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Hiking westwards along Piney Creek
Hiking westwards along Piney Creek. Much nicer than trying to cross ‘Cat Briar Meadow.’ Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Please don’t do this
Please don’t do this. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. If you can pack it in, you can pack it out.
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Packed up and ready to leave
Packed up and ready to leave. Day four and it is time to go. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. When it comes to ‘Leave no trace’ I’ve tried to keep this site the way I found it. I could have dismantled and scattered the rock table and fireplace, both of which were here when I first discovered this spot in July 2018. But I haven’t … yet. So far I’ve just ‘tidied’ the place up a little. Is that hypocritical of me? Probably.
My philosophy is to leave any fire rings I find, and use them, but not make any new ones. I figure that the presence of a good fire ring will stop someone from making another and limit damage to the surrounding wilderness. That’s the theory at least.
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Noodles for lunch
Noodles for lunch. I cooked breakfast on the wood stove. I decided to use the Fancee Feest alcohol stove to heat water for my lunch. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Clear-up after breakfast
Titanium wood stove. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I’ve used this stove a lot on this trip, and its final outing was heating water for my breakfast – biscuits and Gravy, and my morning cup of mocha.
My verdict on the titanium wood stove? It works but needs some modifications. Specifically, more air holes because in its current form It smokes far too much. It needs air holes in the sides and back to help fuel burn and I’m toying with the idea of some holes near the top to inject air and help burn the smoke. I might have to get creative with those.
It certainly doesn’t burn as well and cleanly as my Firebox Nano.
Titanium wood stove. My verdict – it needs some modifications. Specifically, more air holes. It smokes far too much. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Titanium wood stove. My verdict – it needs some modifications. Specifically, more air holes. It smokes far too much. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Day Four – Bluffs and hill by Piney Creek
Bluffs and hill by Piney Creek. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I decided to check that my guess on the depth of the creek was correct before I tried to ford it with my pack and gear. It got to my mid-thigh, a tad deeper than I had thought, but easily crossable. And while I was on the other side of the creek, I thought I might as well take a picture.
I noticed something wrong with my camera on these pictures (it’s a couple of photos stitched together), it may just have been condensation from getting cold overnight. Whatever, I’ll start with getting the sensor professionally cleaned. It took a lot of processing to get any sort of a usable picture which explains the slight blue tinge to the trees.
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Dinner, campfire, a visitor, and dreams
Campfire and dinner. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. It was only recently that I realized that I could get light over where I am working by slinging a line across to hang the light wherever I need it (yes, I’m slow). It works very well though.
Campfire
I don’t have a campfire very often nowadays. Either I’m getting lazy, or I’m more respectful of the local environment. Probably more of the former if I’m honest. But it seemed like a good way to celebrate my last evening, and what use is a fire ring if you don’t use it every now and then?
Toasting my toes. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Visitor
I was sitting in the dark watching the embers burn down when I heard something substantial (everything sounds much bigger in the dark) coming through the brush from the direction of the game trail. I decided to frighten whatever it was away before it got too close. So I quietly stood, turned to face the approaching critter, and switched my headlamp on full. That stopped the large doe that was walking toward me in its tracks. She paused, huffed, puffed, and then ran off back towards the game trail, heading east.
Dreams
There must be something about this campsite because once again I had a couple of very vivid dreams.
The first was best described as Tolkien-eske. In it, I woke up to hear someone walking along the game trail to the north of my campsite. They were happily singing. The whole atmosphere was joyful and serene. They presumably didn’t notice my camp, as they carried on along the trail without stopping. The singing and clattering of gear slowly faded into the distance.
The next dream wasn’t serene. I awoke to find my hammock on the ground and it was being used to imprison me. Some rough-looking grubby-faced young guy unzipped the bug net, and as he put his head through the netting, I grabbed my gun and pointed it straight at him. But the gun was still in its holster, and we both laughed. And that was that.
Very vivid, and the second time I’ve had vivid dreams while camped here.
It makes you wonder…
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Twilight at Piney Creek Wilderness
Twilight at PIney Creek Wilderness. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Enjoying the last of the sun
Day Three – Enjoying the last of the sun. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. With the sun already set on the other side of the lake, the foreground really pops in this picture.
I forgot to pack my tripod, so I had to find a flat rock I could perch the camera on.
Day Three – Enjoying the last of the sun. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Visitor – midland water snake
Visitor. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. 
Visitor – it spent the afternoon coiled up under the rocks to the right. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. It appeared like a periscope sticking eight inches vertically out of the water, making a point of studying me and tasting the air with its flickering tongue. I must have passed the test because it swam past where I was sitting and proceeded to hide in a hole in the nearby rocks.
By the way, it is a midland water snake — Nerodia sipedon pleuralis. And yes, I did go swimming again.
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Resting spot in the sun
Resting spot in the sun. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Day Three – Brunch by the lake
Brunch by the lake. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Mountain House Southwest Breakfast Skillet and a cup of tea (PG Tips), enjoyed against the backdrop of the lake.
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Pelicans at the end of the day
Pelicans at the end of the day. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I’ve seen huge flocks of pelicans on Truman Lake, but these are the first I’ve seen here. Just four stragglers. And that low line of bluffs catching the evening sun in the distance is where I went swimming today, and intend to spend a good part of my day tomorrow.
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A screen of trees
A screen of trees. They let me see out, and stop people from seeing my campsite. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Meanwhile back at camp
The last time I was here these trees were in the water. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Scroll down for a comparison between the lake level in July 2020 and now (September 2022).
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No one at home
It looks like the hot weather and receding lake have not been kind to the turtles. I found two empty shells on my hike.
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Looking west towards Piney Creek
Looking west towards Piney Creek. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Exploring east along the northern shore of the arm of the lake, I found that two of the ‘hunting’ camps I’d discovered here in 2018 had either been dismantled and removed or had fallen apart and been consumed by the undergrowth.
Back in July 2018…
Leave No Trace … Unless you think you can get away with it.
Leave No Trace … Unless you think you can get away with it.
Leave No Trace … Unless you think you can get away with it.Unfortunately, the plastic chairs and tarps were still there, four years on, but I have no practical way to pack this trash out.
It is very scrubby near the shore, but there are several game trails running east-west that make for easier bushwhacking to get to this point. Looking at possible camping spots and assessing the strong wind blowing onshore, I decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and time relocating.
The good news was that the lake here is deep enough for swimming, as I found out by accident.
Standing on the edge of the bluff in about two feet of water, I was just about to push myself off for a swim when I stepped off the edge and went in well over my head! Good. I was looking for deeper water to swim in, and I’d found it.
My new plan for the next day was to return with my chair and some food to enjoy the view and go swimming whenever I got too hot.
Looking northwest towards Piney Creek. The bluffs here drop down a long way. Even with the lake low I couldn’t touch the bottom. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Looking west towards Piney Creek. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness, looking east
Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness. Looking east. The lake is usually at the top of these six-seven foot bluffs. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Last year I was up to my neck in water standing on these bluffs. Now I know why there was a sudden drop-off!
The line of bluffs in the distance — well ten-minute hike from here — is the target for my exploration today. Even if there is nowhere to camp, the water should be a good deal deeper there.
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The lake was low, very low
The lake was low, very low. Looking to the southwest, with Buck Hollow opposite. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. 
The lake was low, very low. Looking to the southwest, with Buck Hollow opposite. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. At the lake’s normal level all of this area is underwater.
The morning brought good news. With last night’s rain came a westerly wind and it has blown all the scum and silt out of the creek into the lake, so I won’t have to hike back to Piney Creek ‘proper’ to get water.
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Hammock camping at Piney Creek Wilderness
Hammock camping at Piney Creek wilderness – No one has been here since my last visit, July 2021. Solo backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2022. Copyright © 2022 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
