Читать книгу Afoot and Afield: Portland/Vancouver. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

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The trail starts with a moderately steep climb of 0.1 mile in mixed coniferous and deciduous forest to a junction at a saddle. The path going straight is the Wilson River Trail (ssss1). For Elk Mountain you turn right on a trail marked with a large blue dot painted on a tree. The path climbs steeply, sometimes through red-alder and Douglas-fir forests, but mostly up open, rocky areas on the spine of a narrow ridge. The views are frequent and superb, especially looking down the Wilson River Canyon and up to the ramparts of Elk Mountain. Flowers are numerous in May and June. Look for starflower, salal, paintbrush, lomatium, wild rose, thimbleberry, and a host of others.

At several points this ridgetop route loses elevation, but it is quickly regained. Steep climbs are the hike’s dominant feature. The terrain is very wild, although you never fully escape the sounds of well-traveled Highway 6, almost directly below.

View of Kings Mountain from north ridge of Elk Mountain

The route continues to resemble going the wrong way on a very steep downhill ski run, until the 2500-foot level. Here you level off a little, pass a small, waterless camp, and then traverse the west side of a rocky spine. Another series of steep uphills and open ridgetop viewpoints finally take you to a small open spot atop 2788-foot Elk Mountain. As expected, the views are terrific; look west to craggy Kings Mountain for the most photogenic. In early June wildflowers abound, including penstemon, lupine, arnica, beargrass, paintbrush, and Washington lily.