ERL Nov 12- 15th Trip Report

by Trail Monkey Mon Nov 23, 2009 12:47 am

Thursday November 12^th I drove up to Albert Pike
to meet Tenn Hiker and Lea. Arrived late so through up my hammock and slept in
the campground till morning. The two of them had arrived early and were
actually camped a few spaces down from me. Friday morning we got together and
left for the Upper Mo Falls parking area. Left the Trail Head about 10am by the
time we got going. Most of this leg of the trip was uneventful but we got some
nice leaf off views and had a swell time talking. Ran into our first hikers
down at crooked creek. Two fellows from Texas that were hiking down to Winding
Stairs then returning. We saw a lot of
burn out on this leg. Probably about 5 miles or so of it. It was so fresh that
I could still feel the heat on my feet as I was wearing sandals. We made it in
to Albert Pike around 1pm and had lunch. I was to meet east_stingray later in
the day so I stayed and Tenn and Lea walked on down toward the Winding Stairs,
where they would make camp. I meandered around the campground and talked to a
few folks. Took a brief nap and generally kept myself busy. I waited on east until around 6:30pm and
decided that something had come up and kept him in Little Rock, so I set out
for the 5 miles or so that I still had to do, and now in the dark. I will have
to admit that I did get the opportunity to see loads of wildlife and actually
enjoyed it with the exception of the one creek crossing in the dark. I made it down to the piney forest just
before the winding stairs. Tenn had
decided that this was a great campsite and I was glad.

The next morning we all woke early and picked up and cleaned
up the site for the next people and was on the trail fairly early as we still
had the hardest in front of us. We had about 14 miles behind us and what was
next was not pretty. We made our way down
to the Stairs and this place was pretty full with hikers. Seems we were not so “ALONE”
after all lol. We talked with a few people for a bit and found our two guys
from the day before who were getting ready to head back. Soon we were on the
Viles Branch trail and making our way to the first climb of the day. After a brief
rest and snack at the junction we began making our way up the mountain. About
half way up we ran into a group coming down. Large group of college guys and
gals up from Texas. As I was passing them I heard a voice that I recognized and
son of a …. It was east. He had made his way in last night and camped down at
the Winding Stairs TH an made new friends there. Then he found his way down 106
to the trail crossing there and began backtracking to find us. So after a brief
with him he joined in and we made our way up the mountain. When we got there Tenn was already there and
said he and Lea were going to go on but meet up at the briar heap side trail. I
wanted to take east out on eagle rock so we stayed there and enjoyed the view
some. Then we made our way down and back up to the “BRIAR HEAP MONSTER”. We got
to the intersection and they were there passed out on their packs so we quickly
dropped our packs and made our way out onto the top of the mountain. The view
were spectacular however a thick haze had started setting in and you couldn’t
see but maybe 30 miles or so. We started back and down this monster. Upon
reaching the bottom Tenn said he wanted to continue on to the next campsite and
stay there. So with the monster of the day behind us we started out. My but was
whipped about now so it did not take but a few moments for everyone to breeze
past me. And anyone who knows this area knows there are 2 mountains to summit
here to get to the Leader Mountain walk in hunting site. It was just about dark
when I came wandering into camp half dazed from a 12 mile or so day. We made
camp and had a nice time talking and chortling around. I turned in early because
I knew what lay ahead.. Mt. McKinney. Early the next morning after breakfast
and getting packed up I decided that it would be best for me to leave out
earlier than everyone else as I was the slowest and this would keep me from
holding anyone up. Good thing was we only had about 2 miles or less to the
truck. I quickly gave everyone instructions on where the trail could be picked
up from where we were camped and I lit out. Soon I was at the top of the McKinney
and took a brief moment to relax as I knew they said they were not leaving for
another 30 min or so. Down hill I went, and soon was at the last creek crossing
and I be a son of a … a huge group of
people camped right in the middle of the darn trail. I had to walk out and
around them to keep from walking right through the middle of their camp. I am
talking a tent was “ON” the trail itself. Soon I was making it up the last
climb and to my waiting truck… I played it smart and had the keys with me… that
way I knew they could not leave me lol. And in no time I was at the truck and
now waiting on them. In no time we were on the way down to get east car and
make our way back to Albert Pike for a hot shower. After showers we headed up
to the Langley store for a nice pizza and talk to the great folks in there.
Stop in sometime and tell Toy and Doug hey.
Very good weekend and great
company. Hope everyone gets to get out there sometime.

by ouachita hiker Mon Nov 23, 2009 10:08 am

TM,

Sounds like you all had a great trip! I will eventually make it to the ERL.
Got a lot of conditioning to do first. That is a heck of a note those folks
camping ON the trail!

Tom

by ED Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:40 am

Eddie it sounds like you had blast. I wish that I could have made it that weekend!!! Thankyou for the trip report I always enjoy reading about what I missed out on. I am going to do the ERL before spring. I can't wait!!!! Got any pictures? I just can't believe that people were camped on the trail. Why do you think people do this?

by east_stingray Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:50 pm

Haha... and they thought I'd just flaked on them. Little did they know I was stalking them from further up the trail.

I missed TM by about 20 or 30 minutes in Albert Pike. Whoever's grandpa was on the two-lane between hot springs and langley needs to go faster than 35mph next time. He made me miss a big chunk of the hike!

Even if I only ended up doing half of the loop with them, I still had a great time!