Ozarks fall/winter ECT

“Some us have been kicking around the idea of a winter or fall ECT in north Arkansas. Since lots of trips are being planned now, thought I'd throw this up to set some rough dates.

Anyone interested? If so when could you make it?”

“I thought that Bacpac said there wasn't any good hiking down there?”

“Steve Hiker,
I'm interested but I'm about booked until after the Dec Gizzard trip. Is January too far off?”

“I'll keep my eye on this thread. Never BPed in Arkansas yet.”

“January would be fine with me. Don't have anything on my hiking calendar yet after December.”

“Except for Linville Gorge Jan. 19-21. Forgot about that one.”

“If I`m where I can I`ll try and make that one!”

“I may be able to squeeze in a 3 dayer.”

“Iwill most likly be goin to ark again this year to visit mozart and would hike with you too! After xmas? Yo bear”

“And still no Bacpac?”

“Chicken$hit!

(That ought to get him out.)”

“Mr pac don't do group trips.”

“Mather, Mozark and Trlhikr know those trails real well, you`ll have to get with them and work out the plans.”

“Steve -

Count me in..that way we can be sure bacpac, the dickless
wonder-boy, won't show up..

I'm flexible with dates right now..please keep me posted!

Tex”

“Count me in. Hiked part of the Ozark Highland trail last March.”

“I got cut short on my post (damn job),Would like to tag along if the inviation is extended to non- Esoteric Camper Types.”

“You betcha, Stalker..c'mon let's git to it, y'all!!”

“Flexible with your dates? I bet they appreciate that.”

“Wow, quite a few responses so far. Looks like this trip's gonna take off and run!

I've been doing google searches for possible hikes, and so far have come up with the following: One is the Ozark Highlands Trail that runs across much of the state from east to west. The trail passes through the Hurricane Creek Wilderness which looks pretty cool. Another possibility is the Buffalo River Trail which is supposed to still be in construction but has several completed portions.

We need to hear from some Arkansas people. Mather, Mozark, Trlhikr, what are some good hikes for a January ECT?

Also we need to eventually decide when in January. The weekend of Jan. 19-21 is out for me because that's the Linville Gorge trip. Anyone have any preferences for another weekend in January?

Also how many can make this a 3-day hike? One possibility is to schedule it so people who can't get in Thursday night or Friday morning could hike in late Friday or Saturday morning, like at Savage Gulf.

Anyhow these are a few ideas. Locals, speak up!”

“What ya say bacpac, you must have a few cousins up in them thar hills who can point us to some isolated, rugged, scenic, hidden trails we can take .... what the hell am I saying?”

“(1)Richland Creek and a piece of the Ozark Highlands Trail. It would be tough for late comers to find us though. Extremely isolated wilderness area that only Bacpac can find cause it is in his backyard (sorta).

(2) Buffalo River Trail between Ponca and Kyles Landing. Opportunity for a great side trip up Indian Creek.

(3) Hemmmed-In-Hollow In & out ~ 12 miles. Could slack pack to Hawksbill Crag and do Lost Valley on the side. Or we could cross the Buffalo River (wet & cold in January) and pack out thru Kyles Landing.

How about the first couple weeks of December? That way we wouldn't have to wait until NEXT YEAR!

(4) Hurrican Creek Wilderness, now that will do nicely.

Moz weighs in. Count me in!”

“I spent a week on The Old River Trail a couple of summers ago. I hiked from Ozark to Kiles Landing and half way to Steels Creek (about 20 + miles) I chose the old trail because I fish. The others hiked the upper trail for the great veiws and the climbing . Beautiful river, good smallmouth fishing and the camping was free and no permit was required. I had one of the best trips I've ever had and caught a HUGE smallmouth. You can backcountry camp just about anywhere. Other than a few dicey river crossings a real four star trip! Most of the developed camp sites can be acessed by car making it real easy to pick up late arrivers. The two trails cross each other from time to time so you could mix river travel (flat) and high climbing. I still have my Weat Half map if I can look up anything else let me know.”

“Wolfsister are you from the Ozark area?”

“No-Ohio.”

“so, are there dates for this trip, and i just missed them?”

“Bring your own date.”

“Mr pac don't do groups
walkindude
11:27:26 PM
8/25/01

That's a gimmie, being dickless and all, what great orgy would possibly want him.”

“I think I was miss quoted!”

“LOL”

“No dates! We have not even picked the hiking area yet?

But I'm definitely up for a trip.

Time for Steve Hiker to weigh back in. He started this grand idea and seems to have about 50 other trips to work around.LOL Must be nice SH.

Jerbear what are some good dates for you?

Any date is fine except for the week with Aug 4th in it. A few of you know what I mean. Three Strikes and I'm OUT!”

“Can I go?”

“Mr pac don't do groups
walkindude
11:27:26 PM
8/25/01

That's a gimmie, being dickless and all, what great orgy would possibly want him.
sirpeteofmillwork
7:22:16 PM
8/26/01


Sirpete - ROFLMBO-TIC

Great comeback..


Dates..I thought January was being kicked around? That works great because I'll have all my vacation days back!!”

“I thunk Jan/FEB would work for me!keep me informed!”

“The Sylamore Creek trail may be a good idea for a large group. There are access points every five miles at public camp sites. Blanchard Springs Caverns as well as some 'do it yourself' caves are on the route. Total trail length is about 14 miles.

Only one wet creek crossing that I know of.”

“Ice Tea - Come On Boy!

BacPac - How about showing that TexasWoodsWoman them thar caverns!

Jan-Feb is good!”

“Getting trapped a cave with that woman was never one of my fears.

Until Now!!!

Thanks alot Mozark.”

“I'm up for it, you pick the place steve hiker. I'm hoping to get into the group that is going to do the entire Ozark highland trail this year. Their going to do it one weekend a month until it's all done. I was going to do it last year but i broke my ankle two weeks before the first trip. If it's not during that weekend (provided i can get into the group) i'd love to go with you guys, my wife said she would go to.”

“You know what might be more fun for people who haven't been to the Buffalo area before. Camp someplace like kyles landing and do day hikes out to the coolest places in the upper buffalo area, like the goat trail, hawks bill, indian creek, hemmend-in-hollow, even the lost valley trail is pretty cool. They could all probably be done in three days.”

“I'm open to all suggestions. I've never hiked the Ozarks so I need some help from Arkansas folks or those who've been there. Once we've narrowed it down if there's still no clear concensus perhaps a few of us could do a reconisence trip in November to get the lay of the land.

From the feedback so far it looks like this is gonna be a kickass trip, wherever we end up.”

“In a cave with bacpac..the Lord would never do that to me..he has a great sense of humor and that would be downright sadistic”

“Devils Den State Park has a pretty good loop trail. Oops, there are caves there also.

Never mind.”

“I've done both the Old River and Buffalo River Trails between Ponca and Kyles Landing, good hikes both. Wouldn't mind going back.”

“Sorry bacpac & txwoodswoman I must have missed something. duh.

TrlHkr tell me more about the group that is going to section hike the Ozark Highlands Trail. I'm interested if it is open to others.

WolfSister catch a ride down with Jerbear. He's an Ohio type of bear.

For all of you locals don't forget the "GREAT ARKANSAS CLEANUP" the weekend of September 8th. Greers Ferry Lake is the place to be seen! I'll be there with a BSA Troop of really great kids. REALLY!

I didn't realize there were so many bpkers from Arkansas. Maybe we should get......nah I probably hike too slow!

Later,
Moz”

“mozark, it's with the ozark highland assn., but it's open to non members. The trouble is they only let ten people in a group hike, so you have to be pretty quick to get in. Probably members will get first chance, but i hope to get in this year. They do the trail one section a month (about twenty miles or so) every month til it's done, eight or nine months. The only reason it is cancelled is because of weather (icey roads and stuff like that).

I was set to go last year but had an accident. Hope to go this year. I've done a few trails with this club, some of them are real power walkers, that's not much fun but when you get in a group, at least you have some car pooling help.

I hope we can get a group of TT'ers to do some of the buffalo trail this winter. That would be cool. I scanned some pictures of indian creek and the arkansas cave for steve hiker, when i get his e-mail address i'll send them to him.”

“If your trip turns into a 100% backpacking trip for at least 3 days, I'll go.”

“My email address is steve.conley@att.net. Trlhikr, mozark and others who have hiked in north Arkansas, send me an email so we can discuss different trails for the ECT.

I'm looking at the possible hikes y'all have listed, on the internet, but I wanna get some firmer ideas from those who have actually trod the ground.

Yes this will be a backpacking trip, at least three days but hopefully with access points for those who will only have the weekend off.”

“We will make it so, because you are the Dude!”

“steve, have you ruled out the Ouacita Trail in Western AR?”

“I've got the map & Guide book for the Ouacita Trail.”

“I've hiked several sections of the Ouachita, it's pretty dry, depending on when you hike it. I think there is more water in the Ozarks or the Buffalo area. Ponca to Pruitt on the Buffalo would be a three day hike (26 miles). People that couldn't make all three days could come to kyles on the second day to hook up with everyone.”