• Journal: Four days hiking the Whites Creek Trail, Irish Wilderness, March 2023

    Whites Creek Trail Loop Completed. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

     I plan on spending four days hiking the 20-mile loop of the Whites Creek Trail in Irish Wilderness. I’m hoping there will be a bit of a view from the trail’s only scenic overlook. A recent storm that passed through the area may make the trail a tad tricky. We’ll see.

    For details of my trip

    Journal & Photos
    Photos

  • End of hike selfie

    End of hike selfie — Three nights, four days. Twenty-one miles and 1600 ft. Nothing too strenuous, but I’m nearer to 70 than 60, not to mention having to keep an eye on my heart (well those are the excuses I’m fielding at the moment). Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Camp 5 Pond in the winter sunshine

    Camp 5 Pond in the winter sunshine — once again our car is the only one at the trailhead. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • First Creek Crossing, reprise

    First Creek Crossing, reprise — looking at the leaves, there was no way this was knee deep at any time. Unless the guys I met on day one had really short legs (and I’m short). Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Haven’t I been here before?

    Whites Creek Trail Loop Completed. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Trees, trees, and more trees

    Trees, trees, and more trees — And hidden in this picture is an old forest road. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Lunch time snooze in the sun

    Lunch time snooze in the sun — albeit a very watery sun. Can you see my glasses? No? Neither could I. It took me a lot of searching to find them. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • The geology is a bit different on the south loop

    The geology seems a bit different on the south loop. Note the rocks in this picture. Also note the blue blaze. You are not supposed to have blazes in a wilderness, but to save money rescuing lost people, there appear to be some exceptions. But the quality and positioning of the blazes is so poor and erratic, it is just annoying. Well, it annoys me! Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Pool on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness

    Pool on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Cat briar’s revenge

    Cat briar’s revenge — I got myself into a huge patch of them on the third day, and this is the result. It is also why I am resisting being put on aggressive anticoagulants. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Unusual, but it worked

    Unusual, but it worked. I wanted a tarp configuration that would keep the wind off me, but still let me stand up. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    High winds called for an unusual tarp configuration. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • My own little spring

    My own little spring. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Whites Creek

    Whites Creek — All the leaves stuck in the brush are a good indicator of how high the creek got a couple of days ago. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Camped near Whites Creek

    Camped near Whites Creek — This is not where you are supposed to camp, it is far too close to the creek but it was getting dark when I arrived and this is an established camping spot with a fire ring (I didn’t use it). Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • All of this was flooded a couple of days ago

    All of this was flooded a couple of days ago. Whites Creek, Whites Creek Trail South Loop. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Day Four — Contemplating life and the view

    Contemplating life and the view — The view was a bit tangled as the floods had made a huge mess of everything. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Contemplating life and the mess from the flooding — yes, I know, I’m getting a bit thin on top. It’s all the hats I wear. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • On the South Loop of the Whites Creek Trail

    On the South Loop of the Whites Creek Trail — despite the whole area being flooded yesterday, the trail was not washed out (here, anyway). Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Pool on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness

    Photograph of a large pool on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness, Missouri. March 2023.
    Pool on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness — Oh the joys of the Golden Hour (and being in the right place). Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Whites Creek Cave – 2023

    Photograph of Whites Creek Cave, Irish Wilderness, Missouri. Taken from the entrance (The cave is currently closed and the entrance barred). March 2023.
    Whites Creek Cave — It’s a slightly better picture than last time. I used my headlamp to light the place up. I’ve tried to find out some more information about the cave, like how big it is and how far it goes back. Thus far I’ve drawn a blank. Let’s just say it’s big-ish. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Gratuitous Selfie

    Gratuitous Selfie — taken just because I took a picture of this sign the last time I hiked this trail. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    May 2021

    eek Float Camp – signs that there has not been a lot of maintenance for a while. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
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