OK>Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge>27-29 Dec

**YorickMori** · 12-09-2013, 20:07

Originally Posted by Big Bacon

How old are the grandkids? My son little bacon is 13. It might be cold but it will be fun!

one is 12 and the other is 13. they are tiny little runts, but they can bundle up for warmth.

**Gimpy** · 12-09-2013, 21:39

If there is room, I'll go. I don't want to miss all the fun.

**Big Bacon** · 12-09-2013, 21:51

I think there is a spot. Try to pm the big Sgt to see if he has an extra slot

**Big Bacon** · 12-09-2013, 22:05

Originally Posted by YorickMori

one is 12 and the other is 13. they are tiny little runts, but they can bundle up for warmth.

This is going to be a great trip. My friend in altus said they got six inches of the white stuff. I hope it sticks around a while. It will make the view from mount Scott all the more beautiful. Can't wait to head down there. We are going to have a blast

**Gimpy** · 12-09-2013, 22:19

I sent Sargevining a PM and he will be sending me the permit. I'm ready or I will be ready. I do not want the weather we got here (DFW) with the ice and sleet.

**Big Bacon** · 12-09-2013, 22:33

Sooper cool

**sargevining** · 12-09-2013, 23:08

Gimpy's in. PM answered.

OK--

Here's the deal with me. I made a bit of an over estimation of the capacity of the grandkid's under insulation. If the weather doesn't match their insulation, Grampa is not going to tell them they have to stay home while he goes camping. Unfortunately, that means that nights will have to be ABOVE 40* for me to feel like they won't die in their sleep. I just misjudged the material I used for the UQ's I made and there's no time to fix the mistake.

Hiking to the camping area is fairly easy, you just goes west out of the Sunset Pond parking lot. The trail goes behind the rest rooms and looks a bit like an old road for the first few hundred feet. Following the creek bed west will get you out to the Wilderness area, then its find a spot to bivy or hang.

Tis is how I had the weekend planned:

To get to Post Oak Falls:

Hike back to the Sunset Pond Parking area and drive your cars south on 115 to the turn off to Treasure Lake. If you go past the Jobs Corps Center, you've past it. Drive to the end of that road and Treasure Lake will be right in front of you. Follow the trail down to the edge of the lake where the creek comes in at the northern end. Follow the creek north, keeping Mount Lincoln on your right shoulder. You'll have t jump back and forth across the stream a couple of times, just remember to keep the mountain on your right shoulder, and stay fairly close to it.

After a while, the creek will split. If you look to your left, you should see Little Post Oak Falls:

I've always thought it looked like a big theater stage. When you get to this point, you are practically right on top of Post Oak Falls. Last time I was out there, there was a rock cairn about 3 feet tall just to the right of the trail as it passes the entrance to the little canyon that lead up to it. The falls can't be seen directly from the trail, but if you keep that mountain on your right shoulder and get to a spot where there looks like there might be a creek coming from the right (especially if that cairn is still there), follow it about 20 yards and you won't be disappointed.

To get to the rock rooms, just exit Post Oak Falls and continue following the creek north. (Don't follow the creek that goes over Little Post Oak Falls---there's nothing of real interest up there.) Unless the fire got to them, you'll go through a stand of trees, and if you're lucky you'll spot the old horizontal mine shaft off to the left of the trail. For the purposes of this hike, the trail will end at the rock rooms---you can't miss them. Its a good place for a rest and a snack and some exploring, then hike back to the trailhead retracing your steps.

Now. There is a trail that goes over the hill instead of following the creek from Treasure Lake, and you might be able to follow that back. It will be quicker---BUT---the problem with trails out there is a lot of them are made by buffalo and long horn, and they will intersect with the main trail. Its fairly easy to turn off on the wrong one. I've always found it safer and surer to follow the creeks.

After returning to the cars, drive on over to Meers and satiate that hunger you just built up. Bring cash, he does not accept credit cards or checks. Order the cowboy burger and some fries. Warning: even if you're really, really, really hungry, you might want to share that burger with another person. He raises his own beef and doesn't grind the meat until the burger is ordered. The burger comes on a pie plate and there's no room for anything else. Order the cobbler for dessert, but split that with somebody else too.

Now you've got yourself too dam many calories in you, so you have to hike them off, so its off to 40 Foot Hole.

Its an easy hike of just a couple hours. There are three basic routes to get there.

You're gonna come back from Meers and head back west on 49---back towards where you're camped, but you're going to take a left when you see the sign for Burford Lake and Lost Lake.

The first route to the hole is my favorite. After you turn onto that road and go past the turn off to Burford Lake, you'll see a little scenic overlook parking lot on the right. It looks down on a long lake. Hike down to that lake and follow the shore south until you come to a curved concrete dam. Cross that dam, then head across the prairie in a southwesterly direction (there should be a trail there). This will take you to the dam at the end of Lost Lake. Its pretty cool in and of itself being made entirely of cobblestone and concrete. You can either cross along the top of the dam (nor really recommended), or down at the bottom of it. Take the trail to the right after you cross the dam. It will go through some woods and will generally follow the creek that runs from Lost Lake. After a bit, you'll come out of the trees and see the gorge running straight in front of you. Go over to the edge and look down, you'll see the waterfalls of the hole and there's a talus slope you can scrabble down to get to them. This is a great place to swim in the summer. Hang out there and retrace your steps back to the car and return to the campsite.

OR

You can drive past that overlook and go into the Lost Lake recreation area on the right after you pass it. Park the car and follow the trail that goes around the southern shore of the lake. It will take you to the dam, and you can follow the trail from there.

OR

You can drive all the way to the end of the road and park at the Kite Trail Trailhead. Kite Trail is marked with square steel markers on short posts. The markers have been gas cut with the outline of a bird in the middle (the kite). They are low to the ground, but easy to follow, except in one tricky spot less than 100 yards from the trailhead. You'll come to a spot where you need to make a decision whether to follow the creek or scrabble up some rocks, and the trailmarker is no help. Scrabble up the rocks. If you stay with the creek you will rapidly get to the point where the walls of the can yon are too steep for you to negotiate. So--if the trail gives you a choice of going up or going straight---go up. You'll get to the edge of the canyon and from there its easy to follow the rim till you get to the hole. There really are spectacular views of the gorge along this trail (My avatar is a pic taken from the rim about a half mile from the Hole.) Retrace your route back to the car once you're done at the hole.

Another option is to park a car or two at the Lost Lake parking area, then drive down to the Kite Trail trailhead and hike back to those cars and shuttle back to the trailhead after you get there.

This shows an Everytrail track to the hole along the Kite Trail:

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=498171

You can scroll up and see the scenic parking lot and the parking area at Lost Lake, the dams, and even some of the trail.

If you do both of these trails, you will have seen almost all of the natural waterfalls in Oklahoma.

I do hope the weather co-operates, but here lately it seems like it just ain't gonna.

**Big Bacon** · 12-09-2013, 23:38

Great plan but you and the kids have to come. If you want I'll pack lots of extra stuff! I've got a bunch of the three piece military sleep systems. I used them when I had to sleep in an ice cave I dug in bridge port call. In cold weather survival school. I also have the sleeping mats and the vortex bivy. The grandkids Evan if they go to ground won't get cold at all. I've got like thirty sets so it will be my pleasure to share. I have put my son in the bivy with a fourty degree Colman down bag and he slept warm and toasty. We woke up coverd in frost. The only under quilts we have ever used are the jcp jackets I sewed together. If you or they need anything let me know

**lostagain** · 12-10-2013, 00:11

Sarge, since I can't make it I'm more than willing to lend you my JRB Greylock 3. It's supposedly good down ot 20 or so, and I've got a JRB Old Rag TQ that can be used for insulation. I can drop them off at Walter's in the next couple of weeks. So, let me know. I'm still steamed at my womenfolk.