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Neither OHTA nor our volunteer leaders are responsible in any way for the safety of participants. HIKE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
DAYHIKES
May 7. DAY HIKE AT HIDEOUT HOLLOW TRAIL And SMITH CREEK. Hideout Hollow is 1.7 miles round trip and we will explore the area where stills were hidden. We’ll head to the Ponca Elk Foundation for a picnic lunch afterward, and then off to the new Nature Conservancy area at Smith Creek. Both are easy hikes. Join us for one or both. Bring water, and lunch. No Pets. Limited to ten hikers. Call Mary Collins at 479-466-7569 to reserve your spot and for more information.
OVERNIGHT HIKES
May 20 & 21. OVERNIGHT FLOAT TRIP ON THE BUFFALO RIVER. We will spend the night on a gravel bar on the river. We will be floating from Gilbert to Maumee South. Trip limited to ten. Call Pam Ellwood for more information at 479-621-0903.
June 3 & 4. OVERNIGHT HIKE AT LAKE WEDINGTON TRAIL. This is a 15.4 miles round trip hike, rated an easy backpack. Located just west of Fayetteville, this trail goes through a bluff area and ends at the banks of the Illinois River. We’ll hike in and explore the river area and camp on Twin Mountain and watch the sunrise Sunday morning. Plans are to meet at the Pack Rat at 8am, stop at Arsaga’s for coffee and/or breakfast, or meet at the trailhead at 9:30am. Limited to ten hikers. Call Bobby Sheppherd Bobby Shepperd at 479-442-5770 for more information and to reserve a spot.
June 10 & 11. OVERNIGHT CANOE TRIP FROM WOOLUM TO TYLER BEND. This overnight canoe trip will be from Woolum to Tyler Bend on the Buffalo River (hoping we have enough water!). Rated easy and 15.3 river miles of travel. Dean will have an information sheet for anyone interested explaining the shuttle, Park Service requirements, etc.—call Dean LaGrone at 479-750-2550 to sign up and for more information.
TRAIL MAINTENANCE
No more work trips are planned for this spring or summer, but they will resume in the fall. Roy reminds all maintainers to please get out and maintain your section before the beginning of summer, and to send him your reports. Also note that there are several sections of the trail that are open for adoption—no experience is necessary, we provide all of the tools, and the work can be very rewarding. You can find a complete list of all the sections, who maintains them, and which ones are open, on our web page, along with a maintenance report form that you can download and print out (you can also e-mail reports to Roy). Contact Roy Senyard at 479-409-6156 for more information.
IF YOU FIND a lot of downed trees across the trail as you hike, please be sure to note the general locations (for instance, “seven trees down between mile 67 and 68”) and report this to both Roy and on any trail registration boxes that you pass (on the cards, not the box). We need lots of eyes out on the trail to help locate the problem areas so we can send crews in to take care of the issue.
Wear Long Pants For Summer Hiking! With all of the red oaks dying out and opening up the overstory to let lots of sunshine hit the ground, weeds and other new plants flourish, and so do ticks and chiggers that live on them. Instead of the traditional shorts, wear long pants to protect your legs. Spray your ankles and waist with a good bug dope, and tuck your pant legs into your socks for even more protection (looks kind of goofy but it will help).
Trail Closed at Ozone. The forest service is opening up parts of the historical CCC camp around Ozone Campground on Hwy. 21 (OHT mile 85.7), which means they are cutting down lots of trees that have grown up since the 1930's. The OHT passes through a small portion of this area and it has been closed while the logging is going on. The trail has been rerouted around the outside of the cut and is easy to find and follow.
CLUB MEETINGS
May 14, OHTA General Meeting in Springdale. To get to the meeting site, from Hwy. 71 B in Springdale turn EAST on Emma street, go several blocks, then turn LEFT/NORTH onto N. Main Street, then pull into the parking lot on the right behind the building (across from Shiloh Museum—there is a map on the web page here). Our program this month will be given by Laura Villegas, and titled: On the Road to Santiago: One Pilgrim’s Journey Across Northern Spain. For over 1000 years, pilgrims have taken the long journey to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. In the summer of 2004, Laura walked approximately 580 miles along the Camino a Santiago pilgrim route across Northern Spain. Using primarily her own photographs, she will share this adventure along with the audience, including a wide range of personal experiences (joyous and not-so-joyous, spiritual and mundane, practical and silly), plus a unique view of Spanish history and culture. We’ll start off with refreshments and social time at 7pm, with the meeting to follow at 7:30. E-mail OHTA or call 870-861-5536 for information.
June 11, OHTA General Meeting in Springdale. (see directions above or there is a map on the web page here). We’ll have a great program given by Captain Luther Hungate with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission titled: The Duties of Wildlife Officers. This is our annual POT LUCK DINNER beginning at 7pm, with the meeting to follow at 7:30. Please bring something tasty to share with the group (normal food is OK—doesn’t not have to be trail food!), and your own table service. E-mail OHTA or call 870-861-5536 for information
There will be no meetings or a newsletter in July or August. Look for the fall schedule in the September-October newsletter that will be mailed out the last week of August. Note that our 25th birthday party and annual hike-in will be on October 28th.
CLICK HERE to view/print a pdf version of this newsletter
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