Gary – Hike finished and a tad damp – For the second time, my hike of the Big Piney Trail ends with rain. But I don’t mind with two nights out on the trail, over twenty-three miles hiked, 2,116 ft of elevation under my belt, and the last of trails in the Paddy Creek Wilderness hiked, it’s been a good weekend.
Stopped for lunch
Lunch Break on the Big Piney Trail – here I am, sheltering from the rain by some small falls, while I have a cup of tea and heat up my lunch. +1
Who Lives in a house like this? The last time I came by this refuse/swill collector, I didn’t take a picture of the occupant as I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. This time around, though, I didn’t have any such concerns. +1
The light at the end of the tunnel – Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Three.
Ready to go – all packed up and ready for the five-mile hike back to the parking lot. Once again there is rain in the forecast on the final day of my hike.
Hot chocolate and enjoying the view. +1
Camped above Little Paddy Creek – Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Three. +1
Paddy Creek – Three-fifteen, and I’d only just crossed Paddy Creek. With a long way to go, I stopped just long enough to fill up with water and take a picture.
View from the Slabtown Overlook – Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Two. 6
Bones – I say it every winter. I love this time of year when the bones of the land are laid bare. Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Two. November 2020.
Frosty Morning at Paddy Creek Wilderness – Eight o’clock and the sun hasn’t reach my hammock yet. Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Two. +2
It was a tad chilly out last night – I was nice and cozy though. Too hot at one point. The night’s low was 26°F. Colder than forecast, but not unexpected.
Setting up camp at dusk – The sky is so light because the nearly full moon has already risen.
Little Paddy Creek on the short cut between the South & North Loops. Incorrect maps, and assisting some misplaced riders. 4 4
Pine trees by the Big Piney Trail – The climb up from Little Paddy Creek to the ridge is some three-hundred feet. Unlike some of the other climbs on this trail, it is a fairly gentle ascent. One-minute read
Once you get to the bottom of the ridge, there are two creek crossings before the climb up the other side of the hollow begins. +1
What a mouthful – I suspect the tree will win in the end. Paddy Creek Wilderness Day One. November 2020.
On the edge – Not the longest drop along the ridge, but the trees help give the picture a more vertigo-inducing look. It’s probably only 60-80 feet.
Little Paddy Creek Scenic Overlook – It took me an hour to get to the ridge that drops down to Little Paddy Creek. I was so busy trying to make up for lost time, that I didn’t realize I’d arrived at the ridge until the appearance of a fire ring prompted me to take better notice of my surroundings. 3
Getting started – It was good to be back on the trail. +1
Roby Lake parking lot – The Annual Diocesan Convention (the work project that has been keeping me busy for the past three months) and Thanksgiving are over. There’s a break in the weather, and I can spend two-and-a-half days backpacking.