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  1. #21
    Senior Member
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    That leaves us with the weekend of the 16th or the 30th (Easter is ruled out).

    I did part of the Tecumseh Trail this year and didn't think too highly of it. I've heard nothing but good about the Deam. There also seems some positive feedback for it. If the trail is busy that day, we can make a last minute change of location. Everyone can print out a copy of the trail map, so no problem in making a change of trail at the Deam. I would defer leadership to someone else with more knowledge and experience wants to lead - I just like the idea of getting outdoors with some HF members and checking out people's rigs.

    I was thinking a yearly Hoosier Hang would move locations, so that we can experience different trails at various parks, etc...

  2. #22
    Senior Member RePete's Avatar
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    Thanks Mule. That was kind of you to think of me. As for the location. What you describe sounds great and its nice having an insider. The pictures are great. Were they taken early spring? No problem finding water there. Is there any chance you can get GPS locations of where you are suggesting we camp?

  3. #23
    Senior Member Mule's Avatar
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    More pictures of the Deam

    If all of us expresses our preferences first, finding out whether to go to the Deam or somewhere else in the Hoosier National Forest, then we can choose a destination. Personally, parking at the Nebo Ridge Trailhead is easy and a nice place to park. I've never heard of a problem in that parking lot. Then we could go to Brown Hollow where there will be good water and plenty of trees. From there we could take a day hike to Browning Hill on Saturday, perhaps.
    If the Deam is chosen by the majority, the I know we could still find places to go where we would be away from others. Right smack dab in the middle of the loop of the Sycamore Branch Trail (staring at the Tower on Tower Road) is a place we call Crescent Valley due to it's shape. It has a nice stream running through it and there are no trails that lead to it. You simply bushwhack down into it from the Sycamore Branch trail. Then from there we could day hike out to Terrel Pond. Terrell Pond is a beautiful place, but over camped anytime but the winter. Here are some pictures of it.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Predictions are risky, especially when it comes to the future.

  4. #24
    Senior Member Mule's Avatar
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    Crescent Valley

    Here is a map of the Sycamore Branch Trail. It's about 6.5 miles around. To Crescent Valley it is about a 2 mile trip with some bushwhacking. Not too bad.
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    Predictions are risky, especially when it comes to the future.

  5. #25
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    I'm in Cincinnati. Will watch this thread and my work schedule. May be able to join you. Thanks for organizing it!

  6. #26
    Senior Member RePete's Avatar
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    TroutEhCus you are doing a fine job of getting this hang started. There seems to be lots of feedback and suggestions. This is great. I have no knowledge of the area so I have no opinions on specific locations. I am going to enjoy myself no matter where we go to hang. Do you have a count on how many possible hangers we have? It is still early but it seems to be generating a fair amount of interest. Seems there will be a good mix of veteran and novice hangers. Im sure I will learn a lot.

  7. #27
    Member Dead Reckon's Avatar
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    I have to weigh in with Mule. The Will Hays Valley is a beautiful secluded place to camp. It has a good water supply, a thick pine forest carpeted with duff and a ton of good hangers. The valley was once on the old Panther Gap Trail. It was popularized in the early 70's in an Audubon Society guide book published to raise awareness of the HNF. An old eccentric hermit named Will Hay lived at the home sight in this hollow, when the HNF was established. Will was quite a character and is exploits are preserved in HNF lore. Few venture there now, save for us geezers! Unlike the Deam it is not over used and fire wood will be easy to gather. Also it is not near a bridle trail and so, should not be over run with horses. The Will Hay Branch is documented in the Elkinsville Quadrangle topographical map. It is a short hike from the old camp site in the pines down to lake Monroe. Also I believe a day hike to Browning Hill is possible from there. Some years in late April it is good mushrooming. I would like to see folks learn this area, as it is not promoted and marked like the Deam. My 2'nd choice would be Crescent Valley in the Deam for many of the same reasons. I also see the wisdom of a Friday night car accessible social hang that the whole gamut of hangers can attend. The inevitable last minute decisions for the backpack outing could be made there. Blackwell camp is just off 446 on Tower Road. I have never been there. Are there ample trees there for a social hang ?

  8. #28
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    Otter - So far, I have about 15 people interested in attending. My guess is there are about five - ten additional that are interested in attending. This count does not include any family members or friends.

  9. #29
    Senior Member Oms's Avatar
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    If the dates work out for me I would certainly be interested in the hang. Lets see where it goes.
    Oms

  10. #30
    Senior Member Mule's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dead Reckon View Post
    I have to weigh in with Mule. The Will Hays Valley is a beautiful secluded place to camp. It has a good water supply, a thick pine forest carpeted with duff and a ton of good hangers. The valley was once on the old Panther Gap Trail. It was popularized in the early 70's in an Audubon Society guide book published to raise awareness of the HNF. An old eccentric hermit named Will Hay lived at the home sight in this hollow, when the HNF was established. Will was quite a character and is exploits are preserved in HNF lore. Few venture there now, save for us geezers! Unlike the Deam it is not over used and fire wood will be easy to gather. Also it is not near a bridle trail and so, should not be over run with horses. The Will Hay Branch is documented in the Elkinsville Quadrangle topographical map. It is a short hike from the old camp site in the pines down to lake Monroe. Also I believe a day hike to Browning Hill is possible from there. Some years in late April it is good mushrooming. I would like to see folks learn this area, as it is not promoted and marked like the Deam. My 2'nd choice would be Crescent Valley in the Deam for many of the same reasons. I also see the wisdom of a Friday night car accessible social hang that the whole gamut of hangers can attend. The inevitable last minute decisions for the backpack outing could be made there. Blackwell camp is just off 446 on Tower Road. I have never been there. Are there ample trees there for a social hang ?
    DEAD RECKON,
    Thank you for your comments. I notice that this is your first post here. Welcome to the forum. I think you will find it a kind place to be and I can tell by your first comments that you will be adding greatly to this kindness.
    Your knowledge of the Will Hayes area is so refreshing. And you have been also to Crescent Valley, as we call it. We must meet one of these days soon. I still have a couple of copies of the Sassafras Club's Guide to the Hoosier National Forest if that's the book you are referring to.
    Blackwell Camp is the first camp you see on the North side of Tower Road coming in from 446. It is a bland and treeless expanse mainly for horses and those who ride them. It is good place to start if you want to walk to Patton Cave, (which, BTW is off limits right now due to the need to preserve it as a habitat for other creatures besides ourselves) and a good meeting place too in that there is a restroom there. I am not sure there is any water though, I don't think so.
    When we have our Spring Hang, IF, what we are looking for is to get a notion of the real Indiana outdoor experience, Will Hayes Branch or Panther Creek, or both would be great places for us to go. It is a few miles to there from the Handicapped Parking Lot on Crooked Creek road and a few more from Crooked Creek Lake, but that is the Backpacking Experience that Grizz spoke of when he said he would like to go if it was a backpacking thing.
    Also, Crescent Valley is only a couple of miles. It has been my pleasure to have taken dozens of friends and new backpackers there and to Will Hayes Branch, and to walk up Panther Creek on the way out sometimes, and it has been a great joy to introduce them to the area. But what we need to do first is decide what kind of hang this one will be. What do you all want?
    1. CAR CAMPING. Now if it is to be a car camping type hang, Blackwell Camp is the wrong place. In fact, I cannot think of anywhere to car camp because I don't do it. Someone else may be able to fill us in on this possibility.
    2. DEAM..Short walk into the Deam might be:
    A. The Peninsula...2 miles. to perhaps drive on down the road past Blackwell to the John Grub parking lot and walk North then West and bushwhack a short distance off the main trail toward Lake Monroe, like a place they call the Peninsula, or the spur out into the lake right before it. That would be a mile or two. But you would have to drink lake water. ): .
    B. CRESCENT VALLEY.....2 miles. Park on further down the road at the Tower and take the Sycamore Branch to a place we can go North bushwhacking to Crescent Valley.
    C. THE OLD CABIN. Take the large trail to Terrell Pond, hang out there a while then walk on past it to the North West to the old abandoned cabin and hang around there. There is good water if we hang before actually getting to the cabin in a valley near there.
    D. Harding Ridge....Animal Control could guide us to his little private camp leaving from one of the parking lots West of 446. I think about 1 mile. Animal Control?? what's your input on that?
    3. HOOSIER NATIONAL FOREST.
    A short walk into the Hoosier National Forest might be:
    A. BROWN HOLLOW, 2 miles, plenty of good water. Secluded. Day hike to Browning Hill the next day. We could also day hike past Browning Hill down into Bad Hollow.
    B. HAYES BRANCH, 3.5 to 4.5 miles depending on the route and considering we do not get lost going down the wrong spur a time or two. Good Water, secluded.
    Maybe DEAD RECKON could guide us on to Browning Hill from there. I'm not sure I could do that without getting off the trail a time or two.
    C. BROWNING HILL AND OR BROWNING HILL AND BEYOND. Hike to Browning Hill, take a break there then go on down into Bad Hollow. 2.5 or 3 miles maybe to Browning Hill then another mile into Bad Hollow. Secluded, water.
    D. PANTHER CREEK. Instead of going all the way to Hayes Branch, we could stop at Panther Creek and walk up it a ways and hang. 3 miles. Good water, secluded. Beautiful.

    Sorry for the long winded post but one last thought:
    Perhaps some of us should have a preliminary hike or two down there before the big
    hang comes off. Why? Because we can, and because March is a long way off. Anyone of us who might want to explore the area yet this winter could do so. All you have to do is mention it and I will be there.
    Mule
    Last edited by Mule; 12-27-2009 at 08:55. Reason: REPAIR SPELLING
    Predictions are risky, especially when it comes to the future.

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