Three days hiking the Big Piney Trail, Paddy Creek Wilderness, Missouri. March 2024

  • I might regret saying this…

    I might regret saying this… Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Hopefully this is not too prophetic. Today I’m leaving for three days hiking on the Big Piney Trail at Paddy Creek Wilderness. I’ve not been out this month, which means I have 20 miles and 2 nights backpacking to fit in. The Big Piney Trail is only sixteen miles, but by doing the route in a ‘figure of eight’ I ought to be able to get that up over twenty.

    Today will be the coolest with temps in the mid-fifties. After my last adventure with only summer gear and temps in the low twenties, I decided to be cautious and packed my 10°F under quilt.

    There’s been a bit of rain recently, so I’m hoping water will not be the problem it was on my last visit to Paddy Creek Wilderness.

    Time for another trip — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I have some new gear for this trip:

    • Hammock Gear Circadian Pro Hammock.
    • Bedrock Cairn Evo PRO sandals.
    • Sit pad (and I’m leaving my chair behind — Gasp!).

    I’ve set up the hammock once in the backyard, and it is looking like a promising alternative to my Dutchware Gear Chameleon hammock.

    My plan is fairly simple.

    • Day One. Hike the South Loop to the short cut, which I’ll take and then hike to the shut-ins I found in my search for water on my last visit.
    • Day Two. Hike the North Loop to the start of the South Loop, and then back to either Little Paddy Creek, where I found a new campsite to try out. Or, if I’m feeling up for it, carry on and camp at ‘Paddy Creek Trolltunga.’
    • Day Three. Take the short cut back to the North Loop and hike the North Loop back to the trailhead.

    That should be around 22-24 miles in total. Should be good, provided I haven’t jinxed everything with that patch!

  • Checked in and ready to go

    Checked in and ready to go — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I got away without any major delays, and here I am at eleven-thirty all ready to hit the trail.

    In my trail journal I noted:

    0920 on the road
    1108 at the trailhead
    1125 Signed in — selfie & then on the trail Sunny 41°F Cold wind. Lots of water in creeks on the way here. Stock ponds full. Water should be okay.

  • Well and stock pond

    Well and stock pond — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    This is good, I was last here in December and the well was dry. And when I got to the short cut junction (it links to the North Loop) the well there (below) was full too.

    Well and spring — it is good to see this well is full too. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    The spring, I believe, is from an old mattress that was placed over the well to stop critters from falling in and therefore probably dates back to just after the last time the site was occupied.

  • Abandoned Homestead Ruins, Paddy Creek Wilderness

    Abandoned Homestead Ruins, Paddy Creek Wilderness — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Taking advantage of some cell phone reception I sent Ginger this picture taken by the old chimney breast at the junction of the South Loop and the shortcut to the North Loop.

    And yes, I forgot to remove my sunnies. For the record I wear sunglasses, and come to that wide brimmed hats, a lot nowadays in an attempt to slow down the macular degeneration in my left eye.

  • Little Paddy Creek

    Little Paddy Creek — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I stopped for lunch and to top up my water. Quoting from my trail journal again:

    1417 Second little paddy creek crossing & stop for water & lunch. 6.03 miles.
    1520 on my way.

  • Stopped for lunch by Little Paddy Creek

    Lunch by Little Paddy Creek. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Shut-ins on an unnamed creek — Paddy Creek Wilderness

    Upstream side of the shut-ins — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    This is the upstream side of the shut-ins I discovered on my last visit to the wilderness — for some idea of the scale, it’s around 75ft wide here. The boulders are big!

  • Pool below the shut-ins

    Pool below the shut-ins. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Looking downstream

    Looking downstream. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Reflections in the pool below the shut-ins

    Reflections in the pool below the shut-ins. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Oops!

    Oops! Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    What was that about bad decisions making good stories?

    1630 At Camp. The shutins were very impressive – huge rocks. The area near my campsite is not looking as good as the recent rain has washed the area out.

    I took a risky route to the campsite, misjudged my footing, nearly fell in the creek and broke a hiking pole. I need to be more careful. It was a foolish error.

    = 7.71 miles +322 -675 2.4mph 1.5mph

    I may not be getting too old for backpacking, but I may be getting a bit old to try falling head-first into a deep pool in a 45°F creek while wearing a backpack.

  • It got a little frosty

    It got a little frosty. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Day Two

    The temperature last night was a lot lower than forecast, not that I was surprised — it’s not my first rodeo. At least this time I came prepared with my 10° under quilt.

    Of course, we must have the obligatory frost on something (this time my tarp) picture.

    It got a little frosty — and a lot lower than forecast, not that I was surprised. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Camped below the shut-ins

    Camped below the shut-ins. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • My new Hammock Gear Circadian Hammock

    My new Hammock Gear Circadian Hammock. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    My first impressions are that it is wider, and the structural ridgeline is slightly shorter than my Chameleon’s. That appears to result in my being able to lie flatter, and I’m not bashing my head on stuff hanging on the ridgeline when I get in and out of the hammock.

  • So that’s what happened to the “No Motor Vehicles On This Trail” sign

    So that’s what happened to the “No Motor Vehicles On This Trail” sign. I wondered why I hadn’t seen it on my last hike around this trail in December. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I had planned on an early start, but it wasn’t to be. I was on my way at ten fifty-five, and by eleven-forty I had made my first road crossing of the day (two more road crossings to go).

    May 20, 2023: All motorized vehicles prohibited on this trail — Sign just after crossing Paddy Creek Road. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    When I hiked this trail in December, I realized that I didn’t see the “No Motor Vehicles On This Trail” sign, so this time I looked around for it, and this is what I found. Now I know why I didn’t see it in December!

  • View from the Scenic Overlook

    View from the Scenic Overlook — clear skies and a higher sun made it a lot easier to see the lie of the land. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • View from the scenic overlook — looking southwest

    View from the Scenic Overlook — looking southwest. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Look carefully and you can see the two roads I still have to cross. But first I have to get down off this ridge and cross the creek.

  • View from the scenic overlook — looking northwest

    View from the Scenic Overlook — looking northwest. Clear skies and a higher sun made it a lot easier to see the lie of the land. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Running Repairs

    Running Repairs — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Last night I cobbled together a repair of my broken hiking pole. Hopefully it’ll last the ten-plus mile hike and various creek crossings on my way back to the trailhead. So far, so good.

    The last time I was here, it was with a pair of broken sandals!

  • New hiking sandals

    New hiking sandals — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I’m not sure when they stopped calling shoes like these huaraches, but sandals appears to be the current nomenclature. These are Bedrock Cairn Evo PRO Sandals. So far, I am much preferring these to my Luna sandals.

  • Long way down

    Long way down. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Virginia Bluebells by the trail

    Virginia Bluebells by the trail. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Three quarters of an hour later and I’m quite possibly near to where I’d land if I miss-stepped and fell off the scenic overlook. Though more likely I’d be impaled on some tree somewhere on the way down. Probably best to not dwell on that.

  • Lunch stop, and time to filter some more water

    Filtering water while I heat up and eat my lunch. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Shortly after Two O’clock I arrived at Little Paddy Creek. That’s very near my first planned campsite for tonight. I was glad it was early because I really wanted to make it to ‘Paddy Creek Trolltunga,’ several miles further on the trail. Though to do so will mean carrying extra water all the way back up onto the ridge. While I was heating water for my lunch, I topped up my fresh water and packed some dirty water for later. Above is a picture of my water filter in action.

    My water filtering kit — At the back, my dirty water bag, and in front, my Platypus water pouch (clean water), waterscoop and bleach, and the excellent Sawyer Mini water filter. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Water filter and bleach in my water scoop. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Taken fresh from the creeks and springs, the water isn’t ‘dirty.’ Though it may be contaminated by dead animals and animal (or person) waste, so I always filter or boil the water I drink, and I also treat my filtered water with bleach. You know, to get rid of 99.9% of all known germs. When I’m carrying ‘dirty’ water, I’ll either pour it straight into my cook pot for boiling or filter it as normal.

    It’s not a good idea to let your water filter freeze, which means I have to keep it in my pocket or with other non-freezable gear… Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    It’s not a good idea to let your water filter freeze, which means I have to keep the filter in my pocket or with other non-freezable gear (like my camera and cell phone). I needed a way to stop water dribbling out of the open ‘dirty water’ end. So, I made a stopper out of a hose connector and some hot glue. it works very well.

  • I don’t want to lose another pencil

    I don’t want to lose another pencil — I found some stick on pen holders on Amazon, and they seem to do an excellent job. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    As I was taking gear pictures, I thought I’d also take a picture of my solution to losing my pencils while backpacking.

    This was brought on by losing one of my mechanical pencils on the trail at Piney Creek back in February. I did some online searching and came up with these handy dandy pen loops on Amazon, which, so far, are working very well.

    I added one to each of my four leather journal binders1, and after a month or so, they all seem to be holding in place.

    I don’t want to lose another pencil — I found some stick on pen holders on Amazon, and they seem to do an excellent job. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Updates

    • April 2025. The pen loops are still working well, with no signs of the loop losing its elasticity or the adhesive losing its grip.

    Footnotes

    1Four journals:

    1. Backpacking — lightweight field notes journal.
    2. Personal — my angst and ‘agony aunt’ journal.
    3. Work and notes — just the day-to-day general stuff. It’s much bigger (A6), thicker, and heavier.
    4. Pocket notebook — for notes on the fly.

  • Uh oh!

    Uh oh! Pills out on the trail can only mean one thing. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Pills out on the trail can only mean one thing. Yup, the dreaded AFIB1 has struck again. Going as slow as I could and taking a rest at what seemed like every few yards, it was still a struggle to bring and keep my heart rate down. It was also impossible to get it to settle into a regular rhythm.

    It didn’t help that it came on at the start of the particularly steep and long climb up on to the ridge.

    1Afib — Atrial fibrillation is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

  • Hammock set up at ‘Paddy Creek Trolltunga’

    Hammock set up at ‘Paddy Creek Trolltunga.’ Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    It’s good to be back, I had to put in a long hike (with AFIB) today to get here, but it is such a great place to set up camp.

    My afternoon’s journal entries:

    1520 Time to get moving – 3 ltrs of water to be carried!
    1525 Should be on the trail.
    1546 AFIB! Bah! Took a pill.
    1556: at the top of the ridge. It was a good climb despite being forced to stop by my heart. I’m writing this while I’m waiting for it to slow/steady again.
    1706 @ Paddy Creek Trolltunga.
    75°F and dropping. 2 Deer
    7.8 mi +742 -622 2.2 mph 1.3 mph

  • Enjoying the view from my hammock

    Enjoying the view from my hammock. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Day three, sunrise from my hammock

    Day three, sunrise from my hammock. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Well, I’m still alive! That’s a good thing. My AFIB has abated, and if I’m feeling okay, I’ll take the longer more arduous route back to the trailhead.

  • Enjoying the view from my hammock (with legs)

    Enjoying the view from my hammock. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Finally, the sun reaches inside my hammock

    Day three, sunrise from my hammock. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Morning Coffee, camped off of the Big Piney Trail

    Morning Coffee, camped off the Big Piney Trail. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Heating water for breakfast

    Heating water for breakfast. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Big Dog!

    Big Dog. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    By eleven-twenty I was back on the trail. After the (very) short hike to the Short Cut trail junction, I concluded that I was fit enough for the longer — around seven miles — hike out via the North Loop. I’d not gone far down the short cut trail before I saw this set of impressive prints. “Nice Doggy!” Can you see the racoon and deer prints?

  • Old signpost

    Old signpost — the sign itself is long gone, and I’ve no idea if this was for the trail or something else. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • End of hike selfie & Trip summary

    I Hiked over twenty-two miles in two-and-a-half days. I’m happy with that.— Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I’ll let my trail journal do the talking…

    1120 On the trail. Clear, Sunny, Windy! 70°F
    1125 at the short cut jct. ECG inconclusive. I’m feeling good so I’m going for the 7 miles.
    1205 Little Paddy Creek crossing
    — Bear? tracks on the trail [Future Gary: No, it’s a dog.] I cannot be sure if it went through before or after my run through on Wednesday.
    Two deer.
    — filling up with water.
    1241 Three Creeks short cut Jct carrying straight on.
    1245 On the North Loop. 1 Deer.
    1300 Trash can. Met two hikers + pack dog.
    1312 at the turn off stock pond. Water & Snickers stop
    1320 Back on the trail.
    1421 at the falls. 5.3 miles so far. 3 hikers.
    1445 on my way eta 1545?
    1500 at the Nrth/Sth Trail Jct.
    1525 at TH Flat Tire?

    6.73 miles +757 -664 2.2 mph 1.6 mph

    Overall I’d hiked 22.19 miles in 2½ days.

    Unusually, there were several cars in the parking lot. It being a Friday afternoon probably helped. There was a group of Scouts at the registration point when I got there.

    Gosh! There are cars in the trailhead parking lot! That makes a change. Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Big Piney Trail, ‘Figure of eight’ route, starting counterclockwise from the Roby Trailhead. 40ft Contour lines.

    What worked

    • My jury-rigged hiking pole made it out with no issues, though I discovered later that the middle section was also damaged beyond repair, so I have a new pole on order.
    • The Circadian Hammock is excellent, and possibly a long-term replacement for my Chameleon.
    • Bringing my winter under quilt.
    • The Bedrock Cairn Evo PRO Sandals were excellent. The main improvements over my Luna Sandals are:
      • Better grip on the soles.
      • A much grippier footbed.
      • They have a much more secure fastening system that doesn’t come loose on the trail.
      • They hold my feet much more securely.
      • Much easier to put on and take off.

        I only have two issues with the Bedrock Sandals so far:
        • The heal strap is not as well padded.
        • My foot seems to go over the side of the footbed at times.

    Lessons

    • I need to buy a portable tire inflator.
    • I must be more careful in picking my routes when bushwhacking.
    • At this point I’m not sure what I need to do to minimize the chance of AFIB. I’m exercising a lot more, one hour a day five days a week, 30 mins cardio & 30 mins strength. I’ve (almost) cut out alcohol entirely. I don’t think it’s really practical to do a lot more.

  • Postscript. It was at this point I discovered that the factory-supplied tire iron did not fit these lug nuts

    It was at this point I discovered that the factory-supplied tire iron did not fit these lug nuts — Solo backpacking in Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    It took three hours to get someone to come out with the right tool to switch the tire.

    Later research uncovered the fact that this is a problem with several Ford models. The lug nuts swell! Needless to say, I have now had new lug nuts fitted that will not swell.

    Somehow, Ford dodged a class action on this because they are not considered ‘unsafe.’ Bah!

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