It’s been a while, and now it’s time for my summer trip for R&R by Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness. Fortunately, the lake is not flooding (excessively), and the hike in was not quite as fraught — no wading required.

  • ‘Top-up Creek’

    ‘Top-up Creek’ – On my trips to the lake at Piney Creek I almost always stop here to get water. So I’ve decided to name this feeder-creek ‘Top-up Creek.’ Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Leave no trace – How NOT to camp in the Wilderness

    How not to camp in a wilderness. Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Got your own land? Go for it, cut down trees (wear high heels1), and make as much mess as you like. Public land? Leave no trace. Let’s not trash the wilderness.

    Leave only footprints, take only pictures.

    It would appear that a couple of would-be Alone contenders or Bear Grylls wannabes have been camping out by the lake. They must have missed the sequences in Alone, where they clear up the campsites when they leave. I don’t know what to say … The basics of wild camping are simple, use a fire ring if it’s there, as it was in this case, but don’t make one, and leave everything as you found it or in a better, more natural, condition. I can understand leaving the skillet behind for others to use, but don’t cut down trees, living or dead, to feed your fires or make furniture. And take all your trash, clothing, and tarps with you when you leave. Leave only footprints, take only pictures.

    I guess I should also give a shout-out to the hunter who, a few years ago, dressed a deer and left the carcass next to the fire ring at my favorite wild campsite in this wilderness. I have a sound recording of coyotes arguing over the remains. I camped a couple of hundred yards away that night, but the noise was still quite impressive.

    1 Warning, 1960s’ British humor. For the uninitiated, check out this YouTube video.

  • First glimpse of the lake

    First glimpse of the lake – View of Table Rock Lake from Piney Creek Wilderness. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    My first glimpse, but not my first encounter. I checked the lake level before I left, and it was five feet above standard pool. When I was here this time last year, I think it was eleven feet above pool. Anyway, the lake was high enough to have covered the trail in places. Not too deep, mid-calf or so, but enough to make it impossible to see where the trail went.

    Sunset was due in thirty minutes, so I had to get moving if I didn’t want to be setting up camp in the dark (again).

  • It’s good to be back – Camped in Piney Creek Wilderness

    Camped in Piney Creek Wilderness – It’s good to be back. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I was last here on a day hike with Katie and Lanie back in April. It’s good to be back and I’m planning on staying for three nights in a repeat of my visit over Independence Day Weekend last year. I’m not going anywhere, I plan of a bit of swimming and a lot of looking at the lake. Sounds good to me.

    If you read my rant about leaving a mess in the wilderness, you may be thinking I’m being hypocritical, as here I am camped in the wilderness with a fire ring and a rock table/chair. Well, maybe. But both the fire ring and table were here when I discovered this spot back in 2018. All I’ve done is kept them serviceable. The only sign that anyone has been here when I leave, is fresh ash in the fire ring.

  • Day Two – Piney Creek lakeside vistas

    The view across Table Rock Lake towards Buck Hollow at Piney Creek Wilderness – I never tire of the play of light on the trees here. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Buck Hollow at sunset. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Last of the sunshine for the day. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Day Two Campfire

    Day Two Campfire. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Breakfast – Biscuits and gravy and a cup of coffee

    Breakfast – Biscuits and gravy and a cup of coffee. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    In my opinion, Mountain House biscuits and gravy for breakfast is a great way to start any day when you are camping or backpacking.

  • Day Three – Morning coffee

    Morning coffee. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Click on the picture to view a larger version, and you can see the scratches on my legs showing how well Cat Briar Meadows lived up to their name.

  • Enjoying the view

    Enjoying the view – between interludes of journaling and swimming. I even completed some camp chores. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Journaling

    Journaling by the lake – I did a lot of thinking and scribbling. The problem is I came away with more questions than answers. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Journaling in camp – I did a lot of thinking and scribbling. Unfortunately, I came away with a lot more questions than answers. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Fun and frolics at the lake

    The lake was warm, almost bath temperature. I didn’t bother to count how many times I took a dip. It was a lot. Swimming out into the lake was the only way to watch the sunset (so no pictures).

    It was particularly nice in the evening and first thing in the morning. It was then, when the air temps were lower, that the water felt particularly warm.

  • Air dry

    Air dry – well I forgot to pack the tumble drier. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • View from the lake

    View from the lake. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Late-night visitor

    Who is this then? Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Hearing something wandering through the brush, I jumped up to scare it off (in case it was the raccoon I saw earlier). Instead, I made a discovery. Bright lights transfix armadillos. Who knew! It is also a much better explanation of why so many get run over. I’ve been told it’s because they jump in the air when startled. I’ve seen them do that too, but I think being transfixed is a more likely cause.

    It was off as soon as I released it from the grip of my headlamp. There was another rustling through the undergrowth nearby, but it refused to be tempted by the light.

  • Day Three – Feet up, enjoying the Campfire

    Day Three – Feet up enjoying the campfire. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Campfire. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Day Four – Misty campsite

    Day Four – Misty campsite. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I’m used to seeing fog and mist on the lake here, but today’s mist was extra thick. So thick that at first I couldn’t see across the lake.

    Now, that’s a good food bag hang! 15′ – 20′? Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    The mist was fairly low-lying, though. About 50 feet or less higher up the hill, where I’d hung my food bag, there wasn’t any mist to speak of, and the sun was beginning to break through, which is a great excuse to show my food bag hang.

  • Through the veil

    Through the veil – looking across the lake, the mist was lifting. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Mist on Table Rock Lake

    Mist on Table Rock Lake. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Misty Morning at Piney Creek

    Misty morning at Piney Creek. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    It was worth all the heat and bug bites just for the magical few minutes watching the mist evaporate.

    Lifting mist. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Lifting mist – spot the heron. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Lifting mist at Piney Creek – Complete with a heron

    Lifting mist at Piney Creek – Complete with a heron. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Time to say goodbye to my lakeside haven

    Campfire and table – all tidy, ready for the next person. Time to say goodbye to my lakeside haven. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • The trail here was covered with water when I hiked in

    The trail here was covered with water when I hiked in. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • This is going to get messy

    This is going to get messy. The lake has dropped six to eight inches, but it’s still covering the trail. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    At least I didn’t have to wade to get to my campsite this year.

    There’s the trail, still underwater. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • The trail is starting to get overgrown

    The trail is starting to get overgrown. Where’s a horse when you need one, eh? Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    All through these (and the following) overgrown sections of trail, I talk to the snakes, “Hello snaky, snaky, snakes, just passing through, don’t mind me.” at the same time, I’m probing the trail ahead with my hiking poles to make sure any somnolent snakes wake up before I tread on them. As for the ticks, I talk to them too. But I’m much less polite, “Ticky, ticky, tickies … eff orf.”

    I won’t be hiking this trail again until the fall, when the vegetation has died back a bit and the bugs are a lot less active.

    There is a trail… and this is probably the last time I’ll hike it until the vegetation dies back in the fall. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Bath time

    Bath time. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    After crossing ‘Cat Briar Meadows,’ I was hot, sweaty, and dirty. I stopped here for half an hour, filled up with water, and then had a quick bath in this pool. Let’s just say it was invigorating (flipping chilly).

    It’s not the first time we’ve stopped here to top up with water and cool off.

  • Day Four – End of hike selfie

    Day Four – End of hike selfie. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Blimey! The ol’ hairline is receding a lot. Ginger said she noticed a major change to my hairline when I started taking my heart regulating meds.

    It was a good relaxing long weekend by the lake. I would have liked it to be quieter. However, you can’t be surprised by major firework displays and loud music playing out on the lake on Independence Day weekend, and I was alright with that.

    On the backpacking side, my only error was forgetting to bring a trash bag, ‘whoopee do!’ as they say. I don’t like hiking along the overgrown sections of the trail — we came across a timber rattler on this trail several years ago, so I know the darned things are around.

    For the record, it took me three hours to hike out. That included my half-hour stop at Piney Creek for water and a bath, and my very slow tiptoeing through the unseen snakes while crossing ‘Cat Briar Meadows.’

    All in all, it was a brilliant trip, with lots of journaling, swimming, some clothing optional time, and relaxing watching the lake. You can’t beat that.

  • Through the veil

    Through the veil – looking across the lake, the mist was lifting. It’s taken me a few days to see the potential in this picture. Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    It’s taken me a while to see the potential in this picture. I like this alternate treatment of the image.

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