Eagle Rock Loop

Is there a better place on this board to post hikes? I'm going to hike the bottom half of the ERL on 9/27&28.
I'd be glad to have some company if anyone wanted to go.

Let's go backpacking!

Mark

Mark,

What do you consider the bottom half of the ERL? I am close to the trail, outside of Dierks. The wife and I might consider coming along. Don't know right now what will be going on at that time.


Tom

The idea is to leave a car at Winding Stairs trailhead on 106 and drive up to Blaylock & 106. The hike is south on ABF to Vining,east to camp at Little Mo. Sunday morning up Little Mo trail to the cars on 106.

You're familiar with the route,does that sound reasonable?

Mark

Mark,

I sent you a PM with my cell number, give me a call and lets talk this over.
As of now I am interested in the hike.

Tom

Hey Tom,
Sorry,I got all caught up at work and lost track of this. I'm still going on September 27&28. The trip involves a car shuttle and that's probably where I'm not explaining it well.
We'll start hiking south on Athens Big Fork Trail from Forest Road 106 at Blaylock Creek. We'll turn left (east) on Viles Branch Trail and go to the intersection with the Little Missouri River. Sunday morning we'll hike up the Little Mo Trail to Forest Road 106 where we have left a car to get back to Blaylock Creek.
I hope to bring a couple people from Dallas with me and would certainly like to have anyone from this forum along for the hike.
I also am interested in any group hikes with the AB folks and would do some organizing if it works out.
I also lead hikes for the Dallas Sierra Club but this hike is not a Sierra Club hike.

Let me know,

Mark

Mark,

No problem. I have been all around the area that you are talking about. I think that I have been near the first trail head that you mentioned, I just got to look at a map. I haven't had much time to devote to this either. School has started and I am extreamly busy. Our situation at the campground has also changed, we are now the camp ground host, so we are getting ready to move the 5th wheel to a new site so that has keept us busy this week end. But basicaly I am game for a hike around the time you mentioned just check back with me closer to time. If we are actually going to do the Athens Big Fork I want to be as phiscally fit as I can be. Any way keep in touch.

By the way will your group come up Friday night or Sat. morning? I will also have to look at the football schedule for that date. I think we will have a home game so that would work out great.

Tom

I just checked our football schedule on line and I have a away game the friday before the hike. No big deal but I won't be going up till the Sat. morning.

Mark,

Are you still planing on going on the ERL at the end of the month? I am trying to find out about possible damage to the trail in the area due to the week end storm. I will have to bow out because I don't think that I will be read for the ABF trail yet, I don't want to hold you back. I may go into the Caney Creek area that week end, not for sure yet.

Someone psoted a link to real good map of ERL. I lost it. Can someone tell me where it is?

Thanks ED

Thanks for the link, I am going to have to get down there soon. Sounds like a great trail, and I can do it in 2 days (Maybe ). I can drive down on a Wednesday night, and start the trail on Thursday, and get back home on Friday, and if I get lazy, I can always come home on Saturday

Preacha:
I did the trail in 2 days back in Dec. '07. It takes a full 2 days to get this trail done, although I have heard of some people doing the whole trail in the summer as a LONG day hike. We started at the Upper Little Missouri Trailhead and headed south, knocking out the 6 ridges on the first day. We camped the first night at the junction of Viles Branch and the Little Missouri River. (This is the same direction and starting place that we did on our most recent hike of this trail 3 weeks ago.) The second day, we had our first wet crossing of the Little MO right at the start at 7:45 am and got to the truck at 4:00 that afternoon. Because it was winter time, we didn't have a lot of daylight hours to hike, so that limited our time on the trail. If you do it in the spring, such as late March or April, you would have more daylight and could probably knock it out in 1 1/2 days, if you are in good shape.
Good luck and let me know if I can be of any help,
UL

It would be late March - April before I could do this, and that is the route that I have been looking at. My only thing is that my neighbor boy doesn't like to get around to early in the mornings . He likes to hike though, and we can usually go pretty fast, when I get him going. Thanks for the help.