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June 24 2002

Distance Traveled: 8.6    Total Miles: 17.3

Location: Viles Branch - .4 miles from the Athens/Big Fork Trail.

Entry:

Today was a late 0940 start because of a 0830 wake up. Last night I stayed up until 2230 hoping for stars, but no luck because of clouds and high illumination. This morning I took Matt's hammock and Donald took his sleeping bag which helped today because right away we started making 30 minute miles. But Karen started complaining about her back and Donald has somehow cut both big toes, so they started dragging after the first mile.

By 1200 Matt and I had reached the peak above Albert Pike Recreation area which is a pretty good little climb. We stopped to eat lunch while waiting for Karen and Donald. After about 30 minutes I went back looking for them and found them resting about 200' behind us on the trail They said they had stopped at Albert Pike looking for us at the showers which I had mentioned stopping at to use the toilet and maybe getting a coke. So they had wasted a little time there.

After lunch we pushed on to get to Winding Staircase. Matt and I were waiting for Karen and Donald by Blaylock Creek just resting and treating some water. A guy in his 50's with a lot of tattoos and the look of someone that spends a lot of time in the outdoors came by. He told us of a short cut to Winding Staircase which we took. We got there cutting about about a mile off the total we should have gone. The shortcut is like this: About 200' after crossing Blaylock creek (if your traveling south at this point) where the footbridge used to be, you will pass by a campsite on the left. Go through the campsite and follow a little trail out the back side about another 100'-200' until you come to a horse trail blazed in yellow. Take that trail to the right and cross the Little Missouri River three times. About 1/4 mile after the third crossing, the horse trail and the Little Missouri Trail meet. I would have preferred to stay on the Little Missouri Trail because of the views and for the fact that the horse trail is quite eroded in some places, but the kids were dying and there was a rain storm we were trying to outrun.

Anyway, we finally got to Winding Staircase and it was EXCELLENT! If I would have realized what it would be like before planning the trip, I would have made the mileage work out better to where we could have camped here. The place is definitely worth a visit, and we started talking about coming again some time just to stay here again! If you ever come to this trail, you MUST stay here at least one night. But please leave it cleaner than you found it, the trash in places was my main complaint. But because we still had about 4.5 more miles to go today, and because tomorrow would be the hardest trail, I didn't think we could afford to stay here and still make it back like we planned.

We stayed for an hour or so, swimming in the water holes and playing on the rocks. Karen and I did at least, Matt and Donald wouldn't really come in the water which was a perfect temperature for swimming after a hot day hiking. While we were there, a thunderstorm we had been outrunning all day hit. But we didn't care since the spot was so nice. The rain only lasted about 5 minutes then blew over. After visiting with the man that had recommended the shortcut, we packed up and headed on very reluctantly.

We were greeted by some boys at a trail junction who had killed an armadillo. The boys got mad when were weren't impressed by their armadillo and they actually cursed at us as we walked away. The trail junction here served no purpose because the horse trail was choked badly by a past flood in the area and eventually met back up with the Little Missouri Trail. We had followed the Viles Branch because the guide said it would leave the other trail to the right, so we assumed that this was the spot. Eventually we hit the real split with the Viles Branch and followed it up the little valley. About a mile up the Viles Branch, I stated pushing ahead of the kids since the trail was fairly easy and I wanted to scout out a campsite. I ended up picking a site right beside the trail about .375 miles before the trail intersection with the Athens/Big Fork Trail. I know this because after we made camp, I walked up it to see where we were, but I'm skipping ahead.

I got to the camp about when I expected to, 1900. But the kids didn't show up after about 10 minutes, so I left my pack and walked a mile back and found them dead tired on the side of the trail. I picked up Karen's pack and carried it to the camp while she carried Matt's. I got to camp ahead of them again, so I dropped that pack and went back about 1/2 mile and found them trudging, so I took Matt's from her and ran back to camp. After I dropped his, I turned around and found them about 1/4 mile away, so I let them walk the rest of the way themselves. For some reason even though my Gearskin pack is packing more weight, I found it more comfortable. Anyway - I should get an extra 2.9 or so for my total. I almost feel like I'm really hiking today!

By the time I got everyone into camp and finished exploring the trail, it was about 2030 or so. While we were pitching camp, that thunderstorm started raining on us again. We set up a poncho/tarp and our shelters quickly and kept on cooking in the dark. Matt didn't want to eat again, but I made him finish his dinner just to get some food into his system. While eating, some coyotes started howling somewhere up the valley, so we made sure the food was hung properly so they wouldn't mess with us.

It's now almost 2300 and everyone is sleeping hard. I should join them. I hate to see the trail end when I'm just starting to get into a rhythm, but the kids are looking forward to the end of the trail.

Story:

Every once in a while something odd happens while you are in just the right place to watch. This is such a story.

While I was walking alone up the valley of the Viles Branch, I heard a huge splash ahead of me. I assumed it was a limb that had broken off a tree and fallen into the water. I put it out of my mind almost as soon as it had happened.

A few minutes later I had moved up to the trail near where the sound had come from, but not thinking about it at all. I saw a squirrel going across a fallen log and climb a pine tree. The squirrel was very wet, but it had recently been raining in the area. My thought was "Wow, it must have rained hard here, that squirrel is drenched".

Anyway, it was a little ahead of me, and I watched it go up about 10'-15' into this tree and jump SPLASH! into the creek. Then it hit me, that splash I hear earlier might be this squirrel. So I watched him scamper out of the water, across the log, and up the tree again for another dive - SPLASH!

I never would have believed a squirrel would be into high diving.

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