Lake Maumelle Series anyone? (Geobuddy wanted :-) )

[Savoy]

Great... I edited post#1 to reflect we'll do this on the 30th.

I'm going to make a run at the west side of the lake on the 16th - parking at the west lake trailhead and working toward OT1 (I'll probably only get half way there before I have to turn back )... if anyone is in the area and wants to join me for that one, just PM me and I'll meet you there!


Take care out there!
Savoy / Les

[edieo]

The 30th sounds great!

[Jffok]

I am up for the 30th. Does anyone know how long this trail is in distance. Think I read about 8 miles.

[OldRiverRunner]

Does anyone know how long this trail is in distance. Think I read about 8 miles.

Tim Ernst's "Ouachita Trail Guide" shows the section of trail you are planning to hike (Lunsford Corner, on Hwy 300, to the Lake Maumelle spillway) to be exactly 7 miles. The parking area near the spillway is a few hundred yards beyond the spillway. The hike is not too bad - several up and down sections, but nothing very steep or very long. There are also some long stretches of relatively level hiking. If you take it easy and take lots of water with you, you should be fine. And due to the number of caches along that stretch, you WILL be taking your time! I recommend a very early start, to get ahead of the heat as much as possible.

The parking area near the spillway is pretty small, just a pull-off place on the side of the road actually. Enough room for maybe 3 cars. You might be able to squeeze in 4, but I would try to limit the number of vehicles you park there. The parking area at Lunsford Corner is a little larger, but you should still keep the number of vehicles to a minimum.

[Savoy]

Great tips! Thought about showing up as a guide?!
I'm definitely looking forward to this.

[OldRiverRunner]

Thought about showing up as a guide?!

I would have considered it if I did not already have plans to be about 900 miles away that day!

[Savoy]

Well, yesterday DeTexanBoy and I hiked the west side of the OT trail. WOW, with the large number of caches, the high temps and humidity, I wasn't sure at some points if I was going to make it! I'll need to double my estimates for water next time

According to the 'map' it was 8.1 miles on the trail. (I really need something better to analyze routes!!! Suggestions anyone?)

ORR had been on the trail ahead of us but three days

I've attached the trail (with a picture of our route)... its was a GREAT day!

I'm looking forward to seeing some of you on the 30th for the east side caches!

[DaTexanBoy]

Yes, a great time indeed. I second Savoy on the didn't know if I was going to make it. I had doubled my water (4 liters) and it was still a tough little hike due to humidity and heat. Terrain wise it wasnt to bad though. Great little trip though. Definitely a place you want to go with a hiking buddy if you go this time of year though.

A huge thanks to Savoy, for keeping an eye on me and helping me out. Thank goodness for great caching buddies. I will forever be in debt. Thank you very much Savoy.

[OldRiverRunner]

According to the 'map' it was 8.1 miles on the trail. (I really need something better to analyze routes!!! Suggestions anyone?)

I use Tim Ernst's book, "Ouachita Trail Guide", to help me figure out mileages between major points, and Google Earth to figure out straight line distances for points in between (like between geocaches). Your trail distance depends on what you actually hiked. Did you do a one-way hike from Lunsford Corner to Hwy 113? Or did you turn around after finding OT 73 and hike back to Lunsford Corner? Since you didn't log any caches found (or not found) west of OT 73, it appears that this is what you did.

Ernst's book shows Lunsford Corner to be at OT Mile 212.2 and the Hwy 113 crossing to be at OT Mile 204.1 (distances are measured west to east), for a total trail distance of 8.1 miles. So, if you did the one-way hike, you covered 8.1 miles on the trail. This is what I did on July 13, but heading west to east.

But if you backtracked, then the location of OT 73 on the trail needs to be determined. Rhone's cache "205" is essentially at mile marker 205. Measuring the distance between caches from that cache until OT 73 is reached, I come up with about 0.5 mile. Therefore, OT 73 is at approximately mile 205.5 on the OT, or 6.7 miles from Lunsford Corner. So, if you hiked from Lunsford Corner to OT 73 and then turned around and hiked back to Lunsford Corner, your hiking distance was more like 13.4 miles (2 times 6.7 miles)!

The 8.1 miles I did on the 13th was bad enough due to the heat! I can't imagine doing 13.4 miles ... I think I would be dead now!

[Savoy]

Everyone kept saying the 30th, I didn't know you guys were doing part if it this weekend.

Sorry about that... but you might be glad you didn't come that day! Wow... it was a tad warm
We are still doing the east part on the 30th... how much of it depends on the weather.

Hope to see you there!