Blue Spring — This is popular area, I met seven people — two families — out for an afternoon walk while I was heating and eating my lunch here. I was last here with Ginger on a wedding anniversary backpacking trip, February 20, 2011.
cellphone
North Fork River from the Blue Spring Trail — 1:30 p.m., time to make lunch and replenish my water.
March 18, 2023 13:35
Blue Spring Trailhead — You have to walk through the North Fork Recreation Area Campground to get to the trail that leads to Blue Spring and on into the Devil’s Backbone Wilderness and the McGarr Ridge Trail.
March 18, 2023 13:29
The Ridge Runner Trail Trailhead needs a bit of TLC. +1
March 18, 2023 13:19
One hour later … Crossing County Road CC — Once on the trail it was straightforward to follow, and where it crosses CC is easy to spot once you know where to look! +3
March 18, 2023 13:11
Ooh look, there are newish blazes on this trail too. Note the buff to keep my ears warm.
March 18, 2023 12:14
Found it! The lost trail junction — At last, I have found the elusive point where the Ridge Runner Trail joins the North Fork Loop. And here there are very faint signs of the Ridge Runner Trail I’ve been hunting for over a year.
March 18, 2023 12:09
Blazes? I’ll take some stinking blazes! It was a Windy, cold but bright start to the day. Back on the Ridge Runner/North Fork Loop trail, and there are some new blazes. There’s a chance I may find the trail Junction I’ve been searching for.
March 18, 2023 11:26
Camped among short leaved pines for a change — I like camping among the pines, but it was windy and watching the tops of these 100 Ft. tall trees whip around, did make me wonder how much of a good idea that was. I’m still here, so it can’t have been bad choice.
March 18, 2023 9:00
Morning in the woods — The temps dropped quickly last night. It was below freezing by 9 p.m. and dropped to 28F.
March 18, 2023 8:59
Trail Not Maintained — that’s fine, the trail is in better condition than the maintained trail (I hike this trail back in December). Not far to go to my planned stopping point and it is still light.
March 17, 2023 18:09
Another evening, another trailhead — I am at County Road CC Trailhead in Ozark County to be precise. I have a couple of hours before it gets dark to get to my planned campsite and set up camp for the night. That shouldn’t be a problem as I’m only going a mile or so.
March 17, 2023 17:46
Morning messages — on my InReach Mini, All the condensation on the Sig and the holster shows just how wet everything got. I dried off the InReach Mini before I took the picture.
March 5, 2023 8:57
Time to get up — Yes, I sleep in my clothes, not all the time, but it is part of my layering plan when it gets cooler, and as I only had a 40F top quilt, this was one of those times.
March 5, 2023 8:38
It got a bit damp overnight — This is my down puffy jacket, my quilts faired slighlty better as my body heat was drying them as they got wet.
March 5, 2023 8:37
Day Three — Morning view from my hammock — look closely and you’ll see all the water drops on everything. Not setting my tarp was a big mistake. all my gear got wet.
March 5, 2023 8:36
Morning view from my hammock as the sun breaks through. Not bad last night, it dipped to just below freezing. I was nice and warm.
March 4, 2023 9:16
End of trip selfie – and a summary of the trip. Three-minute read, +4
December 4, 2022 15:31
State Highway CC Wrangler Trailhead, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri. +2
December 4, 2022 15:27
McGarr Ridge Trailhead, Devil’s Backbone Wilderness, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri – Approaching the McGarr Ridge Trailhead. Almost at the end of my hike. +2
December 4, 2022 15:17
Looking up ‘Camp Hollow,’ the hike out, and more horses – It took me an hour to get to this spot, about two-and-a-half miles from McGarr Spring. I’ve named this hollow ‘Camp Hollow’ because, surprise, surprise, I’ve camped here a couple of times.
December 4, 2022 14:40
McGarr Spring, and on my way again – I had plenty of water for my hike out, so I didn’t need to collect any. The main Spring is located up the hill a ways and it drains down into this pool which is slowly filling with debris. It was a lot more ‘pool-like’ when I first came here a couple of years ago.
December 4, 2022 13:44
While I was getting breakfast ready it started to snow. I then spent a quiet morning enjoying the solitude until I was visited by a bunch of people on horseback. Two-minute read
December 4, 2022 9:22
Morning view from my hammock.