September 14th Friday night 5:30 pm to 15th Saturday 2:00 pm.  2018.  Temps hi of 81 and a low of 67.  Ten Rangers and Friends of Rangers left Springfield, Neosho, Ozark Missouri and Rogers Arkansas to Take the Compton Trailhead Hemmed in Hollow Falls Trail down  600 feet in decent then 3/4 of a mile then start another 400 feet of decent 3/8 of a mile on a bushwhack trail that is very steep.  Clinging on to small trees as natural handrails and going over rocks that formed 36" stairs at times.  This the longest roughest down hill section I have ever done. It takes 3 years for me to forget how tough it is by backpack to do it again....GRIN!  Time clouds our memories.  Jimmy had his own prayer vigil down that hill next to me as we worked him down that hill.  I can remember him crying out to God to help him.  I just muttered a amen and we kept moving.  Time and time again.  Someone closer than a brother was with us as we went down that bushwhack.  Click on a picture for a larger view.  Special Thanks to Rob Batchman, Mark Jones and Keith Gray and Kevin Fringer for sharing the pictures.  Zip file of all these pictures.

Rob Batchman, Kevin Fringer, Keith Gray, Collin Gray, Garret Bevis, Oliver Nash, Jackson Woodward, Jimmy Winch and Mark Jones not shown

On top of the falls are these valley pools Yup they swam through one of them

We arrived at our campsite just as the sun was setting and was hanging seven hammocks and  2 ground pads and a tent before it was totally dark. We enjoyed a star lite night with almost no breeze at 72 degrees it was a perfect evening. Our campsite was out on a overlook rock that could sit about 20 people on it.  We had a fire out there. Someone had already gathered enough wood so we were set for that.  We enjoyed some of Rob's marinated steak and each of us cooked up our own.  My devotion was on "A time to Ripen" from the last seed of the Sower and the seed. 

The group did real well.  Action Jackson got scolled by ALL OF US several times as he was bouncing around where this was a NO NO!  I even had to sit him down for a time out to remind him that when it's a unanimous vote that Jackson is acting wrong and needed to change that HE was wrong and let him think about it for a bit.  He apologized later for his behavior.  NO second chances up here.  YOU GOOF up up here and it's all gone.  I have to remind these boys and men.  We can take them on hundreds of great events and fun times and challenge them that will change their lives for ever but if someone gets hurt or the worst happens someone dies......all that is for not.  We must be vigilant with safety.  Yes we need challenge, Yes we need fun, Yes we need to stretch.  Yet all that can be done safely.  This is one of those places I score a 8 on my scale. It's along 200 foot cliffs and steep trails to get here.  YET it's a awesome spot.  Most will never get to this spot.  (Most will die of heart disease by sitting in a chair way to much times like these keep that heart strong)

Saturday morning came early.  I laid in the hammock for 8 hours comfortably with almost no sleep.   The morning fog came rolling up into that valley and all you could see was clouds until the sun came up and burnt it off. While we waited for that we enjoyed breakfast and devotion and then took a short hike over to the top of Hemmed in Hallow Falls.  That is a wow place. 

We enjoyed the trip back up that bushwhack resting about 6 times up it.  Then went to Compton Store and had them cook us up a lunch and we bought cool stuff. It's a backpacking store as well and prices were reasonable.  I picked up a new inflatable pillow full size and a new t-shirt poly blend.

We arrived back at Ozark at 2:00 pm on the money and Rob blessed me with taking the boys back into Springfield.

We had a great time.  I have muscles I never knew I had speaking out to me this morning.  It's worth it.  If we do this again...don't miss out. It's that wild of a memory. At 60 Backpacking this....I am pushing it.