Journal: Hercules Glades in the snow, January 2025. A forecast winter storm in Southwest Missouri on January 9 and 10 was just what was needed to let me get some time out when the trail conditions would be a bit more challenging. Journal: 15 45
Missouri
Words and pictures featuring Missouri
And finally… The roads had been plowed and were clear.
January 11, 2025 14:17
Day Three stats and end of hike thoughts.
January 11, 2025 14:00
Back at the Tower Trailhead. No tracks — so no one else has been here. Now I’ve got to get all that snow off the car.
January 11, 2025 13:51
Getting close to the trailhead — heading east on the Pilot (Tower) Trail.
January 11, 2025 13:24
Another Pole (Pete) Hollow Trail junction cairn selfie — Well, it had to be done with some snow in the background.
January 11, 2025 13:04
Heading east on the Pilot (Tower) Trail in the snow — Watch out for those low hanging boughs, they’ll dump their snowy burden on you if you touch them.
January 11, 2025 12:52
Is it a stupid idea if it works? — I don’t have footwear suitable for bad weather, so four years ago I bought some waterproof socks.
January 11, 2025 12:35
View across Hercules Glades Wilderness, looking south from the Pilot (Tower) Trail — This is one of the few places on the trail with a view to the south. I climbed up a little bit above the trail to get a clearer view of the horizon.
January 11, 2025 12:30
Junction of the Cedar (Middle) Trail and the Pilot (Tower) Trail, looking west — I was half expecting to find some tracks at this point. But no, it seems I’m the only one mad enough to be out at the moment.
January 11, 2025 11:56
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow.’ I set my tarp in ‘Porch mode’ as there was no more snowfall forecast. Oops. I forgot about all the loose snow falling off of the branches above!
January 11, 2025 10:10
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow.’
January 11, 2025 9:42
A snowy view from my hammock.
January 11, 2025 8:48
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ — I did ponder the potential downsides (or should that be downslides?) of camping on the side of a steep ravine. And I ignored them. I survived.
January 11, 2025 8:32
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ — I did ponder the potential dowsides (or should that be downslides?) of camping on the side of a steep ravine. And I ignored them. I survived.
January 11, 2025 8:31
First Breakfast (in the hammock). Yes, I am taking a page from the Hobbits’ playbook and having a first and second breakfast! One-minute read, +2
January 11, 2025 8:07
Day Two stats. I arrived at my campsite at three-fifty, with just ninety minutes of daylight left to set up camp and finish all my camp chores.
January 10, 2025 15:50
Glades (Upper Pilot) Trail Junction in the snow. It’s odd how mine are the only tracks in the snow. +1
January 10, 2025 15:20
Pilot (Tower) Trail heading east.
January 10, 2025 15:10
At the Devil’s Den (Lower Pilot) Trail junction. The Pilot (Tower) Trail is straight ahead and should be easy to follow from here on. I stopped to re-secure my camp shoes which had come loose and to brush some of the accumulating snow off my pack.
January 10, 2025 14:55
A fleeting burst of sunshine. Right place, right time. A lucky shot as the sun shone for just a minute.
January 10, 2025 14:45
The trail wasn’t always obvious. There was a slight indentation where it ran, and I’d already figured out to look for the gap in the grass stalks.
January 10, 2025 14:34
Winter view from Hercules Glades Wilderness. Two-minute read.
January 10, 2025 14:32
Gary camped here. There was a fair buildup of snow around the edge of the tarp from where the snow kept sliding off.