Everything backpacking: our gear, trip write-ups, and individual pictures.
On The Devil’s Den East/Glades (Upper Pilot) Trail – The fall light is wonderful. However, I need a blaze orange cap or a blaze orange hatband, because the low angle of the light makes it impossible to see where I’m going at times. Plus, a bonus stereo image version! 2
On the Devil’s Den East (Upper Pilot) Trail. Hercules Glades Wilderness – The Devil’s Den East (Upper Pilot) Trail joins the Pilot (Tower) and Rock Spring (Long Creek) Trails. Arriving at the Rock Spring Trail at what we’ve dubbed ‘Sheep Frog Pond.’
Gary at the Devil’s Den East (Upper Pilot) cairn – I’m just about to take the Devil’s Den East (Upper Pilot) Trail over to Rock Spring Trail, and head down to Long Creek and The Falls. Plus some notes on yesterday’s hike and and encounter with some deer. Two-minute read
Gary at the Pole (Pete) Hollow cairn, Hercules Glades Wilderness.
Fall Trail – Heading west on the Pilot (Tower) Trail. Hercules Glades Wilderness.
Spring – I am always on the lookout for reliable springs we can camp near. Hopefully, this one keeps running all year round.
Camped near the Pees Hollow Trail, Hercules Glades Wilderness.
Day Two. Morning tea in bed. +1
Fire Tower at the Tower Trailhead, plus a nearby find. +1
Day One. A picture of Tower Trailhead hunting glamping, plus my plans for the next few days. One-minute read
Four days, three nights in Hercules Glades Wilderness, November 2021. Journal: 10 34
Hike over – back at the Tower Trailhead.
Two hours later – back at the Pole Hollow cairn
Lazing in my hammock – I’m having a lazy day. And why not? Until the bugs and weeds die back a bit I’m quite happy to lay here and enjoy some peace and quiet.
Back to the start – More ‘hammock porn.’ After leaving Mores Branch yesterday, I decided not to bushwhack up to the top of the hill and then find my way down to Sunday night’s campsite. Instead, I climbed up the side of the hollow until I was at around the same contour line. Then I bushwhacked around the side of the hill to my destination. One-minute read, +1
Mores Branch, looking upstream – After lunch, which I heated up on my new titanium wood stove, I lazed around enjoying the sunshine, peace, and quiet.
Deep Pool on Mores Branch – And deep it was. I had to leave my camera, clothes, and other gear behind because I was up to my waist within a couple of steps. I wanted to get to the end of the pool to see how easy the next section of the creek would be to hike. One-minute read
Mores Branch – Hercules Glades Wilderness – From the map, I could see it was under a mile of bushwhacking to get to Mores Branch. The hollow is steep but there was a point where a ravine ran into the hollow that looked like it would offer a good way down. +2
Waiting for my meeting to start – This is what happens when you decide to take (a well-earned) impromptu comp day off without thoroughly checking your calendar. 2
Camped on ‘Ant Hill’ overlooking ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ – Yup, it looks pretty much the same as everywhere else in the Ozarks. And very much like the last time I was here too. Which may have contributed to my decision not to sit in camp all day after my morning meeting.
Sundown at Hercules Glades, looking southeast – Hiking in today, I realized that I could attend my meeting the next morning if I could get a good cell signal. So off I set in search of a decent signal. Two-minute read, +2
Three days backpacking in Hercules Glades Wilderness, October 2021. Online meetings and bushwhacking in search of Mores Branch. Journal: 5 17
Gary and the Pole Hollow Cairn – Time for the obligatory selfie at the cairn. I prefer this black and white version. +1
Charging the Garmin. We all know what this means. I’m charging it up ready for another backpacking trip.