I just realized that although I've subscribed to this thread and have been following it, I haven't posted to it yet.
I have the dates on my calendar and hope to make it. I'm working on my son to see if he'll join in too.
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I just realized that although I've subscribed to this thread and have been following it, I haven't posted to it yet.
I have the dates on my calendar and hope to make it. I'm working on my son to see if he'll join in too.
Ya, we need some Longhorns down there :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by UncleMJM
Just three more weeks...
Three weeks----
Since that means only two weekends, and Valentines Day in between, we might want to do some pre-hike housekeeping.
Caveman
You're the only one of the bunch who has been to Friday night's campsite. We are in danger of Spaceweaseal and I having to discover it, and who knows where the Paradox will lead? My general impression is that its about 1/2 mile south of TH #1 on the Little Lake Loop Trail. I see on this map that there's a pond about 3/4 mile (the yellow triangle with the "M01" notes "Mile #1" of the trail). IIRC, you said that pond was no great shakes and the the campsite was before you get there, is that corect? Is it on the left or right hand side of the trail, what kind of vegetation, nature of the terrain, trolls under bridges, sorcerers who will ask what the weight of a European swallow is, anything like that which might help us figger it out?
Also
You're coming in Saturday. Saturday night's campsite is just about a half mile from TH#2, just south of where the trail crosses FS211A, a bit more than about a quarter mile past where we camped at the Butt Bake, but you can also park at TH #1 and hike 3 miles down the Little Lake Loop and come right to it. I might be there when you get there (see below).
Since its likley to be only you, me, and Spacey for Sunday night, we can figure out a campsite for that Saturday night. The way the trail system in the Section is laid out, there's plenty of places where we can camp within 3 miles of where any of us are parking.
Spaceweaseal
You mentioned something about sketti. To help us in meal planning, what are your intentions/abilties there? Looks like anywhere from 4-8 people for Friday night and one more for Saturday. You got that much sketti?
I won't be bring the bake set---no muffins for anybody, especially if there's gonna be 7 or 8 folks, I'd likely run out of fuel before I get all those muffins done. If I'm going to pack food and fuel and water for 3 days, its probably wise to leave the extra weight behind, and besides, I'm trying to reform my packing habits.
I'm going to be posting a question regarding water source availability on the LSHT Yahoo Group to see if the streams are flowing and what is available in the Wilderness. We know the pond near Saturday has water that is fairly clean and filterable, but I beleive Caveman said that first pond smelled bad enough that it would drive a vulture off a gut wagon. We will be hiking back towards TH#1 on Saturday morning to connect with the main LSHT, so water could be stashed there and we can top off before going the long miles, we can also stage some where the Little Lake loop crosses FS211 south of TH#2 (about a mile from Satruday's campsite), and we can stash some at TH#2 as well if need be or if we just want to do belts and suspenders for water.
I'll be bringing Scout with me, I can't leave him alone for four days. He's nursing some kind of eye injury so I'll need to keep an eye on him anyway, but he should be healing up by then. He's also not a long distance hiking dog, although he has his days. He's 8 years old now, so I doubt I'll do much more than 6 or 7 miles a day with him. I'll plan my days around that and if he looks like he's going to have one of his more ambitious days, I'll compensate for that, but don't let me hold up anybody's plans. He's better in colder weather, so we have that going for us, and he did great at Brazos Bend last weekend ona 3 1/2 miler, but he did sleep reeeeeeeeaaaaal good and ate up all his food, which is a bit out of character for him. What that means is that I can locate the campsite and set things up and read the Kindle, maybe filter some water for when folks arrive.
I will bring enough "sketti" for 8-10 and. :)
If I can get out, I might go out next Fri or sat to scout out the area....
The clearing that I remember was on the left side of the trail if you are coming from TH1 and around a half mile. I'm going to be getting in pretty late Saturday (probably after dark) so I'll be doing some night hiking. I'll most likely just park at TH1 and do the 3 mile hike in from there.
Some Intel from the Yahoo Group:Quote:
Originally Posted by Caveman
Quote:
We walked a 16 mile loop on LSHT and Sand Branch two weeks ago. Most creeks had a small flow then. Generally, water quality looked good.
You can find the water but it is a bit of a pain to collect it.
The new camping areas (with the white bands on the trees) were great.
There weren't any white bands on the trees were there?Quote:
Please do not camp under or near the trees with the band of white paint. These
are cavity trees for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. The Forest Service
mows beneath these trees every spring to improve the habitat. It is a federal
violation to camp in one of these cleared areas.
The area I'm talking about was a "dirt" clearing. I don't remember if there were white bands, but I don't think so. It's only 1/2 mile in, and we are hammock campers.....so we can stealth almost anywhere! :)
You've got to be joshing; habitat for the endangered red cockaded woodpecker? Sounds like someone is sending you on a snipe hunt...
Anyway, my boys and I are planning to come, and since they are teenagers, let me know what you want carried. They can be loaded down with cast iron, cook pots, sketti fixins, or whatever. The caveat to that is they also have hollow legs.
It looks like we can get away for Friday, hit Baylor University, and get there by Friday afternoon/evening. We will stay Sunday night, and leave Monday and see Texas A&M, as long as we can get a shower somewhere...looking forward to making the trip :)
Take it easy,
gmcpcs
Also, I have a brand new "in the box" sawyer squeeze, and Daniel has one of those water filter things in a squeeze bottle. I need to set up Wesley with a PLUQ, and some sort of backpack to carry it all in...planning out loud.
I can actually bring some fresh eggs from the chickens, if that could be used. Will there be a burn ban, or can we use a bush buddy stove?
:thumbup1:
Take it Easy,
gmcpcs