Sunshine at last — Drying out my gear was my excuse for not rushing to get on the trail. The frost on my tarp needed a chance to melt and dry. I lollygagged around and didn’t start packing up camp until eleven-forty. Taking it easy, I didn’t leave camp until twelve-thirty.
Camped at Fiddler Spring, Irish Wilderness. +1
Trying out a gas stove for a change — Conclusion: I prefer my Fancee Feest Cat Can stove.
Day Two, the view from my hammock — When I decided to stop at Fiddler Spring, I forgot to check its orientation to the rising sun. It was a long chilly wait until the sun climbed high enough to reach the campsite. It was also “Surprise! Suprise!” a lot colder than forecast. At seven-thirty it was twenty-four degrees. Two-minute read, +1
Irish Wilderness Day One — Camp Five Pond Trailhead to Fiddler Spring — It was a loverly warm afternoon. At two pm I had to stop and get rid of some layers, have a bite to eat, and a drink. The South Loop was easy to follow, until, that is, I dropped down to Whites Creek, where it had been washed out in several places. But that’s par for the course. Two-minute read
Evidence of Busy Beavers on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness, Missouri. They’ve been very busy, and at the moment, it looks more like wanton destruction than a lodge building exercise. Video: 34 seconds
New notice boards and a registration point at Camp Five Pond. And a warning about not taking maps or a GPS. +1
Ready to get on the trail — I’m planning on spending four days hiking the Whites Creek Trail. This time I’m starting with the South Loop (I don’t know why they call it a loop it is not. But hey!).
At the Camp Five Pond Trailhead — It’s good to be back. It might be a challenging trip, it’s very early in the season so the trail is going to be difficult to follow. I’m hiking the trail backwards — clockwise, leaving the eight-mile, possibly water-less, section for the last two days.
A break in the weather means I’m off on a four-day hike of the Whites Creek Trail, South and North Loops at Irish Wilderness. Just for a change I thought I’d take out my old 60/70-liter Deuter backpack for a trip. Then I changed my mind. 2
Journal: Three days solo backpacking in Hercules Glades Wilderness, January 2024 — I’m off out for three days, blowing away the cobwebs and walking off some holiday season excesses. Journal: 4 10
At the Pole (Pete) Hollow Trail Junction. 39°F and feeling a bit chilly with a slight head wind. Two nights, three days, and a modest 13 miles. That will do for my first run out of 2024. Time to go home and trim my beard. It has done its job! +1
Day Three. Tucked up in my hammock. Deep Hollow, January 2024.
Heating water for dinner — Using my Firebox Nano wood stove.
Hammock sunset — Camped above ‘Deep Hollow’ January 2024.
Just to prove that I was there.
View to the south from the slopes of Lower Pilot Knob – Hercules Glades Wilderness.
Camped on the side of ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ The start of Day Two of my trip.
Day One. Another year, same trail cairn — I’m off out for three days, blowing away the cobwebs and walking off some holiday season excesses.
Our grandcat is visiting — Dick is staying with us for a couple of months while his mother is off traveling.
Journal: Four days hiking the Big Piney Trail, Paddy Creek Wilderness, December 2023. I spent four days on a hike of the 16-mile loop of the Big Piney Trail in Paddy Creek Wilderness. This is a follow-up to my trip back in May. Journal: 10 38
Paddy Creek — Day Four.
What? No end of hike selfie? Nope. So, this will have to do. It’s a scenic overlook on Little Paddy Creek, taken on my hike out.
Snake on the Trail — I was not expecting to find snakes out in December, so I’m glad I spotted this one. We’ve not positively ID’d it yet. It doesn’t look dangerous, but when it got fed up with me watching it, it coiled ready to strike and it had a diamond shaped head. But it didn’t have viperous eyes. +1