Ozark Highland Trail: 10/9 - 10/12/09

“This trip needs a thread......”

“Now it has one!!!”

“I have been following some threads on an Arkansas hiking web page that indicate that Richmond Creek had some blow down damage and it appears it is not yet cleaned up.

I would like to incorporate Hurricane Creek into this hike, so I am now looking at starting on the section to the West of Hurricane Creek. I am trying to route this for 10 miles on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a short hop out on Monday.

I would also like to route it where people could join us on Friday night/Sat morning and could end on Sunday if necessary.

I will pull out Ernst's book this week and see what I can do to set the agenda.”

“Chin or Randall - want to carpool?”

“Stomper - You would be WAY out of the way for Randall, Athena, or myself.”

“Not if Randall goes through Connertuckyville.”

“Oh yeah, if he is starting there it is a natural fit. I'd be going through St Louis.”

“You can't get there from here! There are no interstates between Paducah and Jasper, Arkansas.”

“The section he is talking about is less than 30 miles north of I:40. Roughly north of Lamar or Clarksville, Arkansas. Exit 64.”

“Stomper!!
I am probably gonna fly from Cincinnati to some place close and then catch a ride with somebody!! I will check out the flight later on. Otherwise I will do way more driving than I could handle. I think that Crash and Attila are thinking about going and would probably go right past ya though!!
I’ll get with them this weekend and see what their plans are!
See ya later.
Randall”

“IMHO, youo best be from Paducah would be down through Dyersburg to Memphis and across I-40. Maybe you could cut over through Jonesboro and down to Little Rock.

We are talking about 5 hours from Memphis.”

“Randall, you can fly to Memphis and I will pick you up, or fly to Little Rock and I can pick you up on the way.`”

“Right now, I am looking at Ozone to Pineview.

Keep in mind the map on the link is oriented with North to the right.

http://www.hikearkansas.com/oht_map.html”

“Here is a link to a full set of topos for the OHT. Maps 9 -12 cover the section planned.”

“Thanks
I am still checking out flights and will probably end up in Little Rock, still not sure of the dates that I can make yet. I can be there Friday fer sure, but I may try and make it on Thursday, 10-08-09 sometime early PM.
I’ll know more later.
See ya later.
Randall”

“Ya sure ya don't mean Ozone Campground to Fairveiw Campground?? LOL
I could be wrong though!!
See ya later.
Randall”

“Yes, I do mean Ozone to Fairview.

Posting at work I sometimes lose my train of thought.

That approx 40 miles.

What I need to nail down is whether we can be at Ozone on Thursday night. Secondly, I need to know if we need to wind up on Sunday or are we hiking Monday.

Once I have the "window", I can plan accordingly. This is an interesting area, I don't want to sacrifice fully experiencing the area to rack up mileage.

Hopefully, I can take you to Mirkwood. Dayhiker, cocoa williams, dunadan and I went there in 2002.”

“and that's all I'm saying.”

“I'm a solid maybe for this. But it's a long freaking drive from Chicago.”

“As soon as I get a confirmed date range from Randall, I will finish the plan.”

“Chili,
How about this?

10/08/09
Leave Cincinnati, OH (CVG) 4:55 pm
Arrive Little Rock, AR (LIT) 5:42 pm

10/12/09
Leave Little Rock, AR (LIT) 1:50 pm
Arrive Cincinnati, OH (CVG) 6:53 pm

That about the best I can do.
See ya later.
Randall”

“I will look at that later and buid a route around it.”

“If I were flying in from Ohio for a 3-4 day hike in Arkansas it'd be on the Buffalo River trail from Ponca to Pruitt not the OHT from Ozone to Fairview.

Not that the OHT section is bad; there's just way more scenic stuff on the BRT, IMO. See my album for a sampling.
last edited: 7/15/09 10:57:49 AM”

“Thanks. I guess I need to consider both. However, the other consideration is how to plan for one group to be out 3-4 days and the remainder to be able to join the group for 1-2.”

“Pruitt to Ponca was one of the first real backpacking trips I did years ago. Nice hike as I recall.

Had a bunch of pigs come into the area where I was cowboying it in the middle of one night. I didn't know what they were at first. I just saw lots of little eyes close to the ground shining at me when I would sit up in my sleeping bag and flash my light around. Kind of creeped me out so I threw some rocks in their direction. They took off and I think one must have bit another because I heard a obvious pig-like squeal and then I surmised what they were. I was a real backpacking noob at the time.

I also recall seeing some big @ss elk on that hike. Pretty cool.”

“Hey Chin Are you planning to go with me? Or am I planning to go with you? Maybe I could meet you in Edwardsville like before so I can stay there a nite on the way back. I can leave my car at Robs apt. and we can take the chinmobil on south....gas milage you know”

“And Randall...sounds like you are getting a ride elsewhere....Si?”

“I am not sure about the ride yet!!

But it would be nice if ya guys could truck my pack like last time!

I will buy the tickets as soon as somebody, anybody, tells me they can pick me up. Lol

I really have no preference as to the trail and if everyone thinks that one is better than the other then I’m game as long as the dates don't change.

See ya later.
Randall”

“Book it Randall. I will pick you up and take you back to the LR Airport.”

“Thanks Chili!!

Ok, I booked the flight.
Send me an email, my address is on my profile, and I will forward my Itinerary!
The times are the same as I previously posted.

See ya later.
Randall”

“YGM.”

“Hibilly, you gonna try to make this one? Me and BuffaloBabe are”

“I am in.”

“I am looking at both possibilities.

Either the OHT or the BRT. My challenge is to structure the hike when part of us are starting on Friday morning and some may be meeting us on Friday night. Also, the stopping point needs to be Sunday for some and Monday for others.

I think that is easier to do on the BRT, but not impossible to engineer on the OHT.

I know Randall's plans for arrival and depatture. What about everyone else?”

“We'll conform to whatever ya'll work out. Since we're close and easy to please.

I do agree that the BRT is prolly slightly more spectacular. Isn't there a new section that connects the 2 trails?”

“Is it complete? They were working on it the last time I was over there.

I am leaning toward Ponca to Pruit on the BRT.”

“In addition to the BRT, which is above the river most of the time, there's also a horse/hiking trail(the Old River Trail (ORT) that follows the river and crosses it numerous times. It's usually still rather warm here in early Oct. and the river is typically low so I often hike the ORT with a minimalist pack wearing only Chacos for footwear so the crossings aren't a boot-changing hassle. It also makes it easy to jump in the river for a swim now and then to cool off. The old homesteads in my album are all near the river.

The Buff has so many options. I may have to join y'all if you decide on the BRT/ORT.”

“I appreciate your input.”

“There are two National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps (west & east) that cover the Buffalo National River. These maps are great and all I ever use for trip planning. They show the river and all the trails, roads, access points, and places of interest (homesteads, cemetaries, etc) along the river plus the river and trail mileages. You'd need the "west" map for the Ponca-Pruitt section. Link below:

http://www.natgeomaps.com/ti_232.html?searched=buffalo+national+river&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1+ajaxSearch_highlight2+ajaxSearch_highlight3
last edited: 7/17/09 5:52:56 PM”

“I had them both, but now my West Map is missing. I am not sure I have used it since I fell in Steele Creek 7 or 8 years ago.”

“I love it when the heavy-hitters plan a trip. I feel like I can just show up and hike.”

“Randall, any objections on moving this from the OHT to the BRT?

Owl, ygm.”

“Either way, it's just that much better....

All I know is, I gotta get my fat a$$ in better shape. I took a bushwack down Boen Gulf in the upper Buffalo Wilderness last weekend and it dern near killed me!

Totally worth the trouble though. AWESOME!”

“Chili!
As long as some one picks me up at the airport I have no obljections to a change!!
See ya later.
Randall”

“As soon as I hear from owl, I will get the details posted.”

“Chili, check your email.

I sent it from my home account and hopefully your spam catcher won't get it.”

“Got it. Thanks. I will look at the map today, work on the shuttle logistics, and get it posted later.”

“Chin when you get back from AK just let me kow the scoop on your travel plans and I will blend in...you too Randall”

“Chili, So Chin and I are good to go. We can meet you at the campground Thurs nite with 1 vehicle and Randalls pack. Can we get in on the shuttle arrangements? We can leave car at either end...... Leslie
last edited: 9/01/09 7:35:58 AM”