OZARK SOCIETY, HIGHLANDS CHAPTER, OUTINGS
For all hikes bring water, lunch, rain gear and wear hiking boots. No pets are allowed. Call the hike coordinator a day or so in advance to check on any last minute changes. Outings Chair, Bob Cross, can be reached at (479) 587-8757 (home) or (479) 466-3077 (cell). For those who want to propose and lead hikes call Bob or send an e-mail to racross@uark.edu Everyone is welcome, whether an Ozark Society member or not.
Outings Events for February
TRAIL BUILDING: Extension of the Buffalo River Trail (BRT)
Throughout January to April there are opportunities to help Ken Smith in the building of the BRT extension between US Hwy 65 (Tyler Bend) and AR Hwy 14. Ken is interested in help building the trail on any day including weekends (Saturdays or Sundays). The terrain where the trail is being built is steep, so helpers need to be in good condition.
Contact Information: If you want to help, contact Ken first via email at trailsmith1@yahoo.com ; 479-466-7994 M. Also, Ken can be reached at the place he stays at in Marshall AR at 870-448-3375 on evenings after 6:00 p.m.
1
Day, Date: Saturday, February 4, 2012
Name of Hike: Spirit Creek Falls (OHT), aka “Brenda Brown Birthday Hike”
Trail or Bushwhack: Trail and some bushwhacking
Distance: 4 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss: 600 feet
Rating: Moderate due to elevation gain/loss and some bushwhacking
Features: Spirit Creek Falls, Lower and Upper Robinson Falls. Some bushwhacking in creek drainage.
Hike Leader: Brenda Brown
Telephone & Email: 479-366-2680; goatlady2557@netzero.net
Meeting Place and Time: Meet at First Care Medical Center parking lot, intersection of AR Hwy 265 (Crossover Rd) and AR Hwy 16 (Huntsville Rd) in Fayetteville for 8:00 a.m. departure; or, at Turner Bend Store two miles south of Cass, AR on AR Hwy 23 (Pig Trail) at 9:00 a.m..
Comments: From the Turner Bend Store we will proceed to the trailhead/parking lot on FR 1509. See OHT Map 3 athttp://www.ouachitamaps.com/picture_library/OHT/OHT%20Map%2003%20White%20Rock-Fane%20Ck.jpg We will make a loop from Spirit Creek falls to Lower and Upper Robinson Falls, bushwhack up the drainage to meet the OHT and return down to Spirit Creek for lunch. We will then follow OHT back to the parking lot.
2a
Day, Date: Saturday, February 11, 2012
Name of Hike: Home Valley Bluff 1
Trail or Bushwhack: Option 1 Bushwhack (see below for Option 2 Trail Hike)
Distance: 6 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss: 400 feet
Rating: Difficult.
Features: Tea Table rocks, view into Limestone Valley, cathedral-like bluff shelters and Latin inscriptions (In nomine Patris et filii…) that were left by Spanish explorers on DeSoto’s Arkansas expedition (or by more recent pranksters).
Hike Leader: Terry Frederick
Telephone & Email: 479-442-3812 H; 479-422-7776 M; terrfre@att.net
Meeting Place and Time: Meet at the parking lot of FirstCare Medical Center in Fayetteville at the intersection of AR Hwy 265 (Crossover Road) and AR Hwy 16 (Huntsville Rod) for 8:00 am departure; or at 9:30 a.m. at the Nail, AR gas station/store on AR Hwy 16.
Comments: This bushwhack hike will be done simultaneously with the trail hike (see below). Hikers will have to choose bushwhack or trail before departing from Fayetteville so that car-pooling can be arranged. Participants will be required to sign two liability release forms, one for the OSHC, and a second one mandated by the new owner of the private property over which we will cross to gain access to Home Valley Bluff. Bring gloves (leather preferred) and wear good shoes. Call Terry Fredrick for more information.
2b
Day, Date: Saturday, February 11, 2012
Name of Hike: Home Valley Bluff 2
Trail or Bushwhack: Option 2 Trail (see above for Option 1 Bushwhack Hike)
Distance: 4 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss: 300 feet
Rating: Easy to moderate
Features: Tea-table rocks, view into Limestone Valley, walk along top of bluffline and optional descent to alcove on east end of Home Valley Bluff.
Hike Leader: Luke Parsch
Telephone & Email: 479-442-3817 H; 479-445-5104 M; lparsch@uark.edu
Meeting Place and Time: Meet at the parking lot of FirstCare Medical Center in Fayetteville at the intersection of AR Hwy 265 (Crossover Road) and AR Hwy 16 (Huntsville Road) for 8:00 am departure; or at 9:30 a.m. at the Nail, AR gas station/store on AR Hwy 16.
Comments: This trail hike will be done simultaneously with the bushwhack hike (see above). We will proceed with the bushwhackers down the jeep road to the bluff and then follow along the top of the bluffline with them. When the bushwhackers drop below the bluffline for the rigorous part of their hike, the trail hikers will turn back along the bluff. There will be an option to view an alcove before returning to the cars. Hikers will have to choose bushwhack or trail before departing from Fayetteville so that car-pooling can be arranged. Trail hikers will return to Fayetteville separately from bushwhackers. Participants will be required to sign two liability release forms, one for the OSHC, and a second one mandated by the new owners of the private property over which we will cross to gain access to Home Valley Bluff.
3
Day, Date: Saturday, February 18, 2012 (note date change from earlier announcement)
Name of Event: Volunteer trailbuilding on the extension of Buffalo River Trail (BRT)
Type of Event: Dedicated opportunity for OSHC hikers to help Ken Smith build new BR trail for future use. The trail extension is along the Buffalo River between US Hwy 65 and AR Hwy 14 north of Marshall AR between Mile Markers 95 and 109 on the river.
Travel Distance: Fayetteville to Marshall, 107 miles plus another 10 miles to the worksite.
Tools: The National Park Service provides some tools, but if volunteers have lopping shears and/or hand saws for cutting limbs or small trees, please bring them. If anyone has a chainsaw and knows how to use it safely, please bring it.
Clothing and lunch: Wear work clothes and hiking boots. Bring a daypack with lunch and drinking water.
Trail-building Activities: We’ll clear a flagged line for the trail, removing logs and limbs along the trail line. We’ll also cut shrubs and small trees so that the line will be visible as a procession of stumps. Slopes vary from gentle to steep, so everyone needs to be in good condition.
Event Coordinator: Luke Parsch
Telephone & Email: 479-442-3817 (H); 445-5104 (M); lparsch@uark.edu
Meeting Place and Time: We’ll carpool from Fayetteville. Meet at Root School on Mission Blvd in Fayetteville for 6:30 a.m. departure; or, at Harp’s Grocery Store parking lot on US Hwy 65 in Marshall AR at 9:30 a.m. We’ll stop at Neighbor’s Restaurant and Bakery in Harrison AR around 8:45 a.m. for coffee.
Comments: We’re scheduling no other OSHC outing activities today in order to encourage our hikers to lend a hand in building the new extension of the BRT. Regardless of your trailbuilding skills, we can use your help. Ken Smith lets you work at your own pace at your own skill level. The scenery at the worksite is outstanding and the ride to Marshall is scenic. We’ll work until around 4:00 p.m. and should be back in Fayetteville by dark, i.e., 6:00 p.m.
Ken Smith contact Information: If you want to contact Ken directly, his email is trailsmith1@yahoo.com or 479-466-7994 M. Ken can also be reached at the place he stays at in Marshall AR at 870-448-3375 on Friday evenings after 6:00 p.m..
4
Day, Date: Saturday, February 25, 2012 (note date change from earlier announcement)
Name of Hike: Bowers Hollow and Hawk Hollow
Trail or Bushwhack: Bushwhack and some trail
Distance: 5 to 6 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss: 500 feet
Rating: Difficult
Features: Waterfalls, bluffs, and unique rock formations.
Hike Leader: Terry Frederick
Telephone & Email: 479-442-3812 H; 479-422-7776 M; terrfre@att.net
Meeting Place and Time: Meet at the parking lot of FirstCare Medical Center in Fayetteville at the intersection of Crossover Road (AR Hwy 265) and AR Hwy 16 (Huntsville Rd) for 8:00 a.m. departure; or at Cave Mtn Road turnoff on AR Hwy 16 near Redstar AR at 9:00 a.m.; or at Kapark Cemetery Wilderness Access off Cave Mountain Road on Forest Road FR1410 at 9:15 am.
Comments: This is a dramatic hike in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness. This hike will take us to Bowers Hollow and then on to Hawk Hollow. Whereas part of the hike will be on woods roads, the rating is “difficult” due the bushwhacking including some difficult ascents and descents.
Saturday hikes March 2012 and beyond (details later):
Mar 3 Bob Cross: Dismal Hollow (bushwhack)
Mar 10 Mike Adelman: OHT Maintenance, Ragtown Road to Fane Creek
Mar 17 Sally Stone: Hobbs Hidden Diversity (trail)
Mar 17 Mike McKinnon: Greasy Creek (bushwhack)
Mar 24 open
Mar 31 open
Apr 7 open
Apr 14 open
Apr 21 open
Apr 28 open
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 15-17, Ozark Society Spring Meeting, Lake Fort Smith State Park
See the Pack & Paddle or www.ozarksociety.net for program details. Hike or canoe with us on Sunday whether you attend the meeting or not.
Saturday, April 23, Devils Den, Trails and Bushwhack
This is a very special hike. David and Dorothea Justice will lead a hike that will encompass many places they used to stomp around when they were younger. Very little of this hike will be in the state park. They will spend most of the day in the national forest and wilderness areas. This hike is rated Difficult. Here’s the plan and it’s David speaking: From the Holt Road parking area, we will hike over Mount Olive, descend to Quail Valley where we will explore a massive bluff line with huge boulders to crawl around and over. We will follow the bluff to Pheebes Cave where if given permission we will go through, so bring a light just in case. I will check with the Forest Service folks to see about the White Nose Syndrome affecting our bat population before we know if we can enter the cave or not. From the cave we will ascend to a vista where we will visit a tiny cemetery. From there we will descend to Blackburn Creek and on the way down, visit some beautiful waterfalls. We will follow Blackburn Creek to several old home place foundations, some with very impressive chimneys still standing. From the creek we will climb up to Moonshine Cave where local folklore says moonshine was made. The cave is just a bluff shelter that was closed in, for shelter, or other purposes, a very interesting piece of history. On our way back to the cars we will try to find the old Mount Olive School that was burned down by two teenage boys who got tired of going to school.
We will be exploring so be prepared to take all day. This will be a difficult hike of about 6 miles. IF you’re not sure if you’re ready for a difficult hike, then you’re not. Ozark Society folks will sign the usual waiver. Members of the NWA Hiking Group will also be on this hike. Meet at the Holt Road parking area at 9:00 a.m. This parking area is the first parking area on the right after you pass the Devils Den entrance sign as you approach Devils Den on Hwy. 74 from I-540. Call David at 479-200-9546 for information.
Saturday, May 7—Buffalo River Classic and Other Events
The Ozark Society’s Highland Chapter invites hikers and lovers of the Buffalo River to celebrate spring with the Second Annual Buffalo River Classic Hike on May 7, 2011. This 23 mile day hike will start at the Ponca Low Water Bridge and end at Ozark Campground. Step off will be at 7:15 a.m., rain or shine. Participants will be supplied a substantial lunch and replenishment of liquids and snacks at Kyles Landing, and re-hydration at Ozark Campground at the conclusion of the event. Complimentary return shuttle to Ponca will be provided to participants. Participation limited to hikers pre-registered by May 3. Sorry, no day of event or trail head registration. All participants will be required to execute a release. For information, or to register, please contact Mike Adelman, 479-571-1488.
In connection with the Classic and to further celebrate spring there will be other events. Details will be provided later but J. B. Clark will lead a canoe and kayak float from Kyles Landing (or Erbie if the water is low) to Ozark Campground. Also at Ozark Campground, beginning at 4:00 p.m. we will have a cookout. Everyone is welcome to the cookout whether or not you participate in the Classic on the float. However, you must let us know you are coming so if you plan to attend and are not registering for the Classic, send an e-mail to racross@uark.edu and tell us that you will be at the cookout and how many are in your party.
Ozark Society’s Highlands Chapter celebrates National Trails Day on May 28, 2011 with a 5.5 Mile Hike on the Buffalo River Trail Extension [rated Moderate]
This year’s theme for National Trails Day is ‘Made with All Natural Ingredients’. You can be part of the ingredients and enjoy spring in the Ozarks on the Buffalo River Trail in the Middle Buffalo area.
Event Description: A 26 mile Buffalo River Trail extension is emerging along the Buffalo River. Sponsored by the Ozark Society, almost half of the extension is now complete. We will explore some newly completed additions. You will be among the first to see new vistas of the river from bluffs high above, vistas usually only visible from a canoe, with a 5.5 mile hike in the area of South Maumee Point. Dress for the weather and bring lunch and beverages to enjoy along the trailside. Sturdy footwear is recommended – the trail tread is still soft in places. (Remember sun screen and insect spray) Event Time: 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM, meet in the Harps Market parking lot, Rte. 65, Marshall AR at 10:30 to carpool to the trail head. Carpooling from Fayetteville will leave the First Care parking lot at Rt. 265 and Rt. 16 at 7:30 AM.
For more information, contact Mike Adelman, 479.571.1488
Note: If there is a federal government shutdown resulting in the closure of Buffalo National River, the events on May 7 and May 28. We may be able to substitute alternate outings so stay tuned.