Journal: Getting outside my comfort zone, Paddy Creek Wilderness, December 2024. Things have conspired to keep me off the trails this year. I’m hiking the Big Piney Trail in Paddy Creek Wilderness to get some trail time. But the daytime temps on two days will be below freezing. I’ll be pushing my comfort zone as I don’t normally venture out if the daytime temperature is going to drop below 40°F. Trip write-up: 10-minute read, +19
Frozen stock pond — And that’s the last picture of this trip. Plus, a trip summary. Five-minute read, +2
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.
Frost Flower.
A bed of frost flowers.
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’.
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.
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.
There are a lot of trees down across the trail. One-minute read, +1
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.
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.
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.
Enjoying the view and some lunch.
Gary at the Big Paddy Creek Scenic Overlook.
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.
View from my hammock, with a hot drink in hand. And the water is boiling to heat up my Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast.
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 when I crossed it on the shortcut between the South and North loops. It was good to find that the spring I found was still running.
More Frost Flowers. And it is now three PM. +1
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.
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