Spring — This spring pool was almost empty when I arrived, but it filled up overnight. The rain must have done some good. I’ve never taken water from this spring, for some odd reason I have never trusted it.
cellphone
Mist after rain — After yesterday’s rain last night and this morning were very misty.
December 15, 2024 8:38
Day Four — Misty, damp morning. I was planning on spending the night at Fiddler Spring, but there was a hunting camp set up there (no one was at home). I grabbed three liters of water from the much slower than usual spring and decided I’d head away from the hunters to this established primitive campsite around three quarters of a mile away.
December 15, 2024 8:37
Dry – Looking up Whites Creek. Now to get to my campsite for the night. Two-minute read, +1
December 14, 2024 15:26
Dry — Whites Creek was dry. The hike here was good, taking me and hour and fifteen minutes to get to Whites Creek. The rain had eased off, and I used a compass bearing to get me from where I’d camped overnight back to the trail. As is usual for this section of the Whites Creek Trail, I lost the trail often, +1
December 14, 2024 15:25
Dry — Whites Creek was dry. The hike here was good, taking me and hour and fifteen minutes to get to Whites Creek. The rain had eased off, and I used a compass bearing to get me from where I’d camped overnight back to the trail. As is usual for this section of the Whites Creek Trail, I lost the trail often, +1
December 14, 2024 15:24
Day Three — View from my hammock, rain and more rain.
December 14, 2024 10:07
Gary at the Eleven Point River Scenic Overlook, Irish Wilderness, December 2024.
December 13, 2024 14:40
Eleven Point River Scenic Overlook, December 2024 — I had a lot of fun getting here. The Whites Creek Trail North Loop was tough to follow, and the downed trees across the trail made for many diversions. Two-minute read
December 13, 2024 14:39
Hammock Camping in Irish Wilderness. If you don’t like this view of the trees, then Irish Wilderness is probably not for you. The view of 90% of the Whites Creek Trail looks just like this. +1
December 13, 2024 7:59
Day Two — Breakfast. As usual, I’m heating my water on my Fancee Feest alcohol stove. And I’m using my boxed Firebox Nano wood stove to keep the alcohol burner off of the ground. +1
December 13, 2024 7:58
Dawn, Day Two on the Whites Creek Trail. Tales of stupidity, critters, and angry deer in the night Two-minute read.
December 13, 2024 6:57
Dusk in Irish Wilderness. A couple of hours later and I’d left the trail in search of a spot to stop for the night. It was just about to get dark as I selected some suitable trees for my hammock. +1
December 12, 2024 16:55
Camp Five Pond, Irish Wilderness. December 2024. What a wonderful afternoon to be hiking in the woods! This is the view from the trail across the Camp Five Pond earthen dam. +1
December 12, 2024 14:36
Camp Five Pond, Irish Wilderness. December 2024. +1
December 12, 2024 14:34
Gary at the Camp Five Pond Trailhead, Irish Wilderness — It’s late in the day (14:30), and I’m carrying 4 liters of water. I want to get around four miles in and camp set up before it gets dark, in about three hours.
December 12, 2024 14:32
It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Irish Wilderness from Springfield.
December 12, 2024 12:37
Prepping for a four-day hike in Irish Wilderness — There’s a break in the weather and even some rain in the forecast. Tomorrow I’m driving the two-and-a-half hours east to Irish Wilderness, and I’m hiking the Whites Creek Trail counter-clockwise and I’m going to take a leisurely four days to do it. Two-minute read, +2
December 11, 2024 22:48
Frozen stock pond — And that’s the last picture of this trip. Plus, a trip summary. Five-minute read, +2
December 5, 2024 14:36
Keeping my feet warm at 26°F — A change of plan, I decided to hike the five or six miles back to the trailhead and go home. I ought to be able to finish the trip before it gets dark.
December 5, 2024 14:04
Frost Flower.
December 5, 2024 13:04
A bed of frost flowers.
December 5, 2024 13:03
Wrapped up warm for a cold hike — I’m going off in search of a trail that I’m sure runs from where I’m camped near Little Paddy Creek to the North Loop. Then I plan to look for a better campsite at ‘Spring Hollow’.
December 5, 2024 13:00
Imagine a hammock between those two trees. Why? Because I forgot to take a picture before I took the Tarp and hammock down. Oh well, I wasn’t going to put it up again just for a picture.