True UT State HP: Kings Peak or South Kings?
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deepdarkseas
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True UT State HP: Kings Peak or South Kings?
Planning on bagging Kings this summer, but with the recent Crestone Peak shakeup, it had me wondering if South Kings has a chance of knocking off Kings. LoJ has them only 13' apart with LiDAR, which does seem like a high margin of confidence in favor of Kings (and obviously much larger margin than the Crestones ever had) https://listsofjohn.com/searchres?texts ... e&State=UT. But my understanding is that LiDAR can also overestimate due to people on the summit. Can anyone with expertise chime in? Just wondering if I should add South Kings to an already very long dayhike from Henrys Fork...
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bdloftin77
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Re: True UT State HP: Kings Peak or South Kings?
John analyzed both in 2024. He's very meticulous and would have made sure to not catch a single, suspicious return or couple of returns (top of a person) on either. Even if a person was caught, 13' is a pretty big difference with LiDAR on an unvegetated summit. I'd say you're good with just Kings. Though others who've been there might recommend South anyways if it's a cool peak - I haven't been up there yet.
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Bale
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Re: True UT State HP: Kings Peak or South Kings?
I’ve done Kings a bunch and have never been in the mood to go tag the South peak, but man do they look similar!
I’m sure that helps
I’m sure that helps
The earth, like the sun, like the air, belongs to everyone - and to no one. - Edward Abbey
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Scott P
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Re: True UT State HP: Kings Peak or South Kings?
Until 1966 South Kings was thought to be the highest by 2 feetdo some of us were eager waiting for LiDAR coverage.
It seems that 13 feer is beyond the margin of error for LiDAR so it's probably a safe bet that South King's is #12.
Off topic but interesting (at least to me):
Kings might have been the last state highpoint climbed. The first known ascent of South Kings Peak seems to be 1946 when that party claimed to make the first ascent of the "second highest peak in Utah". It is now known to be the highest. Prior ascents (and there weren't many) climbed South Kings since it was thought to be higher.
All sources I know of say that Granite Peak was the last state highpoint climbed in the US (1939) but it may be Kings since it wasn't identified correctly as the highpoint until 1966.
It seems that 13 feer is beyond the margin of error for LiDAR so it's probably a safe bet that South King's is #12.
Off topic but interesting (at least to me):
Kings might have been the last state highpoint climbed. The first known ascent of South Kings Peak seems to be 1946 when that party claimed to make the first ascent of the "second highest peak in Utah". It is now known to be the highest. Prior ascents (and there weren't many) climbed South Kings since it was thought to be higher.
All sources I know of say that Granite Peak was the last state highpoint climbed in the US (1939) but it may be Kings since it wasn't identified correctly as the highpoint until 1966.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.