Alright, I have been throwing this idea out to the group over a couple of trips now but 2009 is almost here and I thought I would officially put the idea in writing...thru-hike the entire Ozark Trail in 8 days. Even as I write this I don't know how I could do it, but it would be a great trip to train for and then eventually accomplish. The plan would be to do this mid to late September when the days are still quite long and not too hot (unless Global Warming gets crazy). We could possibly leave on a Friday night and begin the next morning. Saturday to Saturday would give you 8 full hiking days. On to distance (hiking South to North)...using the mileage listed on the OTA website and deducting the mileage that won't be traveled on the Trace Creek (7 miles or so deviate from the main trail and head west to Taum Sauk, we would pick up the Trace after completing the Middle Fork), the trip would be about 225 miles. Divided out over 8 days you get 28 miles per day! Thats crazy, but many people are doing this out west on the PCT & CDT and to the east on the AT. If many other people can do this at elevation, we could surely train and do this 1000 feet above sea level.
Mileage:
South To North Sections and Mileage:
Eleven Point - 30
Between the Rivers - 30
Current River - 30
Blair Creek - 26
Karkaghne - 28.3
Middle Fork - 22.1
Trace Creek - 19
Courtois - 40
Think about it. jm
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Jeff,
ReplyDeleteWhy don’t we start by picking a 100 mile section and doing it over 4 days or 75 miles in 3 days? I think this would be a start in the right direction and a great way to figure out logistics, what to pack, the best way to drop food/supplies… Plus it won’t kill us!
That is a great idea and one that is already being kicked around...this would be a shake down hike that could happen in early September to prepare for a thru hike in late October early November. Either way I must start training now!
ReplyDeleteF me I am not going you guys have fun without me again!!!! I even had my brother in law coming with... I will def be there for tne next one I PROMISE... Neil this is your last one for a while I have a feeling so as miserable and as cold as it is gonna be, relish in your freedom .. dedicate a smoke to the SB over the camp fire but watch your boots..OUT
ReplyDeleteJeff, I just got this months store events email from REI. Thought this might be a good class to take before we do a through hike of the OT. Craig works in Research with me.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rei.com/stores/store_event_detail.jsp?pid=C64C4F9FD6815ADF10AE997FD5D61EE9&template_id=14&template_family=webDetail&ignore_cache=1&cm_mmc=Email_noncom_rm-_-events-_-na-_-na
Hey guys check this link out. Forget a thru-hike live the life...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wikihow.com/Camp-As-a-Lifestyle
You should totally do it. The reroute of the OT through JSI should be finished in May. No footbridge, just a hike through the lower reaches of the Black.
ReplyDeleteAllison - Thanks for checking out my blog - I spend way too much time at work reading yours. We will do this hike...or maybe... I will do this hike probably in late 2010. We will be picking up the mileage on our next trip to Southern Illinois and then I would like to continue high mileage short trips until the big one. I will keep you posted.
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