Hike Reports
Nineteen TrailBlazers under the command of Alpha Male Ed and Alpha Female Judith headed up to the Ponca area under gray skies to hike Big Bluff. In Boxley Valley we were treated to green meadows and a fine herd of elk. At the Elk Education Center (who knew that elk needed to go to school!) we learned that it had rained two inches overnight. It was cool with a stiff breeze at the trailhead.
Once we hit the trail the breeze disappeared, but we had something new to contend with – lots of puddles of all sizes, rivulets on the trail, wet leaves, slippery rocks, and squishy mud, so we had to spend plenty of quality time watching our footing. This is the most water we have ever seen on this trail. As we finally approached the bluffs our first-timers were ready for their “aha” moment when they first experience the majestic bluff high above the Buffalo River. As we walked along the bluff little streams of water were dripping down from above. Cameras were clicking right and left as we scrambled around looking for a lunch seat with a view, something that was not hard to find! Xue overcame her fear of heights and gingerly walked along hugging the bluff since the trail is narrow in places. Some people opted to crawl through the window in the bluff while others climbed down to a lower ledge to bypass it in order to continue exploring the bluff and drinking in the view.
Of course, the return trip is all up hill, and we know that the return trip is longer even if this defies logic! Ed’s high-tech GPS indicated that this trail is about 6 miles round trip, not the 5.5 we believed it to be. Yours Truly’s low-tech knees believe it is even longer than that, but Big Bluff is well worth the effort! Missed you, Billigene - hope you are enjoying this at the library!
2012-01-28 Rockhouse Trail at Brushy Creek Photo Link: click here
On a chilly morning nineteen TrailBlazers and two canines under Captain Becky headed for Brushy Creek down in the Ouachitas. Of course, with recent rains, we were unsure if we were going to be able to hike our usual trail because of possible deep wet crossings and mud. Since Becky had been unsuccessful at prying info out of the rangers by phone, Danny and his crew drove around to do a little reconnaissance and found a trailhead for a hike on higher ground. We loaded up the vehicles to travel a rocky road that featured two big splashes through water holes. Since we left some cars behind, some folks got to ride in the baggage car!
We had not hiked this section of Rockhouse Trail before. At the trailhead we were on higher ground, so there were only a few places that were wet or muddy, and there were only a couple of small creek crossings. Very soon we came to an area with neat rock formations with see-through holes and small caves as well as a very pretty waterfall. A handful of people trekked down to have a closer look. It didn’t take long for people to start shedding layers. Along the trail we saw several interesting rocks with a combination of colors and striations. After we had hiked almost 2 miles, we stopped for lunch where it seemed cooler, so some people rummaged around in their packs for another layer. We trekked along with gentle ups and downs and eventually descended down to the rocky road and in no time we were back at the bridge over Brushy Creek.
Afterwards we checked out the campground and the creek before heading home. Instead of 7 miles, it was more like five, but Yours Truly’s knees had no complaints about that! We had a very pleasant trek and welcomed Becky back to the trails.
2012-01-21 Redding Loop Photo Link: click here
A Cecil B. DeMille-sized entourage of two score and three TrailBlazers plus two canines (actually one and a half!), under the direction of Buffalo Bob, headed up The Pig Trail to hike Redding Loop from the campground. In addition to newcomers from last week who were crazy enough to give us another chance, we had another bunch of newcomers today. To boot, this was a three-Bob hike!
In effort to prove that old dogs CAN learn new tricks, Bob had us hike the 6-mile loop from east to west, rather than our usual way, and we were up to the challenge. The day started out cool and hazy as we looped around on the east side of the road before crossing the highway to start our climb. A long line of trekkers was strung out along the trail as not all of us are Energizer Bunnies and some are vertically-challenged with short legs like Yours Truly! Along the way we saw blue hazy views through the trees, some little creeks and a small waterfall. At the halfway point we had to make a decision whether to make the 1.7 mile side trip to Spy Rock or continue back on the West Loop. It was a split decision, but those of us who hiked to the Rock were rewarded with great views under sunny skies from the high bluff over the valley. It was a neat lunch spot before heading down the mountain.
A handful of us walked through the small, 19th century Hill Family Cemetery, full of history, that was located close to our cars. There is one particularly poignant tombstone for a murdered toddler that tugs at your heartstrings. Another great stretch of the leg today!
2012-01-14 Sams Throne Photo Link: click here
On a bright and sunny, but cool and windy, day twenty-five TrailBlazers and two canines led by Linda headed for Mt. Judea to try to catch a glimpse of the ghost of Sam on top of his throne. Alas, as usual, the “go tell it on the mountain” preacher was a no-show, but we did not let that spoil our fun.
It actually was not nearly as cold as we expected, only when we were hit by a direct assault by the wind. We started down the trail and then reached the bluff line where we trekked along enjoying the views and catching our first glimpse of Sam’s Throne across the valley. It is always neat to hear the reactions of newcomers who are seeing this for the first time. After a while we hiked down the old rocky road and then picked up the trail again and started climbing. We saw a rock climber swinging back and forth on his rope against the backdrop of massive, towering palisades and a cave in the wall.
Finally we reached the steep, rocky slot canyon that leads to the staging area for ascending the crack up to the throne. Linda and Ed laid the groundwork with ropes. Ed got the big rope in place and Kenya helped set up the smaller rope to be used for hauling our backpacks – a new innovation! One by one we each figured out our own way to clamber up the crack, some with more grace than others! Fortunately there is always someone to offer a helping hand or offer technical advice. We ate our lunch on top and then explored the area on top of the throne. The descent went smoothly, with Don and Dick working a tag team approach to get Zach down the crack. As we looped around the base of the throne we were treated to the unexpected sight of a winter wonderland of all kinds of icicles on the bluffs. We had to watch for falling ice as some of the chunks were quite large and heavy. After a final climb up to the parking lot, our adventure was over all too soon.
2012-01-07 OHT - Ragtown Road to Highway 23 Photo Link: click here
Alina gives the following report: The hiking group met at Turner Bend Store about 10 am. Then we drove via White Rock Rd. to the trailhead. The incline of this road had several sharp curves with large, unusual rock formations covered with white moss. At the beginning of the hike most of us were chilly, and skies remained overcast all day. The first part of the walk was a smooth climb, with mostly oak trees spread loosely . The highlight of the day was crossing Fane Creek. After this point several of us terminated the hike not attempting to ascend the mountain ahead.
The rest of the story from Linda: Hiking the path of the old steam engine tracks was very interesting terrain. We crossed several waterfall areas that would have been great Kodak moments if they had water. This first section of the woods was so clear of underbrush unlike parts of the second section that was filled with underbrush and briars. After six of the Trailblazers left us at Fane Creek it was a hard 1500 foot climb up to and across Whiting Mountain. The uphill seemed to go on and on like the energizer bunny, and some of us could have used new batteries. Nearing the end we went thru an area that had the biggest grape vines and lots and lots of them. As we went past the “Rock House” near the end of the trail no one was willing to make the incline up to visit. We tried our best to mimic the clown car at the rodeo and loaded up 14 Trailblazers and gear into Dewayne’s truck where he took us to Turner Bend to wait for the drivers to go back to the trailhead to get the rest of the vehicles. We closed down the store and it got dark out front.
2011-12-17 Lake Fayetteville Photo Link: click here
Twenty-seven TrailBlazers under the command of Captain Kenya headed up to Fayetteville to do a 5 ½ mile urban park trek as our last hike of 2011. The weather was sunny and cool – perfect conditions for hiking. Part of the hike was on a paved trail but most was on dirt side trails. They must have had good rains in the area because in places it was muddy, marshy, or slick. Along the way we spotted several frost flowers, some past their prime, but others in good shape.
Here and there we were able to catch glimpses of the lake because of the leaf fall. There were also several bridges of various sizes. One creek crossing was a little tricky, so Tom offered a helping hand to the damsels in distress who were log-hopping and rock-stepping. Since this hike didn’t offer a lot of photo ops, at this juncture Magda stepped into the breach to provide us some camera (aka “Canon”) fodder. Avoiding Tom, she walked along the creek to cross a narrower part when all of a sudden a tree jumped out and bit her in the ear. She fell into the water, hurt her hand, and ending up emptying water out of her boots and wringing out her socks. What a trooper! After that nobody else rose to the challenge of offering us a good photo op!
Toward the end of the hike we crossed an “award winning” bridge that featured water flowing over a dam on one side. Reaching the parking lot around noon, we all headed out to find places to eat and some stayed on to shop. Merry Christmas - see y’all next year!
2011-12-11 Chaffee Crossing Photo Link: click here
Some 29 TrailBlazers and 2 canines did a little urban trekking at Fort Chaffee and hoofed up to the new amphitheater on the top of a hill. A brisk, sunny Sunday afternoon made for perfect hiking conditions, and a short commute was also a welcome change.
An ailing Yours Truly with a bad back got the time wrong and missed the group hike because when she followed the group down the road, she couldn’t figure out where they had turned off the road! Making the best of it, she trekked the trails near and around Wells Lake.
2011-12-03 Robbers Cave Revisited Photo Link: click here
Seven All-weather, Wash ‘n Wear TrailBlazers and one canine once again headed to Oklahoma to hike another branch of the Robbers Cave Trail. Buffalo Bob, Trail Boss of the Day, had called Drew of Channel 40 Weather fame for a consult on the weather. He predicted light hit or miss AM showers with rain picking up at noon.
It started to rain as we reached Wilburton en route to the trailhead. We got decked out in rain gear, but the rain mostly stopped as we hit the trail. Some sections of the trails are not well maintained and the signage and the trail map (more diagrammatic than accurate!) left something to be desired, but between Bob’s low-tech map and Dick’s high tech GSP we found the trail. Those darned double blue blazes were a tad elusive, but we found our way after using the horse trail to get across the creek. Along the way we saw views of the creek, a couple of ponds, and lots of rock formations. Around noon we had a brief snack and then pushed on for fear of rain. It started raining for the last mile – Drew was right on - and as we approached the end it was raining quite a bit harder, but it was not quite a downpour! Let’s put it this way – backpacks will need to dry out for a while! The rain put a literal damper on any desire to do any cave exploration, something to be left for another day, so we headed for the parking lot where there was a little pavilion that proved to be a perfect lunch spot. Most of us looked a little bedraggled except for Judy who looked great!
We went on to the Visitors Center to see the nature room and talk trails with a ranger, and then checked out the little museum with its interesting tidbits about local history. Good day in spite of the elements!
2011-11-27 Lee Creek Turkey Trot Photo Link: click here
In spite of gray, chilly, windy conditions 29 TrailBlazers and 2 canines opted to come out for our Post-Thanksgiving Turkey Trot at Lee Creek in Van Buren. Fortunately the trail is sheltered, so it wasn’t quite as cold and windy as the CV parking lot! Speedy, our old friend and one-time TrailBlazer, came out of retirement to lead us on his favorite historic trail.
After hiking over to the graveyard of the Bodine family to check out the graves and ruins of their old buildings, we trekked up to the scenic bluff overlooking the reservoir. Continuing down the trail we came to the Civil War graveyard where about 300 African-American Confederate soldiers are buried, a few with actual gravestones but most with small vertical rock markers. After hiking over to the creek with its aquamarine waters we saw several small waterfalls and then trekked up to the crack in the rocks that looks like some of the crevices at Devil’s Den. From the top of the high ridge we were able to see some neat falls in the distance. Hoofing back down the trail we came to a waterlogged section requiring some fancy footwork. All too soon we were back at the parking lot where the sun finally decided to favor us with some bright, if not warm, rays. Déjà vu all over again – Mt. Magazine!
2011-11-21 Tim Ernst Program Photo Link: click here
Despite the downpour of rain, over 160 Tim Ernst fans braved the elements to view his new slideshow featuring Arkansas waterfalls and scenic landscapes. It was a wonderful blend of beautiful images and music. If you missed this show, Tim will be at the Fort Smith Public Library Tuesday, December 6, at 7 PM. I highly recommend it!
2011-11-19 Mt Magazine Photo Link: click here
Twenty-nine TrailBlazers (but 2 bailed before the hike) headed up to Mt Magazine to see the beautiful fall color, but life threw us a curve. Bad forecast – it turned out to be foggy, gray and chilly on the mountain bathed in a low-hanging cloud. Once the sun acted like it was going to peek through, but it ended up rolling over and going back to sleep. In a momentary flash of genius Yours Truly made the executive decision to take the group pic in an indoor fog-free setting.
From the Visitors Center Katie, our Trail Boss of the Day, started us out on the Will Apple Trail down to the horse camp where we crossed the road to pick up Bear Hollow. The bad news is that the scenic views and fall color were shrouded in gun-metal gray, but the good news is that we were not subjected to the really bad conditions experienced at Queen Wilhelmina last fall! Camera buffs were disappointed with the lack of great photo ops, but the hiking conditions weren’t bad and we had a fun group. Inspiration Point needed a great imagination, and the view from Sunrise Rock was not what we are accustomed to, but it’s still a great place to eat. Afterwards we hoofed up the trail as the cloud we were enveloped in got thicker and grayer. Next we reached the East Loop of the Benefield to hike the rim trail where we saw such spectacular color last year. Unfortunately, it was pretty much a gray-out. We ended the hike at the parking lot where we had shuttled cars. By now the pea soup fog was such that Bonanza Bob and Judy got lost in the cloud when they came back to pick us up. Katie was ready for search and rescue, but they finally found their way. At the end the Mt Mag Action Group served goodies at the Visitors Center and had a silent auction! Thank you! As luck would have it, the cloud disappeared and fall color resurfaced as we came down the mountain.
2011-11-12 Seven Hollows at Petit Jean Photo Link: click here
Twenty-four TrailBlazers made a scenic drive to Petit Jean under the command of Buffalo Bob to search for all seven elusive hollows. Once again our crack forecasters got it wrong – instead of warm, sunny and windy, it was cooler and cloudy with an occasional welcome breeze – great hiking conditions! To prove that we are flexible, we did the trail counterclockwise. After a while Bob headed off to do some spelunking on his own, so Tom grabbed the early lead until Kenya took over. Fall color was late this year and is lasting longer, so we saw wonderful photo ops as we walked through the canyon with its towering bluffs and colorful trees. Here and there the trail has steep steps making it tricky for vertically challenged people like Yours Truly.
When we reached the side trail to the grotto, Bob had already emerged from the bowels of the earth to meet us. Lunch in the grotto featured entertainment in the form of a patriotic young Canadian who stripped down to his mean and lean black satin skivvies that featured a large, strategically-placed, red maple leaf. He jumped into the water and cavorted around under the falls - cameras clicked and he earned a standing ovation – at least from the ladies! He certainly wasn't camera-shy! Takahik, can you top that?
Next some of us went up through the Natural Bridge and on up to Turtle Rocks where the views were spectacular and Yours Truly road a turtle bareback. Randy managed to get caught on greenbrier, shedding blood for us as an encore to the maple leaf show in the grotto! Becky came to the rescue with a bandage. Beautiful hike!
2011-11-05 Kings Falls Pedestal Rocks Photo Link: click here
Sherri gives the following report: Started out cloudy and cool but it was an awesome sight to behold. Great color still on the trees and we did the Pedestal Rocks Loop first, had lunch under the cliffs, and then on to the dry bones of King's Bluff (just a small trickle of water that I did not expect to see) and then up and out and down the road to CJ's for burgers & fries. New faces and old friends ..... we had it all today and enjoyed every last minute!
P.S. The funny sight to behold lying down on the trail is Rose, a friend who hiked for the first time today. We wore her plumb out she said ..... she's a HOOT!
2011-10-29b Lake Ft Smith to Dockery Gap Photo Link: click here
Here’s the scoop from field reporter Linda, one of 10 Energizer Bunnies on a 10.4 mile hike:
The morning started out frosty for ten TrailBlazers with Wilson leading us on the Ozark Highlands trail. But it didn’t take long into the hike and we were shedding jackets. The beautiful fall colors were just lovely all along the trail and the big rock boulders in all the ravines were a sight to see. This is one of the best times to be hiking with the trails sprinkled with yellow and red leaves. It was also sprinkled with a ten dollar bill that Danny happened to spot and retrieve.
The walking sticks (insects, not trekking poles!) were out in force today also. Bob was just letting one walk all over him but when two landed on Xue Yan, she was dancing and hollering about them being on her. As it worked out wading shoes were not necessary but unfortunate for Lake Fort Smith because it is very low on the Frog Bayou end. It was a wonderful fall day to be out hiking Arkansas. Many thanks to Dewayne for shuttling us back to Lake Fort Smith.
Did y’all notice that the men outnumber the women two to one? The women usually outnumber the men by three or four to one!
Some other TrailBlazers hiked at Robbers Cave today. Click on "more" below to see what they were up to.
2011-10-29 Robbers Cave Photo Link: click here
Wanting to do a shorter hike and see something new, 7 renegade TrailBlazers made the scenic drive over to Wilburton, OK to check out Robbers Cave State Park. Ha had intended to go to Lake Fort Smith with the Energizer Bunnies, but arrived too late at the rendezvous, so she shifted gears and opted for Plan B. This was a good thing because she is detail-oriented and good at finding elusive blue trail blazes.
The park is quite large, so after passing numerous campgrounds we eventually came to the parking lot for the Robbers Cave Loop. We set out, seeing a wide trail straight ahead, but this turned out to be a decoy to confuse the uninitiated, so we turned around and found the turn we had missed and started following the blue blazes. Thankfully there was cooler air today as we trekked along a rocky trail and saw lots of fall color. After a while we saw a pretty creek and made our way down to it to look around. The spot was so pretty that we decided to eat lunch there. Afterwards we trekked a while until an eagle-eyed Ha noticed that we were seeing double – 2 blue blazes. At the same time Bonanza Bob’s cerebral GPS felt that we were going in the wrong direction; this was confirmed by Yours Truly’s cheapo Wally World compass, so we turned back until we no longer were seeing double. Actually it was just a scenic side trip and that’s our story and we are sticking to it.
Eventually we arrived at the cave area and explored several slot caves as well as Robbers Cave, a large open cave that is best reached by mountain goats. There were lots of people scrambling around here, there and everywhere, which goes to prove that there is a little kid in all of us. We had a great time exploring this scenic area.
2011-10-22 Hawksbill Crag-Lost Valley Photo Link: click here
On a beautiful, crisp autumn morning 34 TrailBlazers, including several newcomers, headed up the Pig Trail in search of fall color. Arriving at Hawksbill Crag trailhead we found that the weather had warmed up considerably as we trekked our way up to check out the old bird at the top. Here and there we saw several trees with leaves of scarlet, orange or gold. It is always beautiful to trek along the bluff trail to view the fall color as well as neat rock formations. At each overlook we stopped to see if we could catch our first glimpse of the famous crag. Once rewarded with our first peek, everyone whipped out cameras and started clicking away. In spite of many cars parked along the road we managed to have the crag mostly to ourselves when we reached the top. Of course, this was our great lunch spot and playground to check out the views and visit. Many of us felt pretty warm by the time we hoofed back to the cars.
Next we made tracks for Lost Valley in Boxley Valley and had no trouble “finding” it since this is one of the few places we hike that is clearly marked! Due to heavy spring rains a great deal of damage was done to this area, so we were pleased to see that a lot of clean up has been done. Currently no camping is allowed, probably due to a combination of the severe recent flooding and the terrible tragedy down at Albert Pike. Of course, since now there is no sign of all that water, it was the driest we have ever seen it. The little pond that is normally in front of the Natural Bridge is just a few small puddles. Eden Falls are down to a trickle that is not visible but can be faintly heard. Nevertheless, the area is beautiful with its towering bluffs silhouetted against the blue skies. Some of our ambitious energizer bunnies trekked up to Eden Cave to do a little spelunking in the cavern beyond the entrance. Another great day!
2011-10-15 Mt Nebo Rim Trail Photo Link: click here
On a beautiful warm and sunny October day, not hot and muggy like last week, two dozen TrailBlazers made the scenic drive to Mt. Nebo to trek the rim trail around the top of the mountain. Our very own Nebo Dude, temporarily forsaken by Nebo Lady in favor of War Eagle, was our enthusiastic leader on his favorite mountain, a sort of home away from home.
After enjoying the view from the Visitors Center we hiked in the direction of Sunrise Point and had to pussyfoot up and down over the stony trail with its rocky staircases. Along the way we enjoyed some fall color, drank in the scenic views, saw some wildflowers, checked out the cave, and even saw a hang glider soaring near the rim. A large, brand-new home is now located close to the campground. Crossing the road we picked up the trail again and were treated to some colorful beautyberry along the trail. An army moves on its stomach, so Nebo Dude found us a great lunch sight – the yard of his neat mountain retreat on Sunrise Point.
After lunch we had an up close and personal view of a big yellow hang glider sitting on the edge of the rim just as we were picking up the trail again. We were treated to more scenic views as we circled the mountain. Fortunately we had no difficulty with the bridge troll who did not manage to bilk us of our hard-earned money as we trekked on to Sunset Point where there is another panoramic view. After that we had a short hike back to the Visitors Center. Great day with some great company!
2011-10-08 Lake Lincoln Photo Link: click here
A hot and sunny day found 29 TrailBlazers up at Lake Lincoln with the goal of circumnavigation of the lake with Captain Linda at the helm. Our last outing here back in February was interesting because it was a balmy day with snow on the ground. On that occasion we thought the first leg of the hike was a steep, long, uphill trek. It must have been the slippery snow that made us think that, because today the uphill start did not seem particularly steep or long!
First we trekked out to the point to have a beautiful panoramic view of the lake. Hiking back to pick up the lower eagle trail, we suddenly felt like we were seeing the same movie twice. It seems that we somehow hiked the same loop at least twice! When Linda was asked if we were lost, she said no because she knew exactly where we were on the map – it was just that we were walking in circles. Y’all could say it was déjà vu all over again!
In the fullness of time we arrived at a shaded creek that seemed like a great lunch spot. Next we picked up the trail again and finally reached a section that was well marked but not well maintained so in need of some TLC. After a while the trail improved and we found ourselves on the other side of the lake where we were treated to magnificent views of the high rocky point where we had explored early in the day. Crossing back over the earthen dam, we found the trail again and finished our hike around the lake.
Surprisingly, in spite of the drought and it being early fall, there was already evidence of touches of autumn color here and there along the trail. Linda brought along some garbage bags, so several people did their best to help keep Lake Lincoln beautiful. It was good to be back on the trail again. Mt. Nebo, here we come next Saturday!
2011-10-02 10th Season Kickoff Picnic Photo Link: click here
Two score and more TrailBlazers hot footed it up Devil’s Den to start our new season. In addition to the rank and file, we were happy to see old friends we haven’t seen in a while as well as newcomers. The weather was beautiful and everybody is ready to hit the trails again.
Some of us did the traditional Devil’s Den trail lead by Captain Linda, others went with Becky up to Yellow Rock, and the rest moseyed along the creek near the pavilion. Y’all will be sorry to hear that the park is suffering from major dehydration and needs a giant IV feeding. The lake above the dam is a dried up mud hole, no water was cascading over the dam, and the spillway below it was muddy orange. Alas, there was no water in the falls on the trail – all this in marked contrast to the lovely water show at our end of season picnic in May. Nevertheless, there are always lots of other things to see along the trails.
Of course, the highlight is always the picnic with our traditional hot dogs augmented by all kinds of salads, munchies, side dishes, and desserts courtesy of our members. Of course, we all did justice to the food, so we will need to work it off next Saturday at Lincoln Lake. Come and join us.
2011-09-19 Bernard de la Harpe Program Photo Link: click here
Our great 10th season kickoff program at the Nature Center featured Bernard de la Harpe aka Steven Dunlap, a time traveler from 18th century French Louisiana who conscripted us for one year for his historic fact-finding expedition in 1721. First he shanghaied the voyagers, men who had to build dugout canoes in one week to haul all the gear upriver against the current. They were bribed with the promise of a full ration of booze every day – many of us would have volunteered had we known! Next he rounded up hunters to harvest deer and bison and also traders to barter for food, moccasins, and information. Lastly he needed surveyors with compasses and some math skills to calculate distances, map the rivers, and make observations about the suitability of the land for colonization.
Bernard, a real historical figure, seemed to be an able leader even though he was somewhat full of himself in his fancy getup with all the gold buttons. He expressed doubt about both our intelligence and our abilities – rude of him even if he was right! He did write a great journal of our adventure. Our trip lasted less than a year because we all got sick with the trots and some Indians took pity on us and we finally arrived home. Only one of us died, but the TrailBlazers won’t divulge this info in case the victim doesn’t realize his own demise.
Steven did a great job, was very funny, and displayed artifacts, both real and re-created, to help us visualize the time he lived in.
If you want to see our cleanup team in action at The Nature Center on Saturday, click on more below and check it out.
2011-09-17 Cleanup Caper at River Valley Photo Link: click here
A group of eight TrailBlazers made up of 7 bag ladies and 1 brave man (who is not a misogynist!) picked up trash at the River Valley Nature Center along with other area volunteers. As you can see, they had to get down and dirty in their grungy pursuit, but it looks like they managed to have a few laughs in the process.
Good job! Wouldn’t it be nice if the people who used this facility could pack out their own trash so that others wouldn’t have to clean up after them? I guess we can dream, but it wouldn’t be a good idea to hold our breaths waiting for this to happen!
2011-06-25 Glacier National Park Trip Photo Link: click here
After a 5-year hiatus, 30 TrailBlazers returned to Glacier with our base camp at Alpine House and Mountain Timbers Cabin in Columbia Falls. The good news was the scenic hikes, great photo ops, fun company, and pretty good weather. The bad news was that the gorgeous center of the park was still inaccessible due to snow and road damage, only allowing about 15-mile access on either side of the park, and it was a bumper crop year for mosquitoes!
Sun. we walked the Trail of the Cedars spotting a bear, trekked up to Avalanche Lake for a soggy lunch, and explored the McDonald Lake Lodge area. Mon. at Two Medicine we hoofed to Aster Falls and on up to the Overlook in the heat, trekked up to Apostoki Falls with its ice plug, and hiked over to Running Eagle Falls. Tues. at Many Glacier we climbed up to Ptarmigan Falls through a few snow fields while spotting deer and a moose. There were also trips to the St. Mary Entrance to see the eastern part of Going to the Sun Road, and hikes on the west side on Johns Lake Trail as well as trekking on the park road, only open to hikers, beyond Avalanche Lake parking lot.
Several people drove up to Waterton Lakes, the Canadian section of Glacier, to hike Red Rocks Canyon and Blackiston Falls trails, visit Cameron Lake, sight bears as well as dine at the historic Prince of Wales Hotel. Ask John about his high point (a low in US/Canadian relations) with Cruella DeVil, our Canadian crossing guard, who denied him his inalienable human right to defend himself from man-eating skeeters during her interrogation, probably because she thought Billigene was Ma Barker with her gang – a great story that will age like fine wine!
Thank you to Becky for all her advance work, our regrets for her early return home, and condolences for the loss of George.
2011-05-22 Season Finale at Devils Den Photo Link: click here
About 3 dozen TrailBlazers gathered at Devil’s Den for our end of season hike and picnic. The good news was that weather.com’s hourly forecast for rain this afternoon did not materialize; it turned out to be a hot day with some sunshine and no rain at all. The bad news was that humidity was about 135%, and that was a conservative estimate! The dam had plenty of water cascading over it.
Most of us opted to hike the old Devil’s Den Trail, starting out on the little trail through the old CCC camp, home to those wonderful stone masons who built the cabins as well as many walls and stone steps. This trail is short but very scenic with its side trail to the crevices, the Devil’s Den Cave, the Ice Box, some waterfalls, rocky bluffs, and views of the creek. The Ice Box was closed so we couldn’t go in to cool off. This hike is a mini workout as there are a lot of ups and downs. The rocks on the trail were mud-covered in places and quite slick. Even though the trail is relatively short, most people felt like it was long enough considering how sticky and muggy it was.
Of course, a highlight of the finale is the wiener roast with all the salads and goodies provided by the members. So little time, so many choices, and so little room! Becky, we missed you today and want to thank you for all the planning you do. Yours Truly would like to thank everyone for the beautiful Thank You card, Original Creation by Linda, that features my battle-weary Fuji! Happy trails to you – see y’all in the fall.
2011-05-14 Sugar Creek Photo Link: click here
Knoppers Ford to Jack Creek
Sherri gave Yours Truly the facts, ma'am, just the facts! Thirteen happy hikers with Linda in the lead did lots of rock hopping as well as footwashing. There were some lovely flowers along the way and as usual the rock formations were a sight to see.
Sherri: We forded 3 cold creeks with deep, fast water and made our way through poison ivy the likes of which we have never seen before - and the ticks were way too friendly .... but a beautiful hike! I think we all enjoyed our day in the woods!
Editorial comment from Yours Truly: What happened to late spring in the Natural State? Looks a tad chilly for mid May!
2011-05-07 Little Missouri Photo Link: click here
A small band of TrailBlazers trekked down in the Ouachitas on the trail to Missouri Falls.
Here's the scoop from Cindy: The hike started out great. It was sunny but cool and breezy, and the birds were singing. We just had the one crossing that no one was able to cross dry. The water was beautiful but then, I'm partial to the water. We couldn't take pictures to do it justice because of the sunshine. About the time we finished the last crossing, it warmed up and the breeze quit blowing. It was hot for the rest of the hike.
Alina reports: We had a lovely hike this past weekend, total 7 people. Started at Albert Pike and ended at Little Mo. falls. The highlights of the hike were crossing the river 2 times, last crossing very scenic with water rushing over big boulders . We made several relaxing stops. For me the grand finale of the hike was toward the end, where the forest looked like the Amazon jungle with cascading wild magnolias in bloom emitting a sweet fragrance. Billigene is inspirational.
2011-04-29 Buffalo Lodge Weekend Photo Link: click here
The TrailBlazers once again made their annual weekend pilgrimage to the Buffalo River, with 27 cozying up at Buffalo Lodge and another 9 staying in the area. Weather has been rather unsettled lately, but Friday was beautiful for our traditional evening wiener roast supplemented with all kinds of goodies from our members. The evening was spent talking, watching the Royal Wedding, imbibing, doing puzzles, making plans, or whatever, but NOT in the empty hot tub - bummer!
Saturday’s weather was iffy but we managed to have a great day anyway. Eight members rafted the Buffalo with scores of others. With owner permission a large group hiked at Home Valley Bluff, with one contingent bushwhacking down to the bottom and encountering a snake (yikes!) and another group exploring the bluff line on the top. It was a beautiful hazy view, but by the time we hiked out we were enveloped in a low-hanging cloud. In light rain this same group then tried to trek the first section of the BRT in Boxley Valley, but was turned away by a wet crossing. Next some opted to hike Smith Creek Nature Preserve and others hiked on the BRT from Ponca access. Wilson led still another band in a successful search for waterfalls. Back at the lodge we were treated to a pulled pork dinner. A big thank you to Becky and other members for advance food preparation and planning.
Into every life a little rain must fall, but sometimes your cup runneth over and you get too much of a good thing! After getting up bright and early on Sunday, several of us headed to Triple Falls, quite spectacular, at Camp Orr. There were various plans afoot for the next adventure, but the skies opened up and we were treated to an all day rain. This put a damper on many plans, but Buffalo Lodge is really all about fun, food (not to mention drink!), and fellowship!
2011-04-16 Glory Hole and Magnolia Falls Photo Link: click here
Twenty-six TrailBlazers led by Captain Kenya headed up Highway 21 on a brisk and breezy day in search of waterfalls. Unlike last week’s tropical temps, this week’s weather was quite chilly at the Glory Hole Trailhead. The sight of large puddles on the trail from recent heavy rains suggested great falls. Along the trail we saw lots of dogwood and some wildflowers, but not the same profusion of them as last week. Newcomers were treated to the impressive sight of the creek funneling itself into a round hole etched in the rocks by tons of water flowing downhill for centuries.
As we continued trekking downhill, we had to watch our footing as we descended into the canyon below where great sheets of water create a gorgeous waterfall shooting down through the Glory Hole. There were several other waterfalls on the hillsides. Of course, we spent quality time scrambling over rocks and boulders to view and photograph the falls from every angle. On the uphill return some of us hiked part of the way back along the creek trail so we could view several falls and cascades in the water-laden creek.
Next we drove to the Magnolia Falls Trailhead and started down the trail, an obstacle course in places due to ice damage. When we reached the creek we saw lots of mini falls all over the place and finally arrived at the falls where we ate lunch – some at creek side and others sitting high above the falls. The light was not at its best for our pictures, but we never let something like that stop us! Again we explored and did battle with some vicious greenbrier as we followed the creek to see Woods Boys Falls where there was an enormous umbrella magnolia getting ready to bloom. On the way back Alexis grabbed the lead and gave us commentary on trail conditions and points of interest. Beautiful day for hiking and lots of water!
2011-04-09 OHT to Haw Creek Falls Photo Link: click here
On a hot day twenty-one TrailBlazers drove up a dogwood-lined Highway 123 in search of FR 1003 for our trailhead on the Ozark Highlands Trail. The fly in the ointment was that there is no sign for the road, our directions were a tad “approximate,” some more approximate than others, and the elusive trailhead was shy about revealing itself to strangers. To add insult to injury there was no cell reception! Two carloads finally found the trail head and took off hiking with their drivers heading back to Haw Creek.
With no long-legged energizer bunnies in the lead, a bunch of wildflower enthusiasts ambled along and were treated to wildflowers galore. There were several dry creek crossings and a few rock-hoppers until we reached Big Water requiring bare feet as we had no water shoes. Who would have “thunk” it with the drought? About this time the rest of the troops had finally found the trailhead and hot-footed down the trail, seeing a bunch of feral hogs en route. They caught up with us at the wet crossing. The flat rocks were slippery and the rest of them were pointy and sharp. This was not welcome news to Billigene, but our birthday girl gallantly rose to the challenge!
After reaching the other side we lunched by the creek and then continued trekking up and down a rocky trail on a very hot day until we reached Haw Creek Campground. There was water flowing over the low bridge, so our feet got a little damp crossing it except for Billigene. A gentleman of the old school in a pick-up gave our little lady a lift! Haw Creek Falls were beautiful and we finally managed to take our group picture. Some of us spent quality time cooling our hot feet in the water. Magda threw caution to the wind, following Hannah out on top of the rapid water on the top of the falls. Great day!
2011-04-02 Big Bluff Photo Link: click here
Nineteen TrailBlazers, led by Judith and Ed, had a great spring day to head up to Ponca to hike Big Bluff. As we drove through the lush, green Boxley Valley in mid-morning, we saw several large herds of elk on both sides of the road. What a treat!
It was quite mild as we started the trek down to the bluff on an ice-damaged trail, but it became warm very quickly, inspiring some to shed their pant legs. The trek starts out as a nice, civilized path and then descends into a rocky, sometimes muddy, trail with many horseshoe tracks. There were lots of people on the trail today, more than we have ever seen.
After about 2 ½ miles we reached the bluffs area and caught our first glimpse of the Buffalo from high above the river. Majestic bluffs are on the left side of the trail. Eventually the protected trail becomes a ledge, quite narrow in places, high above the river. Several hikers were experiencing this for the first time, but it is an impressive sight for veterans as well as newcomers. We enjoyed watching several canoes down on the river. Those folks were treated to the dubious honor of being serenaded by 19 banshees hooting, hollering, and whistling at them!
The bluff is massive and features unusual rock formations as well as a hole to crawl through. After taking time to explore the bluff, eat lunch, and take numerous photos, the fun really began. What goes down, must go back up, so we had to hoof back up the trail in the heat of midday, and some heavy breathing could be heard – no names, please! Yours Truly believes the trail is longer going back, and she is sticking to her story.
Along the trail we saw some signs of spring including serviceberry, flowering trees, violets and assorted wildflowers that are just starting to bloom. Great day for a beautiful hike!
2011-03-26 Sams Throne Photo Link: click here
On a gray, wet day when the hike was officially canceled, four waterproof TrailBlazers and one canine threw caution to the wind and headed up to Sam’s Throne anyway.
The trail was wet and slippery, calling for caution while trekking along the ledge at the beginning of the hike. Wilson served as hike leader and put a jewel in his crown by bringing a sturdy rope for the slick climb through the crack in the boulders to reach the top of the throne. Gray conditions give a different kind of beauty to the area. Unfortunately, the fog clouded up the panoramic view from the top.
In any case, they all look happy and arrived home safe and sound. Yours Truly of the bad knees thinks that this would have been too slippery for her!
2011-03-19 Marinoni Scenic Area Photo Link: click here
Sixteen TrailBlazers and 2 canines headed up the Pig Trail on a gray, cool morning to explore the Marinoni Scenic area under the leadership of three Valleys. At Turner Bend several people bought sandwiches, and the store gave a free baggie of meat to Judy and Dick for Zach. Yours Truly briefly considered entertaining the owners with a couple of cute arf-arfs and a winsome smile to see if she could do some mooching of her own!
At the trailhead some backpackers were still in their sleeping bags and surely enjoyed hearing a bunch of rowdies getting organized and taking the group pic. The first leg was all up hill with Judith leading the charge, so it didn’t take long for our trekkers to start shedding their layers. Tiny little wildflowers were trying to bloom, but it is still early. After a while we came to that neat passage through a boulder field and enjoyed the rocky view from the top. After a while Ed took over leadership duties, but he soon had to play second banana to Tina who was in HER “element” – a little pun!
There was some water in the creek, and we saw several falls with just a little water, but we were pleased to see any at all considering the lack of rain. In the canyon there were several massive bluffs and interesting rock formations. We ate lunch along the creek where we met up with three not-so-friendly men on horseback. Horses are not allowed on this trail. They had several unleashed dogs running helter-skelter and made no attempt to call them back even though we were a large group with 2 dogs of our own. We also found two friendly dogs on the trail that were either dumped or lost. One had a collar with a phone number so hopefully the owner will fetch him when contacted.
We had an enjoyable hike with plenty of time to look around this beautiful area.
2011-03-12 Kings River-Sweden Creek Falls Photo Link: click here
Thirty-three TrailBlazers headed up Highway 23 to the St. Paul area to do two short waterfall hikes. In the process we took a long, scenic road trip, some on dusty dirt roads, all over North Central Arkansas. First we went to Kings River and trekked along its banks with views of some lush green pastures on the other side of the trail. Along the way there were some small falls in the river and some cascading falls down a hillside. Pleasantly surprised to find that the Kings River Falls had a nice flow of water, we took time to explore the area before heading back.
As the crow flies, distances are short, but crows don’t drive, so it took us a while to get to the Sweden Falls area. It was a tad tricky to find on a narrow gravel road. As luck (bad) would have it, we got some input from a man driving a chicken poop spreader truck. He told us to give him the right of way since he had no brakes. We caved in because discretion is the better part of valor!
After finding the dilapidated sign, we climbed over some barbed wire, bushwhacked for a while in the heat, lost our bearings for a few minutes, and eventually found the old road. We finally ate a late lunch and serenaded Kathy with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday – no wonder we didn’t see any wild life. Then we trekked down the rocky, slippery ridge trail to the cool, shaded box canyon to view Sweden Creek Falls and rest in the cool shade. It was a great day for hiking and we had a large turnout.
2011-03-05 Charlton Trail to Lake Ouachita Photo Link: click here
Twenty TrailBlazers made the scenic drive down to the Ouachitas enjoying flowering forsythia, serviceberry, magnolia, wild plum and Bradford pear trees. It was damp, chilly and windy as we waited for the shuttle drivers, so to keep warm some of us started out immediately from Charlton Campground heading for Lake Ouachita. The first leg of the trail has a significant elevation gain, but the trail climbs gradually and has switchbacks, so it wasn’t hard. As we climbed, the wind started to really whip around, so out came some windbreakers and gloves. There was a lovely, hazy view from the high ridge.
Bonanza Bob took the early lead and was praised for his restrained pace, welcome to many of us! We saw several serviceberry trees along the trail, and of course there were lots of pines, some holly trees and tons, literally, of quartz rocks because all of these are characteristic of this area. After a while, Billigene grabbed the lead. Although it wasn’t long until the shuttle crew was gaining on us, our octogenarian matriarch held them off until lunchtime! We finally found an area, out of the wind, with some rocks and logs to sit on, so we decided to eat. No sooner had we plopped down when the wind started to pick up – oh, well, Murphy’s Law is alive and well!
Hike leader Katie finally gained command of her troops as we trekked up and down, crossed some little creeks, saw an old spring, and finally reached Lake Ouachita. The sun only put in a few cameo appearances of short duration, but the temps did warm up some. A highlight of the hike was Hanna’s head gear – her mosquito net was either for mourning, to block the wind, to make a fashion statement, or an attempt to impersonate Mata Hari. Only Hanna knows. It was an enjoyable hike and 4.3 miles was a comfortable distance.
2011-02-26 Hare Mountain Photo Link: click here
Under gray skies with a chill in the air, nineteen TrailBlazers headed up Highway 23 to trek up Hare Mountain, the highest point on the OHT. Wilson led the 7.4 mile charge from Cherry Bend up the mountain and over to the Hare Mountain trailhead. Several years ago we did this same hike in a pea soup fog and saw nothing, so even with hazy skies we fared much better today!
This hike involves a lot of ups and downs with fairly large elevation gains and losses, so we got some exercise. Recent rains, much needed, left a few mushy, squishy patches to navigate. There was some water running in the creeks with an occasional mini falls to please the eye. When we finally reached the ridge on top we had beautiful views on both sides bathed in bluish haze, Arkansas’ answer to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
At our traditional lunch spot we met some backpackers setting up camp. Much to our dismay the picnic table had been moved, stolen, or otherwise purloined, so we made do with damp rocks and logs while lunching in a cool breeze. Some of us made the short trek to check out the old fireplace built by long-gone settlers as well as the old well.
The sun was very stingy with a few anemic rays during most of the hike, but we did see some sun during the final leg and even more on the drive home. We hiked through a couple of cushy pine groves on the way down. Yours Truly was doing fine until the very end when her poor old knees showed they were the worse for wear after last week’s bushwhack. In any case, we had an enjoyable hike.
2011-02-19 Forked and Flatside Mts Photo Link: click here
Nineteen TrailBlazers left Van Buren on an overcast, windy morning to drive I-40 and Route 7 down to the Ouachitas to Forked Mountain. We traveled part of the way up the mountain on a dusty dirt road to start the hike. Alas, there was no trail to speak of, so this was more of a scramble-bramble bushwhack than a hike - somewhat reminiscent of Pinnacle Mountain. Therefore, Yours Truly cannot award it her foot, ankle or knee-friendly rating as she ended the hike with her own poor knobby knees a-knocking! For her it must be a one-time “been there, done that” experience! Various TrailBlazers pushed, pulled or hauled her over some rough spots.
It was warm and sunny as we started out on a four-wheeler road that abruptly ended leaving us faced with a tall, rocky wall. Here we started attacking a boulder field and ever-so-carefully pussyfooted our way upward. One hiker abandoned the assault immediately and we lost a few more along the way. Eventually we reached the top where there were great views. After taking photos for bragging rights, we then slipped, tripped, slid, stumbled or bumbled our way down the other side of the mountain. We spent about 2 hours doing this 1-mile round trip trek, but it seemed longer!
After having something to eat, we drove over to Flatside Pinnacle and did the short, but steep trek up to the aptly-named Vista Point. This was an actual trail so it was much easier and we were soon rewarded with some great views. We had a neat day and several of us treated ourselves to burgers at CJ’s on the way home.
2011-02-13 Lincoln Lake Photo Link: click here
Forty TrailBlazers, most recovering from an acute attack of cabin fever, abandoned their storm-induced hibernation and crawled out of the woodwork to head up Highway 59 to Lincoln Lake. We welcomed old friends who haven’t been on the trails with us recently. This 4-mile trek is a new hike for us. It isn’t a difficult hike, but there was still snow in the area, so in places the trail was slippery either from snow, wet leaves, or mud. The weather was incredibly warm and balmy, a nice break from the recent blast of winter.
From the trailhead we trekked up a slippery path until we reached a road leading to the trail. Of course, the people at the back of the pack had slicker conditions as our boots were packing the snow down into ice. At a neat overlook we had a good view of the lake and the unusual patterns in the ice. A few even spotted some eagles on the other side.
Of course, there was some horseplay involving snowballs, snow cones, a tiny snowman, and even a snowball tree. The trail winds up and down and features several views of the lake as well as rocky bluffs sporting huge icicles. Although we tend to scare wildlife away, we did see at least 2 possums and some buzzards (not all of them had feathers – you know who you are)!
Great day to be out and about! (PS – Hanna did not wear her sneakers). No pics yet - still have web site problems.
2011-01-29 Pigeon Roost at Hobbs Photo Link: click here
Per co-leader Judith 31 fair weather hikers headed to Hobbs State Park via War Eagle Mill. The new visitors' center is worth a trip by itself: a lovely building with interesting exhibits, including a simulated cave. The weather could not have been better with a sunny sky, no wind, and the temperature reaching 70. Pigeon Roost Trail runs up and down ravines, over ridges, through hollows, and alongside Van Hollow Branch of Beaver Lake. Two wise Trailblazers choose to hike the inner loop for a distance of 4 miles. The rest of us opted for the 8.4 mile hike. Both trails were clearly marked and very well maintained. Two sharp eyed gals slowed down and spotted eagles. We all enjoyed the lake view from Pigeon Roost Hollow.
Becky reports it was a tough 8.5 mile hike up and down the tree-covered hollows. At about the 4-mile mark we were able to see Van Hollow Branch of Beaver Lake along with some nice rock bluff lines on the opposite side. After leaving the lake view, we followed a dry scenic creek bed most of the way back to the trailhead. Jeanette and Cindy managed to see and photograph eagles in spite of a large group of hikers. The best thing about the hike was that it was a beautiful, sunny winter day. (It is about time the forecasters got it right!) Most of us got more of a workout then we expected.
2011-01-22 Lake Fort Smith Photo Link: click here
Finally we caught a break. Last week, heeding the warnings of our drama queen forecasters, we canceled the Fayetteville hike on what turned out to be a nice day. Yesterday we had to cancel Big Bluff for today due to unsafe conditions on the icy ledge high above the Buffalo. Shifting gears, 13 TrailBlazers and 2 canines opted for Plan B, a neat 6-mile trek at Lake Fort Smith with Linda leading the pack.
It was 25 degrees upon arrival, but the sun was brightly shining on a still-present winter wonderland with trees and bushes decked in winter white. With no wind it didn’t seem terribly cold, and it wasn’t long before we started shedding layers. Due to some snow and slick spots on the trail, Yours Truly (of bad knees fame) could not award it the “knee-friendly” rating today. We pussyfooted over the slick spots, and a couple of people sat down on the old humpus-rumpus, but names will remain confidential until or unless there is a financial incentive to spill the beans!
Eventually we reached the creek where most of the creek bed is exposed rock due to lack of rain. Some chose to return via the road, a steady uphill trek, to avoid the slippery trail, and the rest backtracked on the trail. It was a great hike followed by lunch at Cracker Barrel.
2011-01-21 Moonlight Madness at Wells Lake Photo Link: click here
Around 33 bundled-up, adventuresome Moony Loonies gathered at the River Valley Nature Center in Fort Smith under a full moon to see if they could see or hear anything that goes bump in the night. Nobody is saying anything, so whatever happened on the trail stays on the trail! It has been a while since the club participated in Moonlight Madness, so it was about time for another nocturnal excursion. To add to the fun there was still some snow around providing an opportunity to make snow balls and snow angels. Thank goodness some of us never grow up!
Yours Truly hopes to see y’all up at Lake Fort Smith for tomorrow’s hike.
2011-01-08 Petit Jean Loop Photo Link: click here
Seventeen TrailBlazers under the command of Buffalo Bob headed for Petit Jean to tackle the 7-mile loop starting from the lodge. Of course, our crack forecasters had been warning us of an imminent winter blast with possible snow, but we were pleasantly surprised by the great hiking conditions. When we arriving at the lodge parking lot, it was a tad chilly at 37 degrees but we quickly warmed up as we started trekking in sunlight.
We walked along the bluff, dutifully went to the outlook to view the non-existent falls in the distance, and then started our rocky descent to the creek and crossed the bridge. Right now the Natural State theme song ought to be: “How dry I am.” Before long we reached Rock House Cave and once again searched for art as we have fruitlessly done on several occasions. Imagine our surprise to actually find some, and the more we looked, the more we found. Of course, the interpretation is in the eye of the beholder.
We crossed the turtle rocks and then did a little exploring among the rocks and boulders along the trail. This time we did the hike in reverse of last year’s route, and it was a good thing because this time we hiked down that never-ending road, not up. Finally we reached the creek and had our lunch before heading back to the falls area to make the final assault back to the lodge. The trail is steep with lots of rough-hewn rock steps, but mercifully it isn’t very long. The lodge is closed and will be for some time due to renovations.
It was a very enjoyable hike with the added benefit of great weather. Check out Buffalo Bob’s new camera – with the zoom lens attached, the lens reaches its destination 15 minutes before the rest of the camera - like Cyrano de Bergerac’s nose!
2010-12-18 OHT from Dockery Gap Photo Link: click here
'Twas a week before Christmas, when along the Ozark Highland Trail not a creature was stirring, except 17 trailblazers and one dog's tail.
Stocking caps were dawned, gloves and hand-warmers too In hopes that the weather wouldn't turn our lips blue.
Down the mountain we trudged, slipping on leaves and rocks, Then crossed Hurricane Creek in our boots and socks.
As we climbed the mountain there was absolutely no clatter We were too pooped to talk and all wished it was flatter.
br> After lunch we moved on to find fallen trees in our way Climbed over and under, but deterred? I say nay!
Seeing the shuttle drivers return was a beautiful sight. Merry Christmas to all, happy trails and goodnight!
2010-12-11 Redding Loop Photo Link: click here
Under damp, cloudy skies twenty-three TrailBlazers headed up toward Cass to hike Redding Loop, a new hike for the club, but one some of us have done before. Of course our doomsday forecasters had been predicting all sorts of cold and blustery weather for later in the day, but we hit the trail early when conditions were damp, but good. It must have rained overnight because when the winds blew aloft we were treated to raindrops falling from the treetops.
Starting up the west loop we trekked gently upward on a pine needle carpet, a real foot pleaser. Almost all the leaves were down, but most of the views were partially obscured by a hazy skyline. It was cool, but not really cold except in one exposed area where it was fairly windy. The sun made a few half-hearted attempts to smile at us, but it eventually gave up. At the halfway point it was possible to take a side trip to Spy Rock. As we started down the east loop we ran into some hikers with a cute puppy, abandoned at the parking lot. He was following them up the trail and feasting on their beef jerky, so hopefully they will either keep the little fella or find him a good home. These dog lovers were also kind enough to give some first aid to Billgene’s boot that was suddenly in dire need of some TLC. What would the world do without duct tape?
Buffalo Bob was our official hike leader, but several hikers, all of the female persuasion, kept jockeying for the leadership position. Eventually Bob gave up and joined the rest of the pack! Santa also put in an appearance, but he wasn’t looking all that jolly. Bob flashed a big smile for him, but Santa looked unmoved, so there is some doubt as to Bob’s status on the naughty or nice list. Afterwards several people went to Ozark for barbecue, so it remains to be seen if they managed to soften up Santa!
2010-11-20 Queen Wilhelmena SP Photo Link: click here
Thirty-three to 43 TrailBlazers, (we can’t count them if we can’t see them!), headed to Queen Wilhelmina SP dressed and ready for the predicted 60-70-degree temps – dream on! If the forecasters were off the mark last week, today they totally bombed and will need a beach towel to wipe the egg off their faces. The first clue was big gray clouds en route to Mena. As we drove up to the park, we were blanketed by heavy fog, so it was chilly, windy, and rainy on the trail with about 120% humidity. It was not a good hair day; the ladies who had their heads covered suffered from hat hair and the rest looked like they had just stepped out of the shower and hadn’t bothered to dry their hair. Our cameras and glasses could have benefited from windshield wipers!
With Wilson in command a motley crew looking like street people or unibombers hit the Ouachita Trail dressed in whatever they could scrounge up for the unexpected conditions. We started our 5-mile trek outside the park where we were potential cannon fodder for hunters, but fortunately we seemed to be the only people foolish enough to brave the elements. Most of us have been here before and know the beauty of the area, but today we were greeted with panoramic fog rather than scenic vistas. At one point several hikers ditched the trail for the road. Denying that this was a shortcut, they said it was to avoid the treacherous wet rocks and leaves on the trail, so we will believe them.
Fall color had already peaked, and many trees were bare, but we did see touches of color on a few trees that had not yet undressed for winter, making a neat silhouette against the fog. Fortunately the FogBlazers managed to enjoy themselves and have a few laughs on the trail. This weather is rare, so we hope our newcomers will come back!
2010-11-15 Tim Ernst Program Photo Link: click here
Once again Tim Ernst made his annual pilgrimage to Grace Community Church to present a double-header slide program for us. First he talked about Iceland where he spent a whirlwind 2 weeks in August. Since the best light tends to be before midnight and in the wee hours of the morning, he camped out to be ready to shoot when the light was best. This island is unique in that there are no birds or trees, but there is some lush vegetation for the sheep. The only horses allowed are the native Icelandic variety and there are no polar bears; if they show up they are killed! There is little crime and virtually no pollution, so all cold water is safe to drink. Two different tectonic plates underwater is a unique phenomenon there, so Tim donned a wet suit so he could touch the North American plate and the European one at the same time.
Tim’s great photos were accompanied by some unusual Icelandic music that captured the spirit of both the lush areas and the stark parts covered by volcanoes. Some places look surreal and Tim took full advantage of the unusual light that is unique to this island. There were several questions about his trip.
Next Tim presented a new program accompanied by some beautiful music about autumn in Arkansas. There were spectacular photos of well known places such as Hawksbill Crag and the Buffalo River, dozens of waterfalls, and lots of other places that most of us have never seen or can’t find! Interspersed among the many scenic slides, there were stunning photos of individual leaves that have now become immortalized.
Of course, we had refreshments and our traditional drawing. There was ample opportunity to get in some early Christmas shopping, and Tim was kept busy signing autographs. Thanks for coming, Tim!
2010-11-13 Mt Magazine Photo Link: click here
Twenty-nine TrailBlazers headed for Mt. Magazine State Park on a cold, cloudy day that did not quite match up to the overly optimistic prognostications of our crack forecasters. Nevertheless, things really started looking up as we drove up the mountain and saw beautiful fall color everywhere, even if the leaves were not illuminated by sunshine. The Visitors Center was shrouded in fog, but it was nice and warm inside as we waited for the cars to be shuttled.
With Captain Katie leading the charge we bucked some stiff wind as we headed out from the Visitors Center to trek down the Will Apple Trail. After crossing the horse camp to reach the Bear Hollow Trail, we saw less fog and many hues of orange, red and gold along the trail as well as a panoramic view of the fall-decked valley from the overlook. There were a couple of rare breaks in the clouds that momentarily bathed the colorful trees with sunlight. We had lunch at a favorite overlook where we managed to shelter against the wind as we ate and enjoyed the view.
Saving the best for last, we again crossed the road to pick up the East Loop of the Benefield Trail where there was a spectacular panoramic view of trees in fall dress, ponds and lakes, and a beautiful bluff line. We trekked carefully along the edge of this high rim trail where our eyes were treated to one sensational view after another. We have hiked this area many times, but it must have been before autumn color, after leaf fall, or in spring because we could not recall ever seeing it quite like this. Of course, the sun came out and the skies brightened as we drove down the mountain and headed home. Beautiful day!
2010-11-06 Seven Hollows Photo Link: click here
Two score and six TrailBlazers, both new and old, staged a mass invasion at Petit Jean State Park under the joint command of Judith and Ed. The day started out below freezing, but the temps gradually increased somewhat as we made the scenic drive on either Highway 22 or 10. There were so many trekkers in this Cecil B. DeMille cast at the trailhead of this loop that we decided to break into two groups. Judith and Ed led the counterclockwise contingent and Becky guided the clockwise group.
Some hikers chose to start decked out for Operation Deep Freeze with hats, ear muffs, coats, and gloves and others chose to tough it out knowing that they would warm up once they started trekking and the temps warmed up. Either way it worked out fine because it was sunny and the weather was ideal for hiking.
Yours Truly has been here several times and she must confess that she has never been sure where one hollow ends and the next begins, and has even spent quality time as well as loss of sleep wondering whether there really are SEVEN hollows. If this be heresy, YT was happy to learn that others have secretly entertained the same heretical thoughts! Surely the park wouldn’t put up a sign that wasn’t true with our tax dollars?
One group lunched in the grotto where the waterfalls were conspicuous by their absence, and the other hikers munched up in the Turtle Rocks area. These rocks are always a fun and much-photographed playground as well as the Natural Bridge where everybody scrambles around enjoying the view. Even though there are lots of pine trees, we did manage to see several hardwood trees dressed in fall color.
2010-10-30 Caney Creek Wilderness Photo Link: click here
About 15 TrailBlazers led by Wilson headed down to the Ouachitas to hike Caney Creek. The day started out cool, but it was sunny and quickly warmed up all day long. This was about a ten-miler, so the hikers would have been warm no matter what.
Buffalo Bob reports that there was “Not much to write about.” Now this was probably a good thing as this hike with its FIFTEEN creek crossings could possibly involve de-booting and re-booting, a process that gets old really fast. Fortunately the drought eliminated the need for this so it was possible to rock hop with the occasional assistance of a helping hand. Otherwise this long hike might have taken a lot longer. There was still the opportunity for a good foot wash crossing the Cossatot, but this is not unwelcome on a warm day.
The really great thing was that Katy Falls were rolling in spite of the dry spell. This is always a neat lunch spot. There wasn’t a lot of fall color, but it is warmer in the Ouachitas, so it might be a tad delayed.
Bob suggested that Katie aka Princess Hiayaha “should throw in a few notes” for this report since he wasn’t feeling his “creative juices flowing.”. In this he deluded himself as Katie’s succinct answer to my plea for help was, and I quote, “NOT ME.” She is off the hook, however, since she did send me photos!
2010-10-23 Hawksbill Crag - Lost Valley Photo Link: click here
Three dozen TrailBlazers from near and far gathered at the Hawksbill trailhead to follow Becky up to the crag under somewhat dubious weather conditions. Fortunately our crack weather forecasters got it wrong, because the night before they had been predicting bad storms and explaining the safety plan if dangerous storms should happen to hit Razorback Stadium during the game. Skies were overcast with some occasional sun, but we had no rain on either hike. It considerately held off until we were homeward bound.
The Hawksbill trail goes down for a ways before heading up to the crag. The fall color was not the best we have ever seen, but we were favored with red sumac and maple, golden hickory, some orange maple leaves, and a variety of in-between hues. The views of the valley are always a feast for the eyes. Some of our members were already in the Buffalo area, so we met up with them on top of the hawk’s head; that old bird is holding up well after being stomped by generations of hiking boots! A first for us was a chance encounter with a young couple in wedding attire, featuring the prerequisite hiking boots, having their pictures taken at the top of the trail. Y’all know that Yours Truly doesn’t miss a photo op!
After lunch we headed over to Lost Valley where for the first time a ranger was directing some people to park in an overflow lot. Fortunately my vehicle was given a dispensation to claim one of the few remaining spaces in the big lot since we were a truckload of geezers or geezers-in-training – membership has its dubious privileges! The area is very dry, so Eden Falls were pretty much non-existent. No matter, the hike is always scenic, the towering bluffs are magnificent, and we were all in good company.
2010-10-16 Kings Falls-Pedestal Rocks Photo Link: click here
On a warm and sunny day twenty-seven TrailBlazers under the command of Buffalo Bob headed for the Pelsor area to check out Kings Falls and Pedestal Rocks while trying to find some fall color. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the falls were as dry as a bone since in recent years this usually has been the case. Water or no water, it’s worth a trek to the falls to see the beautiful view of the valley. Of course, long established TrailBlazer tradition requires us to take our group photo on top of this cliff, and we are big on tradition.
The other loop to Pedestal Rocks is always a crowd-pleaser to newcomers as well as veterans because it gives us the opportunity to reconnect with our inner child while scampering down underneath the trail to play around and explore the caves. Much of the trail is actually above these caves, so there is just empty space underneath! There was some fall color showcasing the pedestals, but it is still a little early and lack of rain may be a factor.
Next week is Hawksbill Crag so let’s hope that it will be dressed up in fall garb for us!
2010-10-09 Mt Nebo Photo Link: click here
Thirty-nine TrailBlazers, including several newcomers, made the scenic drive to Mt. Nebo to hike the Rim Trail on a sunny, very warm day. It was the warmest ever; it is usually a little cool and breezy at the start of this hike, and many wore gloves last year! Linda stepped in as hike leader since our very own Nebo Dude had other fish to fry. At the Visitors Center we were pleased with the welcome addition of new restrooms for both men and women.
This “easy” hike seemed to have more rocks and steps than on other occasions, which suggests that some of us are either having senior memory problems or some hobgoblins have dumped additional rocks on the trail to make us look bad. Surely memory is not failing us? It does seem that we had to spend quality time watching our feet, dodging rocks, and pussyfooting down steep steps. At one point it appeared that we were on the wrong trail and we consulted a map, but we weren’t actually lost. Sometimes we do things like this on purpose just to give the impression to newcomers that we are humble with the typical human frailties of lesser mortals – like anybody is going to believe that! In any case, we improvised our way, passed Nebo Dude’s house on the road, and then continued on to Sunrise Point and picked up the trail without incident.
Our trekking was definitely leisurely, but it was actually hot at the end and it did give people the chance to chat without gasping for air with each step. There were only faint hints of fall color. We did see some Beauty Berry, but not in the profusion we are accustomed to. We were pleased to have beautiful panoramic views from the trail since there were some thick patches of fog on the road en route. For several hikers, both new and old, this was their first time on Mt. Nebo. Great day, great company!
2010-10-03 Ninth Season Kickoff Photo Link: click here
Seventy-four TrailBlazers (more or less – it’s our story and we’re sticking to it!), both old and new, made tracks for Devil’s Den for our 9th Season Kickoff Picnic. Unlike our cold, wet washout last year, picture perfect weather was on the menu. We quickly divided into 4 hike groups: Devil’s Den, the Crevices, Yellow Rock, and Lee Creek. The hiking was great, but the water was a disappointment. Our picnic in the spring featured the best water show we had ever seen at the park; the creek, the falls, and the dam were overflowing with more water in May than we had ever seen before.
Of course, we had our usual wiener roast with all the fixings, and our members outdid themselves with munchies, side dishes, and desserts galore. We didn’t do enough hiking to justify what we ate, but we enjoyed it! Dust off your hiking boots and join us on future hikes so we can trot off the calories. Alas, no group picture today, but there are lots of small group pics at the pavilion.
2010-09-18 Estes Park Trip Photo Link: click here
Colorado bound, 21 Trailblazers, comprised of 16 JetSetters and 5 RoadRagers, settled into Moak Lodge, heard elk bugling in the night, and awoke to a collective case of sinusitis. Weather ran the gamut with the first 2 days being Forever Summer. Sun. we drove through Rocky Mt. NP, doing 4 short hikes to get acclimated. On Mon. we hiked Fern Lake Trail to the falls and on to Fern or Cub Lakes. Two moose were sighted on the descent, a rarity on the east side of the park. After driving up the dirt Old Fall River Road with its panoramic vistas on Tues., we experienced gale-force, chilly winds trekking down the Old Ute Trail from the Alpine Center to Milner Pass where it was balmy.
Wed. found some of us hiking the Bierstadt Trail with its scenic vistas up to the lake while another group tackled Glacier Gorge Trail to The Loch. Thursday featured The Quadruple Crown Lake tour, starting out in rain and sleet, up to the lakes - Nymph with its lily pads, Dream with its white caps, Emerald with its mountain backdrop and Hiayaha with its ancient tree. With the trail ascending higher and higher, a few hikers balked at the steep rim trail to the fourth lake in favor of a shortcut down past Alberta Falls. Friday found some on a trail ride, with one rider mounted on a horse named Arkansas, others making a steep trek up to beautiful Blue Lake, and another group hiking down Glacier Trail where there was an incredible moose sighting in a pond.
Aspen in golden fall attire was everywhere, and animal sightings included elk in abundance, moose – supposedly non-existent on the east side of the park, a snake, a fox, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, Stellar Jays, mule deer, ducks, colorful trout, and ptarmigans, to name a few. Haiya-HA, y’all! (This is our new club battle cry.)
2010-05-16 End of Season Picnic Photo Link: click here
Under very unpredictable weather conditions forty-odd (and/or not-so-odd!) TrailBlazers headed for Devil’s Den, experiencing rain en route. As luck would have it, it stopped when we arrived. Doug and Debbie were the only two to brave the crevices under slick and muddy conditions, with most of us opting to check out the falls on the Devil’s Den Trail.
This area must have experienced torrential rain recently, because tons of water was thundering over the dam, and the trail was not only muddy and soggy, but actually had streams of water on it in places, making it seem like we were trekking in a creek bed. We saw “falls” in places where we never had seen then before! It was a Tim Ernst kind of day for camera buffs. We all got sprinkled as we hiked under the big falls. Of course, this meant that we had to watch where we were placing our feet. It wasn’t terribly hot, but the humidity must have been 120%, giving a new meaning to “muggy”! The icebox and Devil’s Den Cave were closed because of the white nose disease that is threatening the bats.
At the pavilion it was immediately obvious who had hiked as opposed to who had arrived later just for the picnic. The latter had that “band-box” look, while the rest of us were damp, sweaty, bedraggled and/or having a bad hair day! It started to sprinkle just as they finished cooking the wieners, but we were dry under the pavilion as we chowed down on all the great munchies, salads and desserts. It poured while we were eating, and then stopped once again.
Yours Truly would like to thank everyone for the lovely card and thoughtful gift from the club. Billigene was also pleased and touched by the beautiful album that some members made for her. Happy trails to you – see you in the fall!
2010-05-08 Lake Leatherwood Photo Link: click here
Fourteen TrailBlazers led by Captain Katie made the beautiful drive to Eureka Springs on a picture-perfect day to hike the 3.7-mile trail around Lake Leatherwood, a new hike for us. Initially there was a little confusion finding the trailhead in this 1,600 acre municipal park, but we lucked out because a female leader has no problem with asking for directions!
It was a little breezy as we started, but it soon warmed up. There were lots of geese both in the meadow and on the lake, but we never did catch sight of any feral hogs in spite of dire warnings on the signs. We are pretty good at scaring most wild life away, but we did manage to see several pretty butterflies.
Lake Leatherwood is formed by one of the largest hand-cut native limestone dams in the country. We were quite impressed with this long structure as we crossed the lake and saw the water pouring over the spillway, forming a pretty waterfall. This was a great lunch spot. As we continued on the the trail we saw verbena and daisies. All too soon, this hike was over.
Some people went home after the hike, and the rest of us decided to visit the beautiful glass Thorncrown Chapel nestled in the woods just a short distance away. We continued on into historic Eureka Springs where we ate at Sparky’s and then walked around the old downtown area and browsed through the shops. This turned out to be a really enjoyable day!
2010-05-02 White Rock Mountain Photo Link: click here
After a bad storm yesterday made the Caney Creek Crew turn back before ever reaching the trailhead, 13 TrailBlazers were happy to be able to hike the 3-mile loop on top of White Rock this afternoon. Weather was predicted to be somewhat iffy, but it turned out fine, and even the washboard gravel road to the top was not as bad as it has been on some occasions. At least we still have most of our teeth and nobody got a flat!
The trail was very green, in need of some loppers in places, but it was a bonanza as far as flora is concerned. As for fauna, who knows, because we scare everything off, with the exception of a pretty owl that we saw in a dead tree! There apparently has been a relatively recent prescribed burn, but nice little greenery is sprouting up in those areas. Prolific azaleas were everywhere, and we finally came to the realization that wild azaleas are very fragrant. In many places, we could smell them before we even saw them. There also was an abundance of honeysuckle, blackberry in flower, thrift, the last of the dogwood, although most had lost their petals, and even some snap dragons.
A unique feature of this short loop is that it has no fewer than 4 shelters that look like they are the work of the CCC. There have been several trails where we wondered where a shelter was when we needed one! We hadn’t done this trail in a while and many of us may have forgotten just how many stunning views and overlooks there are. We took our time and really had a chance to take a good look at everything. What a great afternoon!
Don’t forget that Buffalo Lodge and other previous adventures can be accessed by clicking on “more” below.
2010-04-23 Buffalo Lodge Weekend Photo Link: click here
Under gray skies and on and off rain 31 TrailBlazers headed for Jasper for our annual weekend at Buffalo Lodge. We managed to squeeze in our wiener roast Fri. night before rain drove us inside to make plans, play games, and have Mike entertain us with 3 different instruments.
In spite of early morning rain making the weather iffy, we were ready to hike. With Round Top Mountain closed due to a mudslide, one group decided to hike Alum Cove instead. Fortunately we were able to shelter in a cave when the steady rain turned into an electrical storm. Later we hiked the Buffalo River Trail from Ponca Access, where we ran into our old friend Vicky on the low water bridge, over to Steel Creek. The other group did a more ambitious and wet hike to Bowers Hollow and were rewarded by some great waterfalls.
Saturday night we had a great pulled pork dinner thanks to Becky cooking up a storm at home ahead of time. All in all we did a lot of eating since many people brought all kinds of great food contributions. Afterwards several of us went to the Ozark Café in Jasper to see the show and returned to the lodge to play more games. After our traditional Sun. morning Big Man, and hopefully not Big Woman, Breakfast chock full of everything, some Blazers went home, some decided to do some sightseeing, and 9 of us had a great time canoeing and kayaking the Buffalo from Steel Creek to Kyle’s Landing. The weather was cool and overcast, but there was no rain. We even trekked up to Hemmed in Hollow Falls from the river. Another great weekend at the lodge!
2010-04-10 Mt Magazine Trails Photo Link: click here
Twenty TrailBlazers, including 4 newcomers, made the scenic drive to Mt. Magazine on a beautiful, warm, sunny day to trek 7 ½ miles on several trails. With Becky in the lead we left the Visitors Center and headed down Will Apple’s Road, making the short detour to see the remains of an old swimming pool that is now just a dirt hole in the ground. Little wildflowers were spouting everywhere. Along the way we saw serviceberry trees, flowering plum, and quince bushes.
We crossed the horse camp to pick up the Bear Hollow Trail and continued up and down on it while enjoying the bird’s foot violets, fire pinks, pussytoes, and many other wildflowers, as well as some beautiful overlooks. Alas, Becky’s irises were not yet in bloom. After eating lunch at a picnic area complete with the civilized amenities of tables and a not-so-civilized stinky toilet, we continued on the East Loop of the Benefield Trail with lots of panoramic views. Crossing the road we were treate
d to some beautiful vistas at an overlook where we made the most of a great photo op. Next we switched to the Mossback Ridge Trail and continued trekking until we picked up the Greenfield Trail back to the Visitors Center. Bob and Ruth Ann put jewels in their crowns by providing Sherpa service for a couple of weary hikers. By using several intersecting trails we managed to do a complete loop without having to shuttle cars – way to go! It was another neat day; it’s about time the weather started cooperating with us.
2010-04-03 Sams Throne Photo Link: click here
Fifteen TrailBlazers, led by Judith and Ed, headed for Jasper on a foggy morning to once again search for Sam on top of his throne high above the valley floor. En route the sun made several brief appearances until it finally came out in earnest. As we neared Jasper there was beautiful blue sky above with low-hanging fluffy white clouds down in the valleys, quite unusual. We were relieved that Tom and Dewayne came today because the final ascent involves hauling ourselves up a rope to the top, and a little extra testosterone is welcome for those of us who are vertically challenged!
First we ascended the trail to a rocky bluff that is across the valley from the throne. It was cool, and breezy on the ledge, but that changed when we trekked down the rocky road to pick up the base trail around the throne. There is quite a lot of tree fall and damage on the trail, no doubt due to the ice storm. Imagine our surprise to find a dogwood with flowers on the trail. As we hiked there were great views of the rocky palisades leading up to the throne. Serviceberry trees, with their fluffy white flowers, were blooming everywhere.
Eventually we reached the steep rocky, slot leading up to the staging area for the final assault. Mountain goats like Linda and Ed pussyfooted up to the top to get the rope in place for the rest of us. We all made it safely to the top where we ate lunch and explored the top of the throne. Preacher Sam didn’t show up, wasting a great opportunity to practice his Easter sermon for tomorrow!
It was a beautiful warm, sunny day – what more could we ask? Happy Easter!
2010-03-27 Pinnacle Mountain Photo Link: click here
Nine brave and/or foolhardy TrailBlazers, eager to hit the trails again after 5 weather cancelations, headed for Little Rock to tackle the challenging hike up and down Pinnacle Mountain. The weather turned out to be perfect: sunny and breezy with no predictions for rain until later.
At the Visitors Center there was a great view of the Arkansas River from the deck. Next we drove to the base of the East Summit Trail where 2 hikers opted to do the entire base trail. Seven BoulderBlazers, under the command of Captain Becky, threw caution to the wind and started trekking up the rocky trail to the summit. About a third of the way up, trails as we know them ceased to exist. At this point everybody started the mad scramble up a large boulder field, climbing, crawling, clawing, clambering, and cussing their way to the top with Yours Truly second-guessing her sanity. At least it wasn’t raining like last year, so the rocks weren’t so slick. Looking back we saw beautiful views in several directions.
On top there are magnificent panoramic 360-degree views, with standing room only as many hikers were up there enjoying the balmy weather. We walked out on the rocky peninsula on top to catch more views. Then we started down the mountain on the West Summit Trail, which is a gigantic staircase fashioned from rocks and boulders. Some blind young people were making their way up the “staircase” with the assistance of guides. Eventually this becomes a trail down to the picnic area where we met up with our base trail hikers and ate lunch. As we followed the base trail back to East Summit parking lot, we saw early spring flowers such as spring beauty, violets, trout lilies, oxalis and May apples – very encouraging after a too long winter! We even had a chance encounter with a baby copperhead. What a great day!
2010-03-13 Athens to Big Fork Photo Link: click here
Yours Truly knew something was up when she didn’t receive pics from Katie until about 11 pm. A tuckered out Buffalo Bob responded to my plea for a write up:
Sixteen TrailBlazers showed up to tackle what was billed as a "strenuous" hike. Athens to Big Fork trail by Tim Ernst's description had a lot of "ups" listed. However, after 9+ miles we were certain he left out several "ups".
We trudged over seven mountains and encountered many water crossings. The first climb started just after leaving the vehicles. Some joked that we should turn around and call it a day. By the second climb, that joke seemed more like a good idea. The weather was perfect for this undertaking. We were very lucky to have a cool, cloudy day. We had to use water shoes only once. The creek was wide and the water quite cool and believe it or not, refreshing.
At the end of the hike, those going to retrieve vehicles left the rest to fend for ourselves. In the cool of the approaching darkness, we built a campfire and toasted some buns. A poll taken around the fire found zero TrailBlazerswanting to place this trail on an annual revisit-list.
Shani reported on Facebook that it was a long day, and she had no plans to hike this trail again. In response to her post, Ruth Ann, Audrey and Katie were all in her Amen Corner. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Yours Truly was raking and burning leaves on her 21 acres and now realizes that it was a good choice for a knobby-kneed woman!
When the going gets tough, some ToughBlazers really get going!
2010-03-06 Caddo Bend Trail Photo Link: click here
On the most beautiful day yet this year, 16 TrailBlazers made the long drive to Lake Ouachita State Park to hike Caddo Bend Trail. The trail begins near the Visitors' Center and goes up and down near the shore around a peninsula at Lake Ouachita. There were great views of the lake, 2 picturesque foot bridges, boulder fields and plenty of uphill to work up a sweat.
We encountered the Happy Hikers from Little Rock and visited with them as we neared the end of the trail. Several of them said to say "hey" to Beverly and Larry, original TrailBlazers members, who met hiking with them. All of us were very happy to be out enjoying the beautiful scenery, sunshine and great company. We hope that the long, hard winter is finally over.
2010-02-27 Cedar Falls Loop at Petit Jean Photo Link: click here
Seventeen TrailBlazers finally had a picture perfect day for hiking, complete with great temps and sunshine. Today we did something different at Petit Jean. We have done Seven Hollows several times, and many of us have hiked down to Cedar Falls and back up the same trail. Today, under the command of Buffalo Bob, we hiked down to the falls, which were full of water, and then looped around for about 8 miles, eventually taking another route back to the lodge.
Part of the hike was next to swollen creeks with lots of rapids and mini-falls. Lunch featured a neat view of the creek. After a while we started trekking upward and had a long ascent up a dirt road until we came to a trail through a pine forest on a ridge. There were some breathtaking views across the canyon to the other side where the lodge is. We also saw some impressive turtle rocks that rival those at Seven Hollows. We also looked around in Rock House Cave, but we must confess that the rock art eluded us.
We descended down to the creek again, crossed a bridge, and then carefully picked our way along a narrow trail of rocks along the creek. After that we began the final steep, rocky assault to get back on the ridge to the lodge where we were able to have a final distant view of Cedar Falls. Great day!
For the curious, Becky did a public service by opening a stall door locked from the inside, in the ladies room. On her back she slid under the door, limbo-style, and the camera caught her enjoying the sweet smell of success when the door swung open. There was a long line of women out in the hall waiting in line, so she saved the day!
2010-02-20 Hot Springs Photo Link: click here
Sixteen TrailBlazers headed for Hot Springs to try out a new trail for us, the Sunset Loop. There was the possibility of rain, but hike leader Kenya told us to bring rain gear to ward it off, and this ploy worked! For those who may not know, Hot Springs is a very unusual national park right smack in the middle of the old town, surrounded by hillsides with hiking trails. Back in the day there were lots of bathhouses, some still in use, and people came to drink the water, vacation, take the rest cure, bathe, gamble and do lots of other things in Arkansas’ answer to Sin City.
It was a little cool under gray skies as we waited around for our drivers to set up the shuttle. Once we started trekking we warmed up rather quickly as there were plenty of ups and downs and just enough rocks on the trail to deal fits to tired old knees. There were still small patches of snow her and there, but most of it was gone We met various people on the trail, including Terry who has hiked with us before. Linda, our sweep, was making plenty of snowballs and was threatening us with a rear assault. Yours Truly stuck with Billigene as a means of self defense, because nobody would dare to pelt our matriarch!
After lunch we took a small detour where we did some slip-sliding down a gravelly incline to see Balanced Rock. Mike did his best do knock it off its pedestal, but his efforts proved futile, so the rock remains safely balanced for others to enjoy. As we hiked along high ridges we did not see as many overlooks as hoped because even with the leaf fall there are plenty of tree trunks and brush to obscure the view in most places. The rain held off so hiking conditions proved to be fine, and once again we were glad to be out and about after a tiresome winter.
2010-02-13 Lee Creek Photo Link: click here
After tomorrow’s hike at White Rock was canceled due to poor conditions and predicted blustery weather, 19 TrailBlazers were happy to opt for Plan B, an afternoon trek at Lee Creek north of Van Buren. Judith was going to lead but had to cancel, so Becky stepped into the breach until Doug showed up. This is a favorite stomping ground of his, so he led the pack.
The weather was ideal, in the 40s, and it probably reached the lower 50s, with no breeze and very welcome sunshine. We headed over to the loop where there are some remnants of the hardy folk who lived and died in these hills above Lee Creek in days of yore. There are still some gravesites here and there as a reminder of the history that was made there.
Next we headed up the loop to the waterfalls that were actually flowing. It is difficult to see them up close and personal, so we had to peek through the brush and foliage at the top of the ridge. We proceeded on to the crack in the rock, somewhat similar to the crevices at Devil’s Den, but not on that grand scale.
We trekked back down to Lee Creek and dithered a bit about crossing it since it had more water than usual; normally it is an easy rock hop. Buffalo Bob and Doug did some boulder-building to make a rock bridge, so the rest of us threw caution to the wind and crossed the creek with no major mishaps. After that we started up the Homestead Loop and a few of us, the ones with bad knees, had our work cut out for us when it was time to slip-slide down the steep trail back to the creek. En route there were some neat overviews of the creek and Lee Creek Reservoir.
It turned out to be a great day, and everyone was so glad to be outdoors.
2010-02-06 Brushy Creek Photo Link: click here
Sixteen TrailBlazers were champing at the bit to get back on the trail after we only managed to get in one hike, a TrailBlazer first, during the January Operation Deep Freeze Arkansas. Some of us were beginning to wonder if we had become candidates for The Biggest Loser! The good news is that we had at least four newcomers to fill out our ranks.
We headed down to the Ouachitas to Brushy Creek, but we hiked it a little differently than usual. We went up the mountain and came back down, but did not start out on the section where there are several creek crossings. We were concerned about creek levels, and nobody was particularly anxious to do any wading in water shoes in a chilly creek. Rock hopping in boots is one thing, cold wet feet is another! We started down the road, crossed the bridge, and then started up the wooden staircase leading to the trail to the top.
It was cool when we started but we soon warmed up on the upward trek as we huffed and puffed our way up – OK, only some of us did some heavy breathing. We took a side trip over to a high ridge for lunch. It was a scenic spot, but windy, so we had definitely cooled down by the time we got back on the trail. A really neat sight as we finished the hike was the water cascading in the creek. Yours Truly risked life, limb, and her knobby knees to scramble down the steep bank for some photos, and she is not entirely happy with them. Oh, well, it is the thought that counts! Let’s hope for good weather for next week.
2010-01-18 Kilimanjaro Program Photo Link: click here
Jim Dunn, one of the original TrailBlazer organizers, gave a very interesting presentation, peppered with his dry humor, of his October 2007 expedition to the top of Kilimanjaro. Coincidentally, he is a former student of both Billigene and her mother!
Jim was part of a 7-person team, including his son, and they were supported by no new fewer than 3 guides, who had some medical training, and 30 porters who were worth their weight in gold. The hikers carried their own clothing and personal items, but the porters not only carried their own gear in backpacks, but the group gear, such as food, tents and extra water in huge dry bags on the top of their heads! This support is vital to the trekkers who are not accustomed to long hikes at altitude. In order to get acclimated, Jim’s team took 5 days to ascend, but only two to descend. Kilimanjaro, at well over 19,000 ft. is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, the “roof of Africa,” and an active glacier to boot.
They passed through 5 different geographic zones, starting out with the rain forest, as they worked their way to the top. Fortunately for Jim, they were enveloped in fog as they climbed the rocky, precarious Barranco Wall, so he didn’t experience his fear of heights. It was a real scramble, and several hikers needed some oxygen by the end of the day. Near the top there were some extraordinary tall glaciers that looked like they had been carved by the wind. Of course, they had their picture taken at the famous Uhuru Peak sign – success!
Although Jim’s camera didn’t work on the expedition, he had wonderful pics from others that captured the scenery, the trail itself, and camp life. Jim’s talk was well received and was followed by questions from the audience. Thank you, Jim!
2010-01-16 Quail Valley at DD Photo Link: click here
Eighteen TrailBlazers, including Jack from England, were more than ready to get the lead out on the old bone-jarring Butterfield wagon trail at Devil’s Den. After our traditional Christmas break when we tend to overindulge, two hikes were canceled while Arkansas was masquerading as Alaska, so this was our first hike of the year. It seemed chilly and damp at our rendezvous in Van Buren, but the skies got lighter as we headed north, and there was even a little bit of sunshine peeking through the clouds as we started hiking.
It came as no surprise that the trail was muddy and slick, with icy patches here and there, but temps were great for trekking. In many places we had to carefully pick our way, and some of us spent a lot of time watching our boots! Becky safely led her flock down the trail to the falls and then we did a little exploring in the canyon that is nearby. When we reached the neat area with the fire ring, we discovered that some careless hikers had left pots, cans, cutlery and junk in the pit. Becky and Ruth Ann whipped out some bags and cleaned up the mess. Good job! Where would women be without our bags?
We continued down into Quail Valley and finally found an icy trail leading to Blackburn Creek where we traditionally eat lunch. It was a neat spot, and the weather was actually quite mild in spite of cloudy skies. Everyone enjoyed getting out as we had been suffering with a severe bout of cabin fever. The rain held off until we were driving home, so it worked out to be a great day.
2009-12-19 Vista Trail Photo Link: click here
Eighteen TrailBlazers headed down to Mt. Ida to hike 7.6 miles on the new Joplin and Hickory Nut sections of the Vista Trail, a work in progress that will eventually be 40 miles long. It was somewhat cool at the trailhead, but after a short downward trek, we started hoofing upwards and soon started feeling warm enough to peel off our layers. This section of the trail has rocks, hills and rills with some deeper valleys. Down in this area most trails feature tall pines, white quartz, fern, and holly, and this one is no exception.
After hiking for a while, we started to smell smoke and then saw that the valley below us was full of it. We began to wonder if this was a controlled burn, the Great American Smokeout, or a giant TrailBlazer roast that nobody had told us about! About this time we started huffing and puffing up the final steep, rocky stretch to the top. Fortunately the smoke was no longer a problem after the trail curved off to the right. On the other hand, it also started to feel much colder and the wind really kicked up.
There was a neat view of Lake Ouachita at the picnic area where there was even a restroom. First we had to bundle up against the cold wind before wolfing down our lunch. Most people congregated behind the restroom, which served as a windbreak of sorts, to chat a little before heading down.
The final leg of the trail is new this year. It has some steep ups and downs and features several benches and logs for weary hikers. There was the added benefit of pine needle carpeting! People have done a lot of work placing rocks along the trail to define the path. There are also rock cairns here and there just in case heavy leaf fall blurs the trail. This was a really neat hike that everyone enjoyed. Merry Christmas, everyone. We’ll see you on the trail next year!
2009-12-12 Big Bluff Photo Link: click here
Thirteen hardy TrailBlazers met for an early role call to travel up to Big Bluff high above the Buffalo River. En route they saw 4 swans on a pond near Boxley Valley. Billigene reports that the temperature was a brisk 34 degrees at the Trailhead. For those who don’t know, the trail to Big Bluff involves hiking down from the highway to the bluff, so the return trip is a steady climb out. Somehow it seems that it should be the reverse!
Since it is colder in this area than in the River Valley, there was ice on the trail in places, making for slick footing. Once again this week there were beautiful icicles as well as frost flowers. For those seeing it for the first time the sighting of big bluff is quite amazing. The bluff is enormous and features a narrow ledge trail where there are wonderful panoramic views of the Buffalo River. At one place you can either climb through a hole in the rock in order to continue, or you can climb down and walk around it.
There was some occasional drizzle, but it was on and off. Billigene reports that it was muddy in places on the return trip and that it became rather foggy at the end of the trail. On the return drive some people reported seeing some turkeys (One wonders if they were anybody we know)! A final highpoint of the day was three elk sightings in the valley.
2009-01-24 Big Bluff Photo Link: click here
Twelve hardy TrailBlazers with antifreeze in their veins braved the cold, for the second week in a row, to hike the Big Bluff Trail near Ponca. With Linda in the lead we tackled this unusual 5.5 mile trail. It was really chilly, but sunny at the outset, so we were all bundled up, but we warmed up once we got going.
Conventional wisdom indicates that we would hike upward to reach a high bluff, but on this trail we actually had to trek downward to reach this majestic bluff with the narrow ledge that overlooks the Buffalo River. After a gradual descent, we suddenly reached the towering wall of the bluff. Once we passed through the wooded area we reached the bare ledge and had a fantastic view of the river and the surrounding bluffs as we carefully walked along. We spent some time exploring and then found a sunny, sheltered area on the ledge to eat lunch. In places the ledge is narrow, so it could be scary for anyone who does not have a head for heights.
Since we had hiked down to reach the bluff, the laws of Physics dictated that we had to hike up on the return trip. The ascent is gradual, but it is a fairly steady climb with a total elevation gain of 1,000 feet. In any case, the warriors from last week’s trek felt that this one was easier. As unscientific as it might seem, Yours Truly thinks that the return trip is longer. Maybe that is because it is uphill and the oxygen masks did not deploy when she lost cabin pressure! In any case, it turned out to be a beautiful day and we had a great time.