Fifteen Days and a wake up

I remember some events in my life when I was a day counter. Do you remember the times as a kid you were counting the days until Christmas morning? If you were like me you were also counting the hours Christmas Eve so that you could get up and see what Santa brought.

As you neared the end of a school year you were counting the days until the summer vacation started. Your senior year in high school those last days of the beginning of the rest of your life moved so slowly. Looking back you now wished they moved even more slowly.

I posted the title to this chapter of the blog on my Facebook page and Harvey Carsey knew immediately the connotation. When you got to Viet Nam you usually came up with a short timers calendar that you would mark off in reverse order of how many days before you could go home. The last day was always a wake up and not a full day because that is the day things began to happen. When you got down to less than 10 days and a wake up then you were known as a single digit midget. When you obtained that status nobody dared mess with you. You were going home and usually did not hit a lick at a snake the rest of the time.

Well, that is how I feel about this trip to Big Bend. It is countdown Christmas, summer vacation and in a small way freedom bird day from Nam. I am ready to go and this will not be anti-climatic. One of our contributors on Big Bend Chat has a website that he posts pictures of Big Bend. His name is Tom Avery and I thought I would include a link to his website so you could see what a beautiful place it is.

http://www.thomasjavery.com/proj_big_bend/index.html#0101

Odds and Ends

Clay came by the house this afternoon and we went through his gear inventory. We were able to go on -line and get a great deal on a Kelty 0 degree bag from Overstock.com. That was the first time that I used Google shopping to find the best price and it worked well....Wes and Clay can fit well into my Marmot 2 person tent but they will not be able to put their gear inside....Made reservations at the Motel 6 in Fort Stockton, Texas for 2 rooms at $45.99 a night (I am sure they are palatial rooms).....Still trying to get my gear organized but the more I try the more mess that I make....I really need an air mattress for my time in the desert (these joints just do not like the hard ground anymore).....I made my final decision on clothes for the pack and settled on my down jacket vs. a polar fleece below a waterproof shell.....Clay was very excited about the trip and said that all his friends were jealous (made me feel good).....Wes got a new job as soon as we get back from the trip so that was good news......It really needs to warm up before we leave for our trip......

Remembering My First Trip to Big Bend-Part 2

When we decided to take my first trip to BIBE, Ed asked me how difficult of a hike was I willing to take. My answer, foolishly, was "the harder the better". Since I had no frame of reference as to what the harder really entailed I was talking through my hat. But Ed took me at my word and designed a trip that would test my hiking skills and cardio fitness.

We began our trip down Elephant Tusk Trail shortly after lunch. The trail really wasn't a trail at that time. It was just tall metal poles in the ground periodically to sort of keep you going in the right direction. I set the early pace and learned quite quickly that the terrain looked flat but we were steadily going uphill. Ed asked me what my hurry was and I breathlessly said I had no idea and immediately slowed down. We hiked some very tough terrain that first day and camped in the wash just east of Elephant Tusk Mountain. That night I got my first taste of freeze dried food. If you are hungry you will eat anything.

The next morning we were off and running. We got temporarily lost as the trail was just going through a wash and somewhere we made a wrong turn. After about an hour we found Tortuga Mountain and we were back on track. By mid day we reached Fresno Creek and ate lunch and resupplied our water. These were the days before water filters so we just dipped out the water and put it into our water bottles as is. Now we would not even think about that. Since the days of that first trip I have visited this area of Fresno Creek many times.

We met the Dodson Trail at the saddle above Fresno Creek a little earlier so we were on to our second segment of the trip. We headed down the Dodson toward Juniper Canyon Trailhead. After a long day we arrived at our destination just before dark. We had enough time to set up tents and cook dinner before turning in for the night. My remembrance was that it was not very cold at night and very warm during the day.

Then the hike really got tough for me. Juniper Canyon Trail is a long slog up a steep canyon that seems to go on forever. We restocked our water at Upper Juniper Springs but had to run about a dozen javalenas away from the pipe that supplies the water. Javalenas are fierce looking hog-like animals but have very poor eye-sight. We got our cook pots out and began to bang them with a spoon and the creatures decided to move on down the trail. After lunch we spent the rest of the day trying to get me to the top of the canyon. I learned the value of having a large chocolate bar in my pack. Just when I thought I could not go any more, I sat down and ate my Hershey's bar and soon thereafter found enough energy to summit the canyon. But I was one tired puppy at that point.

We spent the night on the Southeast Rim of the Chisos Mountains. It was a windy but starlit night. The stars were as bright as I have ever seen them. You could see satellites as they moved steadily across the sky. The rim is a truly spectacular place to be. Unfortunately I have spent most of my time since then in the desert so the upcoming trip will re-acquaint me with the Chisos.

The next day we climbed up to Emory Peak, the highest point in the Chisos and photographed the desert looking into Mexico. Then on around the rim and down Blue Creek Canyon Trail to the Homer Wilson Ranch House and our water cache. When we reached the ranch house we were totally out of water and very tired. Ed wanted to keep going down the Dodson Trail but Lane and I convinced him to spend the night there. That gave us half the afternoon to just relax and soak up the beauty. It also gave me a chance to use the trash barrel that used to be at the road above the ranch to get rid of a lot of extra stuff in my pack.

The next day was truly the most spectacular of all the days on the trip. We headed across the Dodson to the Elephant Tusk Trailhead at the saddle. I remember thinking that there is no end to the ridges we had to cross to get to the last saddle. Lane was beginning to have ankle problems because of some bad boots. We stopped on Fresno Creek for water and I wrapped his ankle which seemed to help. Rather than continuing on down the Elephant Tusk Trail we decided to head down Fresno Creek to something Ed called the Plunge Pools. Little did I know what was about to face me.

Fresno Creek began to flow down hill into a large canyon that got smaller and smaller until we ran out of room. At that point the creek flowed over a series of plunge pools that were about 10 to 15 feet drop in elevation for each of them. This did not look like something I could handle but rather than turn around I decided to get with it. We took off our boots and put on our running shoes. Then we took off our packs and tied some line to each of the packs. I was able to get down to the first pool by circumventing the side of the canyon and jumping down. We lowered all the packs and the rest of the group followed suit. We were able to make it down the next pool the same way but the next pool Ed could not get down the side of the canyon. So he decided to jump into the pool which wound up being over his head. The temperature at that time was probably around 40 degrees. Ed was now soaking wet and we still had one more pool to climb around. I fell into the last pool but only got wet up to my knees.

We got Ed down into the wash below the pools and got him out of the wet clothes. He put on a pair of my silk long johns and got into his sleeping bag until we could get him warm enough to continue. Late that afternoon we put the packs back on and headed out again. We arrived at a rocky ledge over looking a very fast running Fresno Creek. We listened to the wonderful sound of Fresno Creek running all night.

The next day we headed down the creek until we thought we were far enough down to cross country back to the truck. We should have continued down the creek but after being lost for about 2 hours we finally found the road and then eventually the truck. What a trip that was. It was very tiring and dangerous (at the time I did not know how dangerous). However, I will be making that trip at least one more time. The guys I am going with probably do not want to bite off that much but if they do I am all for it.

I wish I had some pics to put on here from that trip but they are packed away somewhere in the attic. One day I will scan them in and put on my blog.

Remembering My First Trip to Big Bend

As I was preparing to take my first trip to Big Bend National Park in 1984, I was trying to visualize the park in my mind. I always envisioned Texas as rolling pine hills in the east followed by the desolate mesa area of west Texas. I was not aware that mountains even existed in Texas. I had seen some pictures taken by my friend Ed but these did not really prepare me for what I was to find.

On the initial trip to the park, Ed, his son Lane and I left early on the first Saturday of the new year for the 14 hour drive into Big Bend. We were in Ed’s Chevrolet pickup truck with all three of us crowded into the front seat. I remember being very apprehensive about this adventure. I had not backpacked since my days as a Boy Scout and I was not in great physical shape.

We arrived in Big Bend around 8:30 pm. It was a very dark and cold night when we stopped at Panther Junction Ranger Station for a bathroom break and a quick pay phone call to let everyone know that we had arrived. The most amazing sight was directly overhead. I had never seen so many stars in all my life. I was a real novice as to star constellations but as Ed began to point out the different collections I was totally awed. Until one has seen the sky in the absence of light it is hard to describe. The Milky Way on a moonless night in the vast Chihuahuan Desert of Big Bend is a must see.

We proceeded to a spot in the desert along Ross Maxwell Scenic Highway where our hiking trail will near the road. We hiked a short distance into the desert and hid 3 gallons of water to resupply as we work our way through the trip. My apprehension level continued to escalate as this exercise left me breathing very hard as we climbed back up the hill back to the truck.

Since it was very dark I had no real feeling as to my surroundings. At night, the mountains surrounding me took little form and had no reference as to their height. We continued on to the Chisos Mountain into what is known as the Basin, a bowl seemingly carved out of the mountains where the park lodge, store and campgrounds are. After a short night’s sleep in the back of the truck, I awoke to see what this place really looked like.

As the dawn began to break, I was stunned by the enormity of the Chisos Mountains. All the features seemed to be super-sized. The landmarks I had read about-Casa Grande, Lost Mine Peak, the South Rim- all were much larger than I had imagined. The Chisos was much greener and lusher in vegetation. I remember thinking “Is this really a desert?” I was to later learn that there was plenty of desert for me to see.

After getting our gear situated and back in the truck, we headed back to Panther Junction to get our backcountry permit and head to the trailhead. I was not prepared for the absolute enormity of the park. The drive from Panther Junction to Elephant Tusk Trailhead, our starting point, was well over an hour of some of the worst 4 wheel drive roads I have ever been on. It was not the muddy Louisiana swamp roads but rocky, rutty, wash-board, dusty desert roads that will rattle your teeth.

We finally arrived at our trailhead in the middle of nowhere. Actually we were at the Elephant Tusk Trailhead off of Black Gap Road looking north into the Chisos Mountains. The elevation was probably around 2000 feet and the Chisos were two and a half days and 5800 feet in elevation away. I could now since the wildness of this place. For all the beauty around me, I also knew that one must respect Big Bend for what it is-an inhospitable, uncompromising environment that must be taken seriously.

To Be Continued…..

Dark Desert Highway

As a prelude to the long awaited trip to Big Bend I am posting the proposed roads and trails that the group will be traveling.

• December 31-Leave Birmingham around 9 am to travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Spend the night at Mother's
• January 1-Leave Baton Rouge no later than 6 am to head to Big Bend National Park
• Arrive Fort Stockton, Texas early in the evening
• Eat dinner and stay at a cheap motel in Fort Stockton
• January 2-Leave Ft. Stockton no later than 6 am
• Arrive Panther Junction Park Headquarters by 8:30 am
• Get back-country permit
• Make water cache at Homer Wilson Ranch House on Ross Maxwell Scenic Highway
• Drive to the Chisos Basin, have lunch and prepare to begin the trip
• Hike up Pinnacles Trail into the Chisos. This will be a 5 mile hike gaining 1700 feet in elevation
• Take Boot Canyon Trail to the Southeast Rim Trail and find designated campsite
• January 3-Break camp and hike up to Emory Peak the last part being a rock scramble and great photo op of the desert looking over the Rio Grande into Mexico
• Explore the Chisos before working our way over to Boot Canyon campsite for the evening
• January 4-Head down Juniper Canyon Trail to the Dodson Trailhead. This will be about a 6.2 mile hike downhill.
• Eat lunch at the trailhead and then hike over to the Dodson Ranch House to set up camp
• January 5-Break camp and hike to Fresno Creek to find water. Hike over to Homer Wilson Ranch House and get water cache for the next day. Make camp in the Red Rock area of Blue Creek Canyon Trail.
• January 6-Hike up Blue Creek Canyon Trail to the high Chisos. Elevation change on this trail will be about 2000+ feet. Find our campsite in Laguna Meadow and make camp.
• January 7-Break camp and hike back down to the Basin and the truck. Easy downhill 3.5 mile hike.
• Pack up the truck and head out of the park.
• Spend the night somewhere on I-10 to shower and rest up.
• January 8-Arrive in Baton Rouge with time tba
• January 9 or late January 8 head to Birmingham.

This will be a good trip for the guys and give them a great taste of the park. I have found in time past that you will either hate Big Bend or love it. There never seems to be a middle ground. Since Wes has been there twice already I know how much he loves it. My guess is that Clay and Bradley will love it also.

What Every Man Likes to Talk About

No, not that! Gear!!!! As part of my getting things ready to go to Big Bend I thought I would list what will be in my bag as I head out into the desert. Just on the oft chance that someone might actually read this post I hope that this will be helpful on your next trip.

Backpack-Granite Gear Meridian Nimbus

Sleeping Bag-Marmot EverSummer 0 degree

Tent-Granite Gear 8 x 10 silnylon tarp

Pad-Thermarest self inflatable (doesn't self inflate anymore)

Cook Kit-MSR all black

Stove-MSR Whisperlite International with bottle

Hammock-ENO Doublenest (For mountains only)

Knife-SOG Field Pup

Light-Princeton TEC

Hat-Tilley Airflow

Shirt-Columbia Long Sleeve Fishing Shirt

Pants-Columbia Hiking Pants

Socks-Smart Wool Trekking socks with polypro liners

Boots-Merrill Moab middies

Long Underwear-Patagonia Capilene

Rain gear-U S Army Poncho

Poles-Black Diamond Trail

Compass-U S Army issue Lensatic

GPS-DeLorme PN-40

Water Filter-MSR MiniWorks

Water Bladder-MSR 2L Dromedary Bag

Water Bottles-4 Nalgene Bottles

Gear Repair Kit-DIY

First Aid Kit-DIY

Food-Trail Mix, pop tarts,cheese and peanut butter crackers,Hershey chocolates,Quaker Oatmeal,rice a roni, instant potatoes, chicken breast and tuna breast, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, instant soup mix.

Maps-Park map, 4 individual quads for the outer mountain loop

Bird Book-Peterson's Guide to Western US Birds

Binoculars-Nikon Travel lite

Well, that is it hopefully. I am hopeful that the whole pack with full load of water will weigh no more that 30 pounds or so. If it gets much heavier than that Wes or Clay may find some of my gear in their bag.

Anticipation

I am starting to get really antsy about my trip to Big Bend. I have never been the patient sort so the wait will be agonizing.

I received a call yesterday from Karen's nephew Clay who is a student at the University of Alabama and he is definitely going on the trip. That was good news and I know he will truly enjoy himself. Bradley Jones, who made the Pinhoti Trail trip with me will also be going.

My son Wes is starting to put together his gear for the trip. Wes has been with me twice before and has soloed in the Chisos overnight. However, this will be his first long distance backpack trip. He has always been great in the outdoors and does love Big Bend. His friend, Jeff, is working to get himself off so that he can take the trip.

In anticipation of the trip I am bugging the potential group with emails as to what to expect in Big Bend as far as weather and terrain. I sent them all a daily weather report for Big Bend that is posted everyday on their web page. The high for today is 70 and the low is 23. The temperature extremes in the park always amaze me. Because it is a desert and you get radiant heating and cooling, the nights can be colder in the low desert than up in the mountains.

This is also the time before the trip that I start getting all my gear together and begin the culling process. My problem in time past has been taking too much gear. I am always trying to plan for every emergency both medically and gear wise. I am hoping to reverse that trend this year. I am only bringing one extra pair of socks and underwear. I will reducing my first aid kit to the bare minimum. I do not need every possible gear repair item that I own.

My repair items will be a sewing kit, duct tape, super glue, tent patch, stove repair kit (I spent hours a few years ago trying to fix a balky stove) and a couple of heavy duty safety pins. I usually carry extra straps, webbing, buckles, glue sticks, head light lamps and the like.

My food bag in time past was always the heaviest thing in my pack (other than water). I always packed a breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day along with snacks, tea and coffee. In addition, my dinners were always Mountain House or Backpacker Pantry freeze dried foods. This year I am going to bring pop-tarts for breakfast, peanut butter crackers and chocolate for lunch and instant rice/potatoes and chicken breast for dinner. I want to keep my meals down to no more than 1 pound per day. I will keep some trail mix in my pocket for snacks.

I am going without a tent this year to save on weight. Instead I will carry a silnylon tarp that only weighs 18 ounces rather that my 5 pound Marmot tent. I will use my trekking poles as tent poles at night. I practiced setting this up over the holidays and it seemed to work fine. It does rain in Big Bend but normally not heavily so this should do me fine as long as I can stay out of the wind.

Over the next couple of weeks I will continue to refine my packing list probably adding and deleting the same items several times. But that is the fun of it. Anticipation!!!!!

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