Winter Camping

I’m in no rush … I don’t need to be home until this evening, and it’ll only take around two hours to hike back to the trailhead. I might as well relax for a while.

Camped overlooking McGarr Spring — It’s embarrassing to admit how long it took me to find the two trees I used when I camped here back in December. So I’ll just say It was far too long.

Frosty Morning — My coldest night out on the trail. Last night at 15°F, and ironically, I was too hot! There was even ice inside my hammock. +2

Morning view from my hammock.

A self portrait photograph of Gary Allman keeping warm in his hammock while winter camping. December 2022.

Keeping warm in my hammock – The low was 23℉ (-5℃), well within the 10℉ rating of my quilts. I was nice and cozy. A forecast of 20℉ is my lower limit, not because I cannot keep warm at lower temperatures I can, but because it is not enjoyable sitting around and doing camp chores when it is that cold. I do this for funsies, not to prove anything.

The forecast Lied. Again – And a couple of early morning passers by. Start of Day Four. It was 23℉ overnight – A bit cooler than the pre-trip forecast of 31℉, and I did not set my tarp last night.

Camped above McGarr Spring, Devil’s Backbone Wilderness. Near the end of the third day of my trip. I surprised myself with an 8 mile hike today. Not bad. Four-minute read, +1

Camped near the Ridge Runner / Ozark Trail – I last camped near here in May 2021 on my first hike of the North Fork loop of the Ridge Runner Trail. Then the leaves were out, it was warm, and I deliberately missed a large section of the trail in order to explore Steam Mill Hollow. Two-minute read, +3

Frosty Morning at Paddy Creek Wilderness – Eight o’clock and the sun hasn’t reach my hammock yet. Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Two. +2

It was a tad chilly out last night – I was nice and cozy though. Too hot at one point. The night’s low was 26°F. Colder than forecast, but not unexpected.

Sunset and ripples – Sunset at the North Fork River.

The setting sun bathes the world in pink.

Breakfast, and time to hit the trail. 3 pictures

Day Two – Sunrise near Mary Hollow.

Icicles. 3 pictures

Time to have breakfast, then pack up and go. One-minute read, 3 pictures

Sunrise on Day Three.

Good morning! To get up or not to get up? Now that’s a question when it is cold out.

Day Three – view from my hammock.

Camped by Table Rock Lake – The astute will notice that this is not my regular camping spot by the lake. The reason is quite simple; some expletive deleted hunter decided that a good place to leave the carcass of a deer they’d dressed would be right by the fire ring of my usual camping spot. One-minute read, 5 pictures

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