Eye of the Needle Top Down Backpack and Day hike.

March 15th, 16th, 2013.  Kyles Landing, Buffalo River Access, just west of Jasper Arkasas.  Temperatures 50 at night 70 during the day.  A perfect camping weekend. 20 made the trip.

Reports:  Justin Fishers report of the trip.   Marks report after pictures.  GPX file of day hike from Top down to Kyles

Click on a Picture for a larger view.  Thanks to these folk for pictures.  Mark Jones, Marshall Jones, Justin Fisher, Rob Batchman, David Yonke.  Thanks for sharing!

Trail Closed? Wonder what they consider hard?

 

A Youtube Video of a near miss by a loose Rock Rolling down the hill. 

Trail Tales by Rob Batchmn Video Youtube

This trail is 7 miles long by GPS.  By Bird Flight its 3 miles.  It took 5 hours to make the first 1.5 miles of it.  It is some serious boldering.  Tree's and wet slick spots are a constant next step.  Yet the beauty and ruggedness of this place has put a desire to come back to this place again and again.  This is the 2nd time from the Top down.  6th time from Kyles up to the eye.  These steps while a challenge the whole way help build character and relationship.  Spend a day out here in this place and value wise it surpasses 30  hour and half small groups.    Something about facing the difficulty and going the distance together.  Johnnie Barnes the Founder of Royal Rangers has this to say about Camping.  It's as true today as the day he wrote this. 

We had 2 close calls this trip.  A loose rock came rolling down the backside of the eye of the needle and barely missed one of the boys.  We had all been coached on screaming out  "ROCK" "ROCK" "ROCK" "ROCK" "ROCK" "ROCK"  it paid off as the young man was able to watch the rock and with God's Help was able to get his legs out of the way of the pending disaster.    Another young man while getting his picture taken at one of the water falls turned his foot and slipped off a 6 foot ledge. It can happen fast.   With God's help we go and do.  I wouldn't be doing this with out God in it.  His ways are way above anything I or man can do.   Yet we do what we know and trust God. 

Also other pictures can be found on this site about the eye of the needle.  http://readyrangers.tzo.com  

Special thanks to Justin Fisher for that cold soda or water he handed out after this backpack. What a blessing!  Special thanks to each of you that came and took part and the blessings your brought to this event. 

Mark Jones