Hercules Glades in the snow, January 2025

Three days at Hercules Glades, Missouri, January 2025

I’ve never been backpacking or camping in true winter conditions with snow on the ground. 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.

  • Another empty trailhead parking lot

    Another empty trailhead parking lot. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    There might be a good reason the parking lot is empty. A winter storm is due in nine hours. There are five hours of daylight left, and if things go according to plan, I’ll have camp set up above ‘Deep Hollow’ by then and I’ll be settled in to watch the storm from my hammock.

    In early 2021, I realized I had no suitable footwear for cold and wet hikes, so I bought and tested some Sealskinz waterproof socks for wet and snowy conditions. The socks worked well on a couple of very wet hikes, but I’ve never had a chance to try them out in the snow.

    The approaching winter storm is an excellent opportunity to test those socks out in winter conditions. The forecast is for snow starting late Thursday through Friday afternoon, followed by a balmy 40°F day on Saturday. We have dinner with my former boss arranged for six o’clock on Saturday. This ought to be just enough time to fit in a quick two-night trip and my first experience of camping and hiking in the snow.

    Hercules Glades Wilderness

    My planned route for my trip — The Pilot (Tower) Trail

    At one time it felt like I visited the Glades every month, but recently, I’ve been preferring longer, less popular places to hike. I’ve not spent a night at the Glades since April 2024.

    Most of the trails at Hercules Glades are easy to follow, the exceptions being:

    • Some parts on the northern section of the Pees Hollow Trail.
    • The area of Long Creek Trail where it runs along the creek.
    • And the western end of the Pilot (Tower) Trail after its junction with the Devil’s Den (Lower Pilot) Trail. That latter section is very little used, overgrown, and difficult to follow in places. I sometimes think I’m the only person who hikes that section nowadays.

    The Pilot (Tower) trail runs to the north of both the Upper and Lower Pilot Knobs and is mainly tree-lined. With a few exceptions, visibility to the south is blocked by trees, ridges, and knobs. The dense oak woodland restricts visibility to the north. There used to be good views just before and just after Lower Pilot Knob, but the scrub has grown and encroached on the glades, limiting the places where you can see beyond the Wilderness’s boundaries.

    The trail is somewhat even going, descending slowly towards the west. It has several reasonable climbs/descents, but the large loose rocks, so common in the Ozarks, can make for slow going. The level sections of the trail can be very wet from various ‘seeps.’ After heavy rain and in wet seasons, it’s not uncommon for the trail to resemble a creek more than a trail!

    Weather

    Windy.com

    The various weather models on Windy.com agree fairly closely on when the storm will arrive but disagree on how much snow will be dropped on the glades. The forecast is for a total snowfall of between two and a half and seven inches. Temperatures will be lower than I like to hike in, but I’ve recently hiked at 26°F, so the predicted 30°F to 40°F hiking temps should be fine. Overnight lows of 17°F are also lower than I usually like, but I’ve been out at 15°F before and was too warm, so I’ll survive.

    Gear

    This trip calls for my full winter setup of 10°F rated under and top quilts, and my bad weather tarp. Because of the low temperatures, I won’t be taking my water filter. I’ll be using Aquatabs instead. If needed I can always melt some snow.

    Clothing. I’ll have my usual Merino wool top, Bass Pro base layer bottom, some Merino wool socks, my Sealskinz waterproof socks, and my wooly toe socks. I’ll also have both my down jackets, some buffs, shemagh, snow pants, a pair of fleece pants, and I’ll be stealing Ginger’s gloves (again). There’s some duplication here in case stuff gets wet. You’ll notice that I haven’t included my Bass Pro base layer top. I’ve not used it on recent trips, so it’s time to leave it behind, saving some space and pack-weight for the other extras I’m packing. Finally, I’ll have my LightHeart Gear rain jacket, and a pair of Bass Pro rain pants to keep my legs dry in the snow.

    Footwear. I’m not taking sandals on this trip! I’ll be hiking in my Xero Terraflex II trail runners/gym shoes, and I’m taking my ‘outside’ Crocs for use as camp shoes.

    Food. In addition to my usual supplies, I’m packing full dehydrated dinners, not noodles, for lunches. The extra calories and hot meals will keep me happy. Just in case I arrive late at ‘Deep Hollow’ I’m carrying in 3.5 liters of water.

    I checked my pack weight, and it was 32lbs including all the food, water, fuel and spare clothes. Not bad, as that’s over 7lbs of water I’m carrying.

    The Plan

    I’ll be out for two nights, hiking most of the length of the Pilot (Tower) Trail and back, at Hercules Glades Wilderness, camping at ‘Deep Hollow’ and ‘Twin Falls Hollow.’

    • Day One. Hike the six miles to a spot I’ve named ‘Deep Hollow.’ I’ll be able to check the water situation when I cross ‘Twin Falls Creek’ just over three miles into my hike. If the creek’s running, there should be water at ‘Deep Hollow.’ The snow is due to start falling around nine p.m., giving me plenty of time to settle in.
    • Day Two. The storm is set to end in the afternoon. I’ll leave as early as I can and hike back to ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ and spend the second night at one of my favorite spots overlooking the hollow. The western end of the Pilot (Tower) Trail is going to be ‘interesting’ to hike if there is a lot of snow. I’ve never hiked in snow, and I’m pretty sure the trail is going to be all but impossible to see, so I’ll need to allow a good long time for the hike — three to four hours.
    • Day Three. Hike the three miles back to the trailhead. I want to be on the trail before noon to allow plenty of time for the hike and the drive back to Springfield. I need to be home before five to get scrubbed up and ready for our dinner with Bishop Diane just after six o’clock.
  • Pole (Pete) Hollow Cairn selfie

    Day One

    Pole (Pete) Hollow Cairn Selfie — It looks like someone may have tidied the cairn. I didn’t have time to check, I have places to be before it gets dark. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I was on the road by ten-twenty — an early start for me — and arrived at the trailhead shortly before noon. The trailhead was deserted. I wasn’t surprised.

    When I signed in, I saw that no one else had signed in for a couple of days. From the registration point, it took me twenty-five minutes to get to the cairn, which is pretty much on form for me. Apart from some deadfalls, the trail was clear and easy.

  • Icy conditions on the Pilot (Tower) Trail heading west

    Icy conditions on the Pilot (Tower) Trail heading west. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I wasn’t expecting to find a lot of ice on the trail, but this was typical of the trail conditions almost all the way from the Pole Hollow Cairn to the Devil’s Den (Lower Pilot) Trail junction.

    The Ice slowed me down a lot, wherever possible I walked alongside the trail, in other places I had to tread very carefully, I didn’t want to slip and fall. I need to check out micro spikes if I want to go hiking in these conditions in future.

  • Ice Crystals

    Ice Crystals. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Glades (Upper Pilot) Trail Junction

    Glades (Upper Pilot) Trail Junction. The good thing about all the ice on the trail is that it means there’s plenty of water. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • My first icicles of 2025

    My first icicles of 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Creek and spring in ‘Deep Hollow’

    There was water in ‘Deep Hollow’ creek — time to top up my water before it gets dark, and the storm arrives. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I arrived at my campsite above ‘Deep Hollow’ just after three. The ice had slowed me down considerably. Once I passed the Devil’s Den junction, I studied the trail as I went along, trying to determine what clues might be visible when the trail became covered in snow.

    I thought the gap in the grasses left by the trail might be evident if the snow did not flatten them. I also tried to commit some landmarks to memory.

    Trail Journal

    1300 — Cedars Trail Jct. Lots of ice in the prev[ious] section.

    1325 — Elephant Tracks Crossing. Water. Lots of ice between Cedars and here.

    1350 — Glades Trail Jct. Ice between here & E.T.C. [Elephant Tracks Crossing]

    1410 — Devil’s Den Jct. Ice near the Glades Jct.

    1450 — FR Jct [Forest Road Junction]

    1500 — Leave FR 243°W.

    1510 — Arrived — Water in creek running.

  • Waiting for ‘Snowmageddon’

    Waiting for ‘Snowmageddon’ — there’s five to seven inches in the forecast. Should be fun! Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Day One stats

  • Hammock camping in the snow

    Day Two

    Hammock camping in the snow. 7:20 a.m. and it’s been snowing for around nine hours. I was nice and cozy in my hammock. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Keeping my nose and ears warm

    Keeping my nose and ears warm. I’m just out of bed, and I didn’t bother to remove the buff I use to keep my nose and ears warm while I sleep. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Wintery view from my hammock

    Wintery view from my hammock. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Hammock camping in the snow, January 2025

    Hammock camping in the snow, January 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Hammock camping in the snow, January 2025

    Hammock camping in the snow, January 2025 Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Hammock camping in the snow, January 2025

    Hammock camping in the snow, January 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    The ‘doors’ on my bad weather tarp help keep the weather out and the warmth in. I could have set the tarp closer to the ground, but I prefer more standing room.

  • Snow covered treetops

    Snow covered treetops. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Gary camped here

    Gary camped here. There was a fair buildup of snow around the edge of the tarp from where the snow kept sliding off. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    My first lesson of the day was that everything seems to take twice as long when it is cold and there is snow around. It takes time to ensure the snow is brushed off of everything and to keep wet items away from my dry gear.

    My second lesson of the day was that, in my opinion and experience, Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki is almost vomit-inducing and only fit for the trash. You might wonder why I was eating Chicken Teriyaki for breakfast. Well, I wasn’t planning on going out so soon, and my new order of freeze-dried food hadn’t arrived when I left, so I had to make do with what leftover packets there were.

    With constant snow and/or snow falling from the branches it was a full wet weather breakdown of camp. That requires keeping the tarp up until last and working in the confined space under it. At least it kept the snow off of me and my stuff.

    My trail clothes for the snowy conditions were:

    • Cap with a wool hunter orange beanie, and a buff to keep my ears warm.
    • Merino wool top, with my shemagh, light down jacket, and my rain shell over that.
    • Ginger’s gloves. 🙂
    • Bass Pro base layer bottom with Bass Pro rain pants over, and these were both tucked into my Sealskinz socks.
    • Inside my Sealskinz socks, I wore a pair of Marino wool crew socks. The Sealskinz socks are normally cold, probably because of the moisture evaporating from the outer fabric. I thought adding a pair of socks inside them would help keep my feet warm. Spoiler alert — I didn’t have cold feet at any time with this arrangement. It worked perfectly.
    • My Xero trail running/gym shoes.

    By one-thirty, I had everything packed away and was ready for the trail. I worked out a rough compass bearing and off I set.

  • Winter view from Hercules Glades Wilderness

    Winter view from Hercules Glades Wilderness. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    When I set off, I discovered that when bushwhacking it was much more difficult to find and keep in view the points I was going toward. Everything looked very samey when smeared with snow.

    Even so, it didn’t take long to get to the forest road that leads back to the trail. Some helpful neighborhood deer had been using the forest road, making it very easy to follow. I just had to watch out in case they decided to leave the road at any point.

    In all, it took me twenty minutes to get to the trail, which was pretty good going.

    I was sure I could see where the trail ran up the hill to the east. There was the downed tree that you had to skirt around, but the trail didn’t look right beyond that. Off I went, only to be blocked by another fallen tree. I spent a short time wandering around before deciding to go in what looked like the right direction, and pretty soon, I was confident I was on the trail.

    There must be a few little Bermuda Triangles along this part of the trail!

    Staying on the trail wasn’t easy. The snow weighed down the scrubby trees’ boughs, effectively hiding the trail’s route and dumping lots of snow on both me and my pack. The only indication of where the trail might be was the slightest indentation in the snow.

    I lost the trail two or three times. Interestingly, where I often lose the trail even when the conditions are good. There must be a few little Bermuda Triangles along this part of the trail!

    The good news was that the snow was deep enough to make walking over ice and rocks much easier than it had been the day before. Out in the open glades, it was easier to follow the trail’s open gap in the grasses. I got that idea for spotting the trail in the snow right!

  • The trail wasn’t always obvious

    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. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • A fleeting burst of sunshine

    A fleeting burst of sunshine. Right place, right time. A lucky shot as the sun shone for just a minute. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • At the Devil’s Den (Lower Pilot) Trail junction

    At the Devil’s Den (Lower Pilot) Trail junction. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    The Pilot (Tower) Trail is straight ahead and should be easy to follow from here on. I stopped to re-secure my camp shoes that had come loose and to brush some of the accumulating snow off my pack.

    It took me an hour and a half to get here, compared with just an hour to hike the same trail yesterday.

    My back was wet, which meant my down jacket was also soaked. I wasn’t sure if some snow had got in under my rain jacket or if it had a leak somewhere. I couldn’t do anything about it on the trail. Wet down is next to useless, I was now one insulation layer out, my Merino wool shirt was damp, and I didn’t have a replacement. My thoughts went to the spare Bass Pro base layer top I decided to leave behind… Oh well, it is what it is. Body heat will dry the shirt, and it will be much warmer tomorrow.

  • Pilot (Tower) Trail heading east

    Pilot (Tower) Trail heading east — No trouble with the ice this time! Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Glades (Upper Pilot) Trail Junction in the snow

    Glades (Upper Pilot) Trail Junction in the snow. It’s odd how mine are the only tracks in the snow. 🙂 Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Glades (Upper Pilot) Trail Junction. A quick reminder of what it looked like yesterday. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • 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.

    I was a little hesitant to set up camp where I planned. It’s a spot I’ve used many times before, but it is perched on the edge of a very steep hollow, with ‘Twin Falls Creek’ running along it. I’d need to get down to the bottom to fetch water, and I’d need to be very careful not to fall or slip while in camp, as it would be a very rough slide down!

    I put aside my concerns and went to fetch four liters of water, taking two trips so I had a spare hand in case of any slip-ups.

    And that was it. My first hike in the snow was over.

  • First Breakfast (in the hammock)

    Day Three

    First Breakfast (in the hammock). Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Yes, I am taking a page from the Hobbits’ playbook and having a first and second breakfast!

    There is frost inside my hammock — I’ve seen this before, but only when it gets quite cold. Sure enough, according to my thermometer it was 16°F last night under the tarp. So probably even colder outside. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    It was jolly cold last night, but my shirt had dried before lights out.

    As I suspected, my down jacket was soaked, so I hung it up to dry. It just froze solid.

    Despite being 17°F when I was fixing and eating breakfast, it was forecast to get up to 40°F later in the day.

    As the sun reached the tops of the trees, the snow in the upper limbs began to melt and rain down. It was going to be another wet weather camp breakdown.

    As for my breakfasts, the first was a cup of hot chocolate and a Pop-Tart, and the second was another cup of chocolate, biscuits and gravy. Great stuff to set one up for the day!

    Over an hour after I woke up and it’s still chilly out there. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’

    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. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’

    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. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • A snowy view from my hammock

    A snowy view from my hammock. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’

    Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow.’ Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
  • Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’

    Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow.’ Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    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. You can see there’s some laying on my tarp in this picture. It’s not a problem. It doesn’t take a moment to shake it off every now and then.

    I wanted to leave lots of time for both the hike back to the trailhead and drive home. I couldn’t arrive home any later than five and still have enough time to get cleaned up ready for dinner just after six. All this to say I’d need to be on the trail by noon at the very latest.

    I had camp all packed away, and I was ready to get moving at eleven thirty.

    My hiking clothes were almost the same as yesterday, but I didn’t bother with a down jacket or gloves.

  • Junction of the Cedar (Middle) Trail and the Pilot (Tower) Trail, looking west

    Junction of the Cedar (Middle) Trail and the Pilot (Tower) Trail, looking west Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    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.

  • View across Hercules Glades Wilderness, looking south from the Pilot (Tower) Trail

    View across Hercules Glades Wilderness, looking south from the Pilot (Tower) Trail. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    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.

    I checked in on my messages as there’s some cell service here, the first since I broke camp yesterday. I discovered that Bishop Diane was poorly, and that this evening’s dinner was canceled. Not to worry. I was already on the trail, the news wasn’t going to change my plan for the day’s hike.

  • Is it a stupid idea if it works?

    Is it a stupid idea if it works? Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I don’t have footwear suitable for bad weather, so four years ago I bought some waterproof socks. I’m wearing some Merino wool socks inside them, and they kept me dry and warm while hiking in the snow. I tucked my waterproof pants into the top of the waterproof socks so that my base layer didn’t get damp. And that worked too.

  • Heading east on the Pilot (Tower) Trail in the snow

    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. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Another Pole (Pete) Hollow Trail junction cairn selfie

    Another Pole (Pete) Hollow Trail junction cairn selfie. Well, it had to be done with some snow in the background. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Getting close to the trailhead

    Getting close to the trailhead — heading east on the Pilot (Tower) Trail. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • 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. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Day Three stats and end of hike thoughts

    Day Three — Hercules Glades Wilderness, January 2025.

    My mileage for the trip was a very modest 12.95 miles. Around half of that distance was covered with five to seven inches of snow on the trail. Elevation climbed 791ft.

    What worked

    Generally, everything worked fine, but here are a few ‘special mentions.’

    • Waterproof socks over Merino wool socks with my regular trail runner shoes. My feet stayed warm no matter the trail conditions.
    • Hammock, 10°F quilts, and winter tarp were great in the conditions.
    • Once more the Fancee Feest alcohol stove, needs a special mention, it kept on working even when I abused it (see Lessons below)
    • My spare parts ditty bag. I misplaced the top of one of the water pouches and had a spare in the bag (I found the missing top several minutes later!).
    • Using Aquatabs instead of my water filter.

    What didn’t work, and what I didn’t use

    • Deciding not to pack my spare base layer top. I needed it after I soaked the top I was wearing on Day Two.
    • I’ll never buy Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki again. It was truly awful. I had to force myself to eat it. If I hadn’t needed the calories I would have trashed it after a couple of mouthfuls.
    • Firebox Nano wood stove. I used it as a base for my Fancee Feest stove, but despite collecting wood for it never actually used the wood stove.
    • I’m glad to report I didn’t need any of my emergency supplies or equipment, though the Garmin InReach was used to ‘report in’ at home when I camped where there was no cell phone signal.

    Lessons

    • Try a ‘shower test’ of my rain shell to see if it leaks, and see if I can find out what caused my top and down jacket to get wet. I suspect it was because I had the pit zip open on the side I was using to reach up and brush snow off of low-hanging branches. I’ve had my eyes on a replacement for my down jacket for a while. I’ve ordered a jacket with insulation that doesn’t fail when it gets wet. We’ll see what I think of it when it arrives.
    • Invest in some micro spikes if I’m going to be hiking a lot on ice.
    • Don’t put water in your alcohol stove. Yup, I did it. I fixed it by emptying out the water (Duh!) putting some alcohol in the stove, and lighting it, and letting it burn until it had boiled/dried all the water out. It took a while, but it worked.
    • Snow on the trees can completely disguise the trail.
    • Knock the snow off of overhanging branches before walking under them.
    • Setting up and breaking down camp takes a lot longer in the snow.
    • Pay more attention to my water bottles to ensure they don’t freeze overnight.

    Being out in the snow was great, especially with warm feet! When the sun came out, it was wonderful to see. All in all, it was an enjoyable ‘first’ trip. I think I will be going out in the cold more often.

  • And finally…

    The roads had been plowed and were clear. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    My biggest concern going out with a lot of snow forecast was not hiking or camping in the snow but being able to get back to Springfield in time.

    It turns out Ginger was right in saying the roads would not be a problem. Hwy 125 had been plowed and was clear of snow and ice.

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