ERL Trip Report from The First Annual Tri State Solo Group Hike

The First Annual Tri State Solo Group Hike

Mon June 21

Woke early and broke camp so I could get up to the Little MO Upper Trail Head. Got up there in plenty of time to still go over my pack some more for some little tweaking. A little worried about the pack as I have named it my Franken Pack. It’s a Alice Frame, medium bag, MOLLE hip belt and 2 sustainment pouches attached to the sides, and a set of Osprey shoulder harness. Not too sure how it will carry. ARHiker showed first and early then Red Buffalo. About 9am we headed out like a fine oiled machine. Well maybe not that fine. In no time we made it down to the falls and had our first break. Talked to a few people there and passed the time. Left out and passed a lady and 2 girls that were headed toward the falls but had to turn around and head back. One of the girls was trying to hike in Chaco’s and had huge blisters on the second day. They fell in behind us. Next we passed a trio of college kids that had made their way down from the falls. Not really sure what they were doing they would pass us then we would pass them. This kept up for a few miles. We made it to the Crooked Creek crossing for our first nights stay and the mother and girls were in front of us and was determined to make it out TODAY. It was about 2pm. Next while we were setting up was the college trio who were asking where they were and how far the trail went. They had no water or ANYTHING. Red Buffalo talked to them and they turned around and went back. Once set up we again aroused by a Large group of boys and girls who were trying to cross the creek. The leader decided to go on downstream a little ways to make camp. They came in from the Falls. After a evening of comparing tents, tarp tents, tarps and hammocks we all turned in for what awaited us the next day.

Tue June 2
Awoke early and got packed up very quickly and headed out at about 7am. Before long we had passed the group of kids who had decided to camp in a very nice green field in the woods down by the river. Yep it was a nice field of Poison Ivy. Said our usual courtesies to them an kept moving. Soon we were at Albert Pike and stopped to fill water pouches and take a small lunch in for the “CLIMB” of the day. Talked to a Father Son team who just pulled up and parked next to us. They were getting ready to do the loop but were going to do it counter clockwise. We soon said our goodbyes and told them we would see them on the back side. Soon we were at the peak of climb and ready for the downhill. Pretty much made it down to the creek and decided to take off our shoes and rest a bit with our feet in the water. It was a wet crossing anyway. Stayed about 30 min and then headed on out after a few couples of kids came through. Soon enough we were at the Winding Stairs and after picking a good campsite ARHiker and myself decided for a very much needed swim. The area looked like a freeway with people coming and going but none really staying around much. Soon the large group of kids showed up and they to decided to go for a much earned swim. They decided to keep moving though and camp on further down stream. Talked to one of the older men and found out that they were a group of counselors at a summer camp and they were being tested/trained for camp next week in OK. They moved on and we began seeing people from the first day now blowing through. After dinner and making comparisons of cook stoves we turned in for a uneventful night.

Wed June 3
We all awoke around 5pm or so and began the packing for what we all dreaded. The climbs of the day. Were out on the trail around 6:30am and was soon well on our way. Passed the Summer Camp group about half way up the Viles Branch Trail. They were soon to be on their way as well. Upon reaching the turn off for the Athens Big Fork Trail we took a rest to begin the climb. It wasn’t long before we were at the top and taking another break. Went out on the vista and took in the sites. We could hear the group coming up the mountain. They made it up about the time we were getting ready to make a break for Brush Heap Mountain. We talked a while and ARHiker even gave up some of his precious trail commodity, toilet paper. It wasn’t long before we were taking a break at the top of Brush Heap Mountain. None of us had ever actually been out on the vista there and we decided to drop packs and take in the site as we had plenty of time. Even without the packs this was a hell of a climb. At times you couldn’t even see the ground. The views made it VERY worthwhile. After spending a bit of time on top and photographing the surroundings we headed back down to our packs. By this time the group had all passed us for the last time of the trip, with the exception of a few stranglers. Soon we were at the down side of the mountain and it’s even worse than coming up the other side. Soon we were at the designated campsite and making camp. After a while ARHiker and myself decided to explore the small creek we were camped at. After a lot of talking and a quick game of “Blisters”, lol, we turned in for the night. Only to be awakened at about 10:30 to a light rain. We all packed everything as best we could in the night and turned back in. It ended up a light rain most of the night, off and on.

Thu June 4
Next morning we awoke to a damp morning. Never really did ever get hard and the ground was for the most part still dry. Just some moisture on the vegetation. We did sleep in a little while longer than we had been. Once up we soon got everything packed and off we went. When we got to Baylock Creek we could see where the other group had camped as you could tell the dry squares of where their tents had been. Stopping briefly for water we soon found ourselves climbing McKinney Mountain and could see the remains of bear scat on the trail. This trail that had been burned in January was already overgrown to the point that as the man in back I was never more than 10 to 20 feet behind the other guys but at times I could not see either of them. Also we could see a place where something had went down the side of the Mountain in a hurry and knocked all the water off the vegetation. This was very near one of the bear scats that we had found. Finally after a nice climb up to the Sprit Rock Vista we soon found ourselves at our trucks. This was around 11:30 and the trucks never looked so good. We sat around talking for a while and decided that we all really enjoyed each other’s company and that we should do some more hikes together.

Good trip report Trail Monkey. I would just like to add a couple of things that I learned from hiking with you two.

1. Watching someone set up a hammock is a spectator sport.
2. Someone makes a one man tent that takes 17 stakes to pitch.

Hey, I have my hammock setup down to a science! It only took me 3 years, but now I can set it all up in under 5 minutes. Besides, it is all worth it, you never have to sleep on the ground!

Thanks for putting together that nice trip report TM! It was good having a Mississippi "DIY" guy in the group and a native Arkansas "Botanist." Not sure what I contributed? A photographer without a camera probably wasn't very impressive (lol).

I learned a few things on this hike as well.

1. I don't actually need to pack lunches for a four day backpacking trip (since I left mine in Lufkin). Thanks for the Clif bars TM and M&Ms AR!
2. That "someone made 17 stake one man tent" can effectively be reduced to 6 stakes (even in a light rain).


I must say a big KUDDOS to Arkansas Backcountry for providing the platform where three total strangers from three different states can meet at a predetermined trailhead in the middle of the Ouachita NF and take off on a four day backpacking trip.

Great trip! Hope to share the trail with you guys again one day soon. That invite to hike Big Bend NP in August is still open....

Yeah well AR even after a little over a year I am still playing with a setup. I have to admit that the skins on it I do like. But sometimes setting it up with a couple of ground dewellers around is a challenge to find two trees thats just right. To keep from being in the subburbs . Other than that hell 2 straps and two strings. Not to shabby.. at least I didn't have 17 stakes to try to pound into the ground. And feel good when I droped it down to first 11 then to 6... hahaha. And yeah RB a photographer without a camera is a Oxymoron hahaha. Guess the greatest thing I learned was about some of the trees from AR and to ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have my camera from RB hahahha. But in the fall I think you and I need to do a trip back up there with a tripod and camera and just spend like 3 days in between the peaks. Some fastenating stuff there.

That is a great idea to hike in and photograph around the peaks. We could set up a base camp at that same spot we camped at the last night and work the peaks from both directions and the streams in between. I'll have to see how my schedule plays out when fall gets closer, but I do believe AR.Hiker mentioned its usually the first week of Nov. that the colors start to change. We could probably trouble him for a scouting report.

Yeah thats kind of what I thought to RB... Base camp and day hike the peaks and streams... make it a 3 day 2 night weekend. Actually may be better to work it in two halfs rather than to try to do a base camp then branch out. Take the first 3 peaks as a 2 day one night. Then do the Eagle Rock and Brush Heap mountains as a 3 and 4th day one night... end up with a 4 day and back to the trucks on the 4th day. hmmmm... AR has a fall colors report here http://www.arkansas.com/calendar/fall_foliage_pg1.aspx

https://i.servimg.com/u/f60/12/40/17/43/dscn0810.jpg

The Winding Stairs
https://i.servimg.com/u/f60/12/40/17/43/dscn0910.jpg

From Brush Heap Mt
https://i.servimg.com/u/f60/12/40/17/43/dscn0911.jpg

Brush Heap Again
https://i.servimg.com/u/f60/12/40/17/43/dscn0912.jpg

Yet Again Brush Heap


McKenny MT.. from when I di it back in march


Little MO


First Annual Tri State Solo Group Hike hahahaha

Thanks for posting the snaps TM. Nice river shot.

I guess something should be said about the various GPS data our units were recording. Mine was long on distance, TM's was short, and AH seemed to be pretty spot on. Good reason to always carry a map. Also, my waterproof map was further tested a day or two later when I washed it with my hiking pants. TM - I needed your air compressor on the way home when I had a flat (probably from the rocky road out to the Little Mo trailhead) and then again when the spare turned up flat (lol). Gotta have a sense of humor....

Yes.. there is something to be said for the GPS units. I think I know why mine and ARhikers were off. It did suprise me that yours was that far off though.
You said your map was tested.. but how much worst did it get? lol.
Good reason for people to always check their spares, to bad you had to find this out the hard way.

I'm still wondering about "solo group"???

Hahahaha.. you would have had to been there Clif... lol

TM - the map surprisingly came through the wash in great shape. It did lose some of the coating, but it'll make my next trip to the ERL.

Clif - the hike started off as a solo hike then the "Roll Call" post flushed out TM (Mississippi) and AH (Arkansas); hence, the Tri-State Solo Hike. We discussed seeing how many states we could get represented on one hike.