Hello All

Just wanted to say hi. Been in Arkansas for a little over a year. Been out and about doing some dayhikes when I can. Trying to get out on some overnighters real soon. I recently adopted some trail miles on the OT so I will be out their a bit, repairing my miles( day hiked the area and it is overgrown bad). Look forward to joining in the discussions.

Jeff

Welcome

Jeff,

Were are you located? I am in Dierks with access to the Southern Ouachitas and the Caney Creek Wilderness.
Glad to have you on the board.

Tom

Thanks for welcomeing me Dfieldhiker and Tom.


Tom,

I am in Bryant. About an hour and a half to my trail miles up by the lookout past hunters loop. I am trying to get out on the Eagle rock loop on the 13th of november. Heard it is beautiful out that way. Little worried about the water levels for the creek crossings though. I will have to do some more research on that.

Jeff

Jeff wrote:Just wanted to say hi. Been in Arkansas for a little over a year.

Hey man,
What part of the big beautiful world you move over from??? Transplanted swamp rat/cajun myself.

Welcome. My kids and I do lots of shorty day hikes, too.

Hello and welcome Jeff. I have a group going up to the ERL from Memphis on the 13th... We leave out from the Upper Falls TH and do the loop Clockwise. Will leave out on the trail at daybreak Friday. 3 days 2 nights. Your welcome to join us. Right now I am looking at 4 I think. For that matter everyone is invited.

Clif wrote:What part of the big beautiful world you move over from???

Moved from Northern California. Grew up camping, backpacking in the Sierras around Tahoe. More recently spent time in the shasta area and Trininty alps.

Most of my hikes have been with my growing family. Have two daughters and another on the way. Been doing more to free up my time to stay some nights out though.

Trail Monkey wrote:Hello and welcome Jeff. I have a group going up to the ERL from Memphis on the 13th... We leave out from the Upper Falls TH and do the loop Clockwise. Will leave out on the trail at daybreak Friday. 3 days 2 nights. Your welcome to join us. Right now I am looking at 4 I think. For that matter everyone is invited.

I am a new member of your meetup group Eddie. I am a maybe right now. Still trying to get everything worked out to get their. I will keep you posted as too my status. Really looking forward to getting out on the trail...

Oh ok.. guess it really is a "Small Small World After ALL" hahaha... Hope to see you there.. If you cant make it Fri morning. East Stingray will be meeting up with us at the Albert Pike Campground Friday afternoon, as he cant get away from school until the afternoon. Just a fyi

Like Trail Monkey said, I'll be meeting them at Albert Pike. I'm from Little Rock, so you're on my way out to the campground if you want to carpool.

Yes it is a small world. If I can not get out till friday afternoon I will probably hike most of the night to catch up. One way or another I will be out on that trail, that weekend. I have been in AR for a year and have zero trail nights, way under par for me.

What about the water crossings, will the water be high? How are you planning to tackle them? I usually just walk through and let my feet dry while I hike, but I always carry warm socks for bed.

east_stingray wrote:Like Trail Monkey said, I'll be meeting them at Albert Pike. I'm from Little Rock, so you're on my way out to the campground if you want to carpool.

Do you plan on finishing up the hike back to your car? still be back sunday night? Might be an option. Thanks for the offer east_stingray

Hey Jeff, glad to have ya. There are a bunch of great people around here, alot of fun to be around.

welcome, ED

Uh.. that would be pushing it Jeff... That would leave something like 10 miles to do. I mean I have done the entire trail in 2 days but not something that I ever want to do again. I think 3 is the min. But I don't know you either. Of course the 10 miles would for the most part be mostly flat, so there would be no major climbs.
We will meet up with East there at the campground so no one will be out on the trail alone. Hope to make it from the trail head there at AP at least down to the Winding Stairs TH that evening and camp there for the first night. If we still have time we may try for the Winding Stairs itself. Then all we have to do is split the peaks on the backside.
Water crossings is something that I am watching now. Right now I think there is no way. The gauge is up to like 5 to 6 feet a Langey so no way I would cross. That would be somewhere around 4 feet up by the Winding Stairs. When it gets closer if the river is still to high I will call the whole thing off till it gets better. There are something like 6 to 8 crossings but they are generally not to bad. I usually hike that section of the trial in my Teva Sandles any way then change to boots or trail runners for the peaks.

Eddie, thanks for the concern. I am aware a night hike in would be pushing myself. I am just leaving that on the table as a last resort option that I will do only if need be. So the goal is 10 miles the first day and possibly doing the stairs if time allows?

I am hoping to just be with the group the entire trip, sometimes work does not cooperate.

Lol.. I did not mean to assume, just that some parts of that trail can be treacherous. Time frame that I am looking at is

Fist Day:
Upper TH to Albert Pike, meet up with East, down to the Winding Stairs TH= 12.4 miles addtional 2.1 to the Winding Stairs

Second Day:
Winding Stairs TH to East Saline Creek with side trip out to the Eagle Rock Vista = 7.5 miles or adjusted if we make it to the WS on first night.

Third Day:
Saline Creek to Upper Falls with trip out to Brush Heap Vista= 7.5 Miles

These can be adjusted as needed but thats about the jest of it.

Hi Jeff, and WELCOME !!!!! You will find out that the more you get to know us, the more nights you will get. I live up in the gorgeous northwes, and there are tons of trails up here . I wish that I could join yall on the ERL, but my pregnant wife is about to POP any day now . I hope to meet up with you on the trail soon.

Jeff wrote:

east_stingray wrote:Like Trail Monkey said, I'll be meeting them at Albert Pike. I'm from Little Rock, so you're on my way out to the campground if you want to carpool.

Do you plan on finishing up the hike back to your car? still be back sunday night? Might be an option. Thanks for the offer east_stingray

I was not planning on doing that last stretch. If you want to carpool and its a matter of pride for you to do the whole loop, I would consider doing that with you. The plan before was to have one of the other guys give me a ride back to my car.

I have to be back on Sunday because I have to be back at the hospital on Monday morning.

Preacha Man wrote:Hi Jeff, and WELCOME !!!!! You will find out that the more you get to know us, the more nights you will get. I live up in the gorgeous northwes, and there are tons of trails up here . I wish that I could join yall on the ERL, but my pregnant wife is about to POP any day now . I hope to meet up with you on the trail soon.

Ewww... you're bringing me back to July when I was on my OB rotation. That whole "popping" part will make you doubt your faith, Preacha! Look away! Look at your feet! Look at the wall (or any cute nurse who may be present)! Anywhere other than the table. Awful things happen on that table. *shudder*

hahahaha east you ain't right...

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I look forward to putting in some trail miles and telling ghost stories around the ring of fire. Might need to come up with a recipe to dehydrate some smores(gotta keep the pack light lol).


East, no need to finish the first time around. Just wondering what your plans are. Besides gives us a reason to go back. As the date gets a little closer I will know for sure when I will be able to head to the trail. Now lets just hope mother nature cooperates with low flows...

and if you two don't finish it would give me a reason to go back an do it with you. 5 times in the same year would have to be some kind of record hahaha

Trail Monkey wrote:and if you two don't finish it would give me a reason to go back an do it with you. 5 times in the same year would have to be some kind of record hahaha

Thats the kind of enthusiasm I like to hear. With so much of this state for me to explore, I would have to put off breaking your single year record for a little while though. Already getting a ton of great ideas for trips from reading around here.

Well East and I and one other guy from here will do Pinnacle this sunday.. everyone is welcome to come out. We will leave Mempho around 7am so should be there somewhere around 9 or so

Pinnacle is alot of fun, I might be able to make sunday morning. Hiking from the main parking lot or the backside? I have always hiked around the base and done the scramble side up. Stretch's the hike out a little in length and makes it a little easier to climb down back to the car.