Be sure to step up onto the boulder so you’re officially at the highest point possible. The Missouri high point at 1,772 feet reminded me of Arkansas’ high point on Mount Magazine (2,753 feet). Hardwood forests surround both high points rather than expansive vistas. The impressive views from these mountains are closer to the mountain ridges at lower elevations.
If things go well, you’ll gain lifelong memories of indescribable beauty and the satisfying sense of personal accomplishment. If things don’t go as planned, you still might have great memories of your time in the wilderness, but with the addition of new learning to apply on your next trip. I’ve shared what I think are important things to remember when preparing for a multi-day backpacking trip. I’ll update this post as questions reveal other areas to include. I avoid freeze dried meals because of their saltiness, expense, and packaging.
This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design. It also includes loops to hang your trekking ozark trail backpack poles when not in use. After enjoying the falls, we climbed back up to the junction and continued along the creek on this loop trail.
Because it’s basically a single compartment stuff bag, I did have to make sure the items inside were distributed properly. I have used the hydration compartment for items like my iPad. By default, this unexpectedly ended up being my go-to daily bag for several months. It’s been stuffed to capacity with almost everything I had to carry, including, but not limited to, outerwear, lunch, groceries, laptop, iPad, a Bose speaker, and combinations thereof. My shoulders did not chafe nor rub or irritate while walking and I did not get any bruising on my hips.
A reader emailed several good questions while preparing for a backpacking trip on the Ozark Highlands Trail. I enjoy responding to these type of inquiries and decided to write this post. On Friday evening, we camped near the DD Trailhead so we’d be ready for a Saturday morning ozark trail canopy shuttle to Powder Mill. Sadly, his life was cut short in an accident, but his vision for the trail continues. The BYU Design Review is not pranking you today, but we did think it timely to take a break from our normal content and bring some smiles to our readers’ faces.
Even on the best of trips, I usually learn of things I should have done differently, often related to travel distance, packing, or food. Woke to a light rain that must have begun around 4 a.m. As we approached Strother Creek, we noticed an odd sulfur smell. Water from this creek runs through lead mine tailings and hikers are advised not to use this as a water source. The set-up was understandably a few steps shorter, which is always nice when setting up in the dark.