No place to park

“I Went down to the Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area today to do some winter backpacking. After driving for 2 hours to get down there I find out the parking areas haven't been plowed and I have no way to park my vehicle. The road going into the forest was plowed but not the parking areas. You can't park along side the road or they will tow you.

The area received about 18 inches of snow last Wednesday. I called the forest service from my truck and they didn't think the parking areas would be plowed this week because the ranger who does the contracting for snow removal is off for the Holidays. I guess if you are a backpacker in Indiana you're screwed if you want to backpack while there is snow on the ground.”

“My first trip ever out was there. CMB arrived just after me and had a little trouble in the 7 inches of so in his little Hundayi.

I had my Jeep so the going was easy.

That was old snow too. I thought they did not plow any of those spots.

ULTRA, did you try any of the lots further on?”

“Yeah, I tried. I drove down past the firetower but then they stopped plowing all together. I thought about buying a snow shovel and making myself a spot but that would of taken a couple of hours with no guarentees that my truck would not get buried in snow if they did come in with a plow. I don't think I could of gotten into the parking areas with a four wheel drive either.”

“I sent the USFS an email letting them know of my displeasure with their lack of snow removal. They make a living with our tax dollars and should have no excuse for denying access to a taxpayer funded area.”

“I also told them I would send an asteroid to hit the earth in the year 2029.”

“Ha Ha!

Not there! It is one of the on;y palces to hike in Indiana. Send it out to Iowa or Kansas.”

“ULTRA,

You should go back on Saturday if you can. Temps up in the 60's. A lot of snow will be a meltin. Could make travel in and out of some of the valleys messy.”

“Think that’s bad? I came home Thursday after an 18 hour shift and couldn’t even get down my street. We had so much snow My Jeep was even bottoming out. There was NOWHERE to park anywhere! The closest place I found was a store 8 blocks from house. I had to walk home from there and then go back 6 hours later when I had to go back to work. Friday I come home and the street’s plowed but there’s a 3’ burm of hard snow. No parking again. I did find a lot only 2 blocks from my house and walked from there.”

“There is also a chance of rain, hence muddier and foggier. I wanted a chance to go while it was a winter wonderland.”

“well..get out then is better then never getting out at all. UP you should join us on the jan. trip 15-16.”

“Where are you all going?

I may be coyote hunting that weekend, no pun intended.

If the Colts are still alive in the playoffs I'll be home or at some establishment that sells alcohol.”

“coyote hunting :(

I hate you.”

“But we had such a good thing going.”

“Mike had to hold me back from killing a guy one time while we were backpacking...the guy was coyote hunting. Had a big semi automatic gun but I didnt care. I was gonna kill him for killing my coyotes!”

“Coyotes kill soft furry cuddly rabbits.”

“I dont give a #&%!$ about the rabbits. Rabbits are dumb. Rabbits are food. Coyotes have saved my ass in the outdoors more then once.

My first trip for example..I was lost in the desert at night with no light, no warm clothes and a gash in me leg from falling down a rocky cliff. I followed a coyote to a road and was able to find my way from there.

Anotehr time I was getting trapped by tides and needed a place to camp. The only spot was climbing up this ledge after seeing coyote prints leading htat way. It was a tight spot to spend the night but it was safe and dry and I was able to ove on in the morning.
last edited: 12/29/04 12:15:49 PM”

“Coyote taste like chicken.”

“There's always a parking spot when you drive a Jeep







Capt. Jim
last edited: 12/29/04 12:21:15 PM”

“Yeah, but is there enough room in the jeep for four or five dead coyotes?”

“or one dead ultrapecker?

hmmm...there are a lot of unexplained bumps in the desert UP...do you want to be one?”

“A friend of mind down in Switzerland county said a neighbor's boy was eaten by a couple of ravenous coyotes and several of his chickens were pregnant.



Or maybe it was the other way around?”

“coyotes dont eat people. DUH!”

“People taste like chicken.”

“Yes...I know, but not as good.”