Haven’t I been here before? Whites Creek Trail Loop Completed.
Backpacking
Everything backpacking: our gear, trip write-ups, and individual pictures.
Trees, trees, and more trees — And hidden in this picture is an old forest road.
March 6, 2023 15:43
Lunch time snooze in the sun — albeit a very watery sun. Can you see my glasses? No? Neither could I. It took me a lot of searching to find them.
March 6, 2023 15:26
The geology seems a bit different on the south loop. Note the rocks in this picture. Also note the blue blaze. You are not supposed to have blazes in a wilderness, but to save money rescuing lost people, there appear to be some exceptions. But the quality and positioning of the blazes is so poor and erratic, it is just annoying. Well, it annoys me!
March 6, 2023 13:13
Pool on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness.
March 6, 2023 12:48
Cat briar’s revenge — I got myself into a huge patch of them on the third day, and this is the result. It is also why I am resisting being put on aggressive anticoagulants.
March 6, 2023 10:57
Unusual, but it worked — I wanted a tarp configuration that would keep the wind off me, but still let me stand up. +1
March 6, 2023 10:56
My own little spring.
March 6, 2023 10:28
Camped near Whites Creek — This is not where you are supposed to camp, it is far too close to the creek but it was getting dark when I arrived and this is an established camping spot with a fire ring (I didn’t use it).
March 6, 2023 10:27
Whites Creek — All the leaves stuck in the brush are a good indicator of how high the creek got a couple of days ago.
March 6, 2023 10:27
All of this was flooded a couple of days ago. Whites Creek, Whites Creek Trail South Loop.
March 6, 2023 10:25
Day Four — Contemplating life and the view — The view was a bit tangled as the floods had made a huge mess of everything. +1
March 6, 2023 10:16
On the South Loop of the Whites Creek Trail — despite the whole area being flooded yesterday, the trail was not washed out (here, anyway).
March 5, 2023 17:16
Pool on Whites Creek, Irish Wilderness — Oh the joys of the Golden Hour (and being in the right place).
March 5, 2023 17:13
Whites Creek Cave — It’s a slightly better picture than last time. I used my headlamp to light the place up. I’ve tried to find out some more information about the cave, like how big it is and how far it goes back. Thus far I’ve drawn a blank. Let’s just say it’s big-ish.
March 5, 2023 15:38
Gratuitous Selfie — taken just because I took a picture of this sign the last time I hiked this trail. +1
March 5, 2023 15:19
Whites Creek — close to its confluence with the Eleven Point River — I stopped here to have lunch and enjoy the view.
March 5, 2023 14:00
Later today I’ll be hiking along that ridge line. It is a rubbish picture, but it does give a slight impression of what is in store. I’ve got to go all the way down and then back up again. Two-minute read
March 5, 2023 13:06
Drying out — That will teach me. I didn’t set the tarp and the dew point must have been just perfect for everything to get soaked, including my hammock and my down top and under quilts. I decided to delay the start of my day’s hike (any excuse) and get everything dry before packing it away.
March 5, 2023 10:19
Charging — Giving my InReach Mini and my GPS (phone) a boost. My power brick will keep all my electronics going for about a week. I’m impressed.
March 5, 2023 10:18
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.