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.
Backpacking
Everything backpacking: our gear, trip write-ups, and individual pictures.
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.
December 5, 2024 12:38
Day Three — Slushy water bottle. It dropped to around 19°F overnight, and is currently 21°F. The forecast is for it to not go above 26°F.
December 5, 2024 10:29
There are a lot of trees down across the trail. One-minute read, +1
December 4, 2024 14:58
A better place to cross. Climbing down the bank here and crossing Big Paddy Creek would have been the clever thing to do. But scouting for a good crossing point I didn’t see it. So, I crossed the hard (and cold) way.
December 4, 2024 14:22
The Big Paddy Creek Crossing has been washed out. But I crossed here anyway. It was deep and cold. How deep? Well, my trail journal in my pocket got wet.
December 4, 2024 14:20
The trail’s a mess at the bottom of the ridge, but I made good time until … Until I got to the Big Paddy Creek Crossing that is.
December 4, 2024 14:00
Enjoying the view and some lunch.
December 4, 2024 12:52
Gary at the Big Paddy Creek Scenic Overlook.
December 4, 2024 12:51
Big Paddy Creek Scenic Overlook. I love this spot and stopped for a bite to eat before embarking on what I reckoned was going to be a difficult time on the trail at the bottom of the ridge. The area flooded recently, and no doubt the trail will be messed up.
December 4, 2024 12:49
View from my hammock, with a hot drink in hand. And the water is boiling to heat up my Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast.
December 4, 2024 8:53
Day Two – Camped in ‘Spring Hollow’ — The Wilderness is very dry. Little Paddy Creek was dry where I first crossed it, and it was the lowest I’ve seen it on the shortcut between the South and North loops. I was glad to find the spring running here.
December 4, 2024 8:19
More Frost Flowers. And it is now three PM. +1
December 3, 2024 14:58
Yuccas at the abandoned homestead. You know you are getting near the old homestead when you start seeing the yuccas. Big Piney Trail — December 2024.
December 3, 2024 14:42
Frost Flower, Paddy Creek Wilderness — When the frost flowers are still out at One PM you know it’s been cold. Plus, my plans for this trip. Three-minute read, +1
December 3, 2024 12:53
Journal: Five days R&R in Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2024 — After my last backpacking trip in April, the weather got too hot, and then we spent August in the UK. I was overdue for some lakeside R&R. With the minimal three-mile hike and five days of lounging around. It was more hammock camping and hardly any backpacking! Journal: 5 17
September 17, 2024 16:45
Gary at Piney Creek Wilderness — I spent most of my time sitting and watching the lake and trees, with the occasional swim to cool down, which was exactly what I wanted to do.
September 17, 2024 13:26
Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (looking southwest).
September 17, 2024 13:24
Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (looking southeast).
September 17, 2024 13:23
Just another picture of my campsite by Table Rock Lake. Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri. +1
September 17, 2024 13:12
Yet another visitor — I was sitting by the lake enjoying the view when this tarantula ambled by. I’ve been told there are tarantulas in Missouri, but I’ve never seen them, until now.