Kiowa County High Point Trip Report

King Mtn (2,411 ft)

Date: May 27, 2001
Author: David Olson

A partial completion

Since King Mountain is in Quartz Mountain State Park we drove on OK hwy. 44A to the Nature Center and asked a ranger about access. She told us: No trail to top. No access road to the communications tower either. State Park owns front side of the mountain, back side is private - don't go there. Park by blue sign at junction of Hwy. 44 & 44A, hike to the left to get around the irrigation canal, then favor the right side (less steep) over the left side. And the mountain has lots of snakes, some as big around as your arm.

We parked at the blue sign and went around the canal. The mountain has lots of rocky buttresses and cliffs. Bob Martin wanted to go up the left side, because it was more straightforward and brush free. We didn't traverse all the way over, heading up the center. We got cliffed out, backed down a bit and went to the right and up to the top. 900 ft of gain. On top while resting/refreshing we saw a large blue and yellow lizard on the summit rocks.

We descended to the left side Bob had wanted to ascend. We didn't find Bob's "clear-shot" and came down a chute/chimney through the cliffs, then down the slopes and back along the road to our cars.