Devil’s Backbone Wilderness

Devil’s Backbone Wilderness

Sycamores in Mary Hollow – Having finished lunch, I packed up and hiked the last part of the McGarr Spring Trail back to Mary Hollow. Emerging into Mary Hollow these brightly lit sycamore trees caught my eye.

McGarr Spring – I have been meaning to visit this spring almost every time I’ve hiked in the Devil’s Backbone Wilderness, so I made it the focus of this trip. 4 pictures

Lunch at McGarr Spring. 6 pictures

Stock pond on the McGarr Spring Trail – The water in this pond looked very clear and clean.

The unofficial McGarr Spring Trail is very well marked – It’s a sad comment on the state of things, that the unofficial trails are better maintained and marked than the official ones looked after by the Forest Service. One-minute read

Trailside Fungi. In my current favorite color. 2 pictures

Trail Junctions – Devil’s Backbone Wilderness. 3 pictures

Breakfast, and time to hit the trail. 3 pictures

Day Two – Sunrise near Mary Hollow.

Mary Hollow Trail – I liked the colors and light.

Icicles. 3 pictures

Loading up with water at the end of the Devil’s Backbone Trail – Gone are the days when I carry loads of water. The Sawyer Squeeze filter is so quick and easy to use, often I only have the one-and-a-half pints that my water bottle holds, filtering water as I find it. 2 pictures

Gear change – new backpack. Zpacks Arc Haul. 3

Lunch on the trail – Ramen Noodles. 3 pictures

Another empty trailhead – Here I am parked up, ready to start a three-day hike around the Devil’s Backbone Wilderness

January 2020, Three Days At Devil’s Backbone Wilderness – I visited old haunts and hiked the last of my un-trod trails in this wilderness. Journal: 18 48

One down and one to go – This isn’t an ordinary trip. I wanted to get a few more miles under my belt, so I came up with the idea for my ‘Four Days, Three Nights, Two Wildernesses’ hike. Here I am back at the trailhead at the end of the first part. 2

A Tad Chilly – I stayed in bed waiting for things to warm up before venturing out. I don’t have an insulated hood, so I improvised with my shemagh. Very elegant, very old lady. I’m also looking a bit chubby around the chops too.

Cold and Frosty Morning – The lowest predicted temperature was around 29°F. It actually dropped to 21°F (-6°C) overnight. 3 pictures

North Fork River – The North Fork River was my destination for the day.
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McGarr Ridge Trail – This sums up hiking in the Ozarks at the moment. Bare trees and fallen leaves.

My home from home – Tucked up on the side of a hollow to keep out of the wind. 2 pictures

There ought to be a coyote in this picture … but I can’t find it. I was sitting here drinking a nice hot cup of chocolate when some movement in the ravine opposite caught my eye.

The trails of the Ozarks are starting to look similar. 2 pictures

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