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| Hiking | 1.25 Miles |
370 AEG |
| | Hiking | 1.25 Miles | 1 Hour 30 Mns | | 1.25 mph |
| 370 ft AEG | 30 Mns Break | 6 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Didn't realize when I started this Hike in the morning that I actually was partially doing a Hike Description already listed. I guess you could say I did a modified version of this Hike, all from the back side. I just wanted to go exploring in the area where I was Camped.
I had never been all the way down FR 4522, so I wanted to follow it to the end and see where it went. Of course, after 1/4 mile past my Campsite, my ADD kicked in and I decided to hang a left off the Road and follow a small drainage, just to see what I could see.... 
It was actually fairly easy Hiking down the Drainage, which opened up to a small Meadow. There was a little bit of Deadfall here, but it wasn't too bad. The Sunflowers were abundant in all of the Meadows I hit this morning, but most were past their prime. I followed the Meadow and Drainage a little further, and noticed a large, Saddle type area with a bigger Sunflower-covered Meadow, just a small climb up from where I was, so up I went to check it out. The small Drainage I was following, joined a bigger Drainage just below the "Saddle" and looked like it went down into a major Canyon. After I oohed and aahed the Meadow area of the "Saddle", I went straight down and started following the Drainage down the main Canyon. It got steeper and steeper the further I went down, and although there wasn't alot of Deadfall, the quality of the Deadfall made up for it. Those downed Trees were huge!!! I passed one Stump with a still intact Tree attached, and that Stump had to be almost 15 feet high! About 300 feet past that Stump, I knew my descent down the Canyon was over. The Drainage really dropped off and I would have been Downclimbing it, instead of Hiking it.
Went back to the Stump, decided the Canyon side was doable, turned 45 degrees, and went straight up.... It was steep, but I didn't have any trouble going up. I started spotting Rock Outcroppings near the "top" and it looked like there might be some good Overlooks located there, so I headed for them. Got to the first set, enjoyed the Views, saw another set that looked higher, with more open Views and headed for them. And that's how it went for about the next 1/4 mile. It was basically a "Ridgeline" of Rock that I just started Climbing and Scrambling up, to try to find nice views. I finally got to what appeared to be the highest, most open set and rested, soaking up some wonderful Views to the North, Northeast, and West. This Outcrop was not for the faint, there was a little Exposure up there. The Drop was about 150 feet or so, straight down, and then you would have not stopped there... 
Scrambled down from the location into a nice, little Fern-covered Meadow. Turned East once again to see if I could intercept the Road I came in on. I knew there was a chance that I could miss it if it ended sooner. But as luck would have it, after leaving the Meadow and a brief walk through some nice Pines, I intersected the Road at the exact point where it ended!!
Am I good or what!!!  Walked back up the Road and realized that the Drainage where I had turned off was only 100 feet up the Road from the end....  I knew I was doing a Loop, but it was kinda funny how it turned out.... 
Got back to Camp, had lunch, left a note for Paul, and headed to Riggs Lake for some more Hiking and possibly Fishing....
Talked to Chad later and found out that half of the Hike I did was actually part of the Route for the Goudy Camp Loop, so I decided to Post under that Description. Should have known that he's already explored this area....
I will have to return and do this full Loop, but I can guarantee that I would not have wanted to "start" at the Jesus-Goudy Campground this weekend. It was packed when I stopped by there after my Trip to Riggs Lake. You could barely even drive in....
Enjoyed my little "exploring" trek, even though apparently it's already been discovered... The Scenery and Overlooks are definitely worth a Trip back.... |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
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