Hammock Camping in Paddy Creek Wilderness — As it is going to be a short day in terms of mileage, I don’t have to rush to get on the trail. I took the time to light up my Firebox Nano stove for my morning coffee, breakfast, and a follow-up cuppa tea.
Morning view from my hammock — Day Two, Camped in Paddy Creek Wilderness.
Ooh, it fits! Camped in Paddy Creek Wilderness, at a spot I’ve nicknamed Paddy Creek Trolltunga. Backpacking the Big Piney Trail, December 2023.
Overhang, not very spectacular, but the sides of the hollow were impressively steep. It looked a bit too low and damp to make a good camping spot for anyone with a tent.
Spring on Steam Mill Hollow – closer inspection of the map showed that I’d missed this spring when planning my trip. It wasn’t a raging torrent, but it was putting out several gallons a minute.
Lunch break by the creek in Steam Mill Hollow. Not that I knew it was the creek in Steam Mill Hollow at the time. It seems I need to learn several more lessons in checking my compass and map before I assume I know where I am. 2 2
Campfire under the overhang. 2 pictures
Long Creek – a few pictures from around where I camped Monday night. 4 pictures
Campsite Under an Overhang – This charming spot has ready access to the creek, and I could have easily hung my hammock between a couple of the trees. I was keen to see where the trail led, so I spent a few minutes scouting around and took a couple of pictures before carrying on. One-minute read, 3 pictures
Prickly Pear – I found a whole bunch of these. The new shoots almost match the color of my rain poncho! 2 pictures
View from the bluffs overlooking Beaver Creek at Hercules Glades. Video: 22 Secs. 2
Camped behind the Bluff at Hercules Glades. 5 pictures
Sunset from the bluffs overlooking Beaver Creek – massively processed to make a ‘meh’ sunset look average.
Sitting on the top of the bluff – It’s a six-and-a-half mile hike from the trailhead to the bluffs overlooking Beaver Creek on the western edge of Hercules Glades. I’ve been wanting to get a nice sunset picture from here for ages. One-minute read, 3 pictures