintained in its lower third, rather brushy and hard to follow in its middle third, and beautiful, alpine and open in its upper third.
Kings Peak
A wider-angle view of Kings Peak as seen from the highway. [enlarge]
Kings Peak
An early-morning view of Kings Peak from the highway. [enlarge]
Kings Peak Trailhead
Jenn getting ready at the start of the Kings Peak Trailhead. [enlarge]
courtesy PChen
Kings Peak Trailhead
Another, closer view of the Kings Peak trailhead. You can see the path leading off to the right. [enlarge]
First views of Kings Peak
Our first glimpses of Kings Peak from along the Kings Peak Trail. [enlarge]
Power Line Cut
The Kings Peak trail leads across a Power Line cut about a kilometre or so from the trailhead. [enlarge]
Well-signed!
As the trail cuts through the power-line area, a large 'Kings Peak' sign points the correct way. [enlarge]
Final Warning
A final warning along the Kings Peak trail. [enlarge]
View to the north
A view to the north from partway up the Kings Peak Trail. [enlarge]
courtesy PChen
Lower maintained section
The initial lower part of the Kings Peak trail is well-maintained, with lots of elaborate trail construction, such as this. [enlarge]
Beautiful Cascades
This is one of the many cascades along the middle portion of the Kings Peak Trail. The middle part of the trail follows or crosses this watercourse many times. [enlarge]
Brilliant Orange Fungus
A closeup of a beautiful Orange bit of fungus growing on a fallen log. [enlarge]
Mid-route blowdown
Towards the upper part of the middle section of the Kings Peak route, one enters a small hanging valley with a large amount of blowdown. The trail does skirt the worst of it. [enlarge]
First bit of meadow
This is the first tiny bit of meadow you encounter on the Kings Peak Trail. [enlarge]
Another beautiful cascade
Another scenic waterfall encountered on the mid-section of the Kings Peak Trail. [enlarge]
Pu crossing the stream
Pu carefully crosses the watercourse on a middle section of the Kings Peak Trail. [enlarge]
Steep-sided gulley
Jenn makes her way up a section of the trail that traverses some steep earthy banks. [enlarge]
Earthy scrambling
Jenn and Pu scramble over some earthen gullies on the Kings Peak Trail. [enlarge]
Final bit of earthy gully
Jenn and Pu finish off the 'steep earthy gully' portion of the Kings Peak Trail. At this point, we are about to emerge into the first of the larger sub-alpine meadows. [enlarge]
Beautiful Sub-Alpine Meadow
This is a shot of the beautiful sub-alpine meadow on the way up Kings Peak. The terrain here is flat for a bit, with beautiful open meadow with a few pretty clumps of forest here and there. The route generally goes straight to the center of this shot, eventually climbing a gully up to the ridge you see on the skyline. [enlarge]
Annotated Ascent Gully
An annotated view of the location of the ascent gully used to gain access to the ridge, as seen from the sub-alpine meadow. [enlarge]
Upper Meadow
This is the last of the meadow areas before tackling the steep gully that leads up to the ridgeline above. In this shot, the gully leads up roughly in the center of the picture. [enlarge]
Nearing top of gully
This is a shot taken from near the top of the very steep gully that leads up to the ridgeline. Be careful about knocking rocks loose on those below you! [enlarge]
Pu exits gully
A view of Pu as he exits the steep gully and emerges onto the ridge that will take us up to the summit of Kings Peak. [enlarge]
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