Dads and Sons sharing the Backpacking Experience	Richland Creek Trail head

Zip files of all these pictures.  140 more after this report.  Youtube Video on Camp Stove Backing with a Coleman Stove.

This is a wild place.  No cell signal.  No Electricity.  Just raw natural river and woods and mountains.  Can it get better than that while backpacking?

Our group of 14 enjoyed a fun Saturday morning at 7:00 am to about 2:00 pm on Sunday.  The trip started as each person planned, ordered, gathered and prepared their equipment and food for this trip days out.   Backpacking in the Winter months and River Crossings can bring a wake up call to just about anyone that is not prepared for it.  This group was prepared for this adventure and Ready for Anything. 

We arrived right on time at 9:50 am and met Kevin Fringer at the parking lot of Richland Creek Campground.  Most of the group headed down to start the first water crossing.  Like a bunch of cats they walked up and down the river bank looking for the best place to cross.  I have learned to look for gravel and cross there.  Slick dark green rocks that look flat are a recipe for getting wet.  It' happens so fast too.  It happens rarely but it happened this trip on the way out. A cold body dunk in 38 degree water will wake you up.  Note to self.  Always be prepared in cold weather to pull out a backpacking stove with a gas canister and fire it up and pull out the emergency blanket and have the wet person sit down with the stove between their legs not so close they will get burnt then  drape  them from  neck down with the survival blanket. It will warm them up really fast.  Venting to not become over heated.  This person that went in is tough and they walked it off and got next to the campfire we had and warmed up.  Hypothermia is serious and it needs to be looked after.

Soon the rest of the group was ready to go and one of the young men had been injured in a Karate class early in the week.  After putting the backpack on he discovered he was not up for this trip.  Note to self.  It's a good idea for new folks to take their backpacking gear and load it up and walk around the block a few times before they go.  Let's them become acquainted with the loading and the weight.  After a few trips you learn very quickly what you can haul or not.  Minor pain is pain others have.  Major pain is pain we have.  So 6 of our group changed plans and elected to stay at the Richland Creek Campground while the other 8 enjoyed the camping site at the turn off to Twin Falls.  This site is awesome. It's full of big rocks and a few flat spots around to put up a small tent and enough trees to hang hammocks.  Firewood in our area is always available we just have to drag it a ways sometimes.  I often look for a campsite that has a abundance of firewood.  Using the four W's.  Wood, Water, Widow maker and Wind when picking a campsite is always top priority for a great campsite.

Our group of six spent the day day hiking up Falling Water Creek and then down to Richland Creek Bridge.  Stopping into base camp dragging up firewood eating lunch and then back out again.  We enjoyed the hike up the creek.  Even crossed the cold river.  Just before dark we had a dessert and steak cookoff.  Best memory is Rob chocolate dipped Marshmallows, Garret brought a Russian Drink that was fermenting and  they joked he got the first Royal Ranger brewing merit badge.  Dave cooked up some Cherry Turnovers.  Joshua brought in Nacho Cheese.  I forgot what the others was.  I WON THE COMPETITION since I was the sole judge and the only entry in my camp with Culinary confections of Cherry and Apple bacon wrapped turnovers with icying and a spoon full of marshmallow cream (that I forgot about)... The group at both camps enjoyed the fun and laughter and sharing the desserts and steaks cooking on the grill. 

The Twin Falls group enjoyed some further exploration up the left fork of Twin falls finding another water fall up stream.  So much beauty on this trip.  The group at Richland enjoyed firecraft and cooking out of tin cans and a short council fire service.  Twin Falls group came back a hour earlier on Sunday morning and we were all packed up and driving out by 10:30 am.   13 miles of dirt and gravel and shell roads the on to Jasper to the Ozark Cafe.  Then on home. 

Lots of good times.  Light hearted fun.   Just living the Adventure.  It was a great time and looking forward to the next Backpacking Trip.

Rob took some videos here are those from this trip.

Joshua first one to cross.
Barefooted!		Garret has everything 56 lbs of it.
	Rob and Justin half way crossing
	Kevin made this trip alone!
	Rob has done this 12 times like a pro!
	Apple and Cherry Turnovers with Bacon...um yum!
Coleman baking oven 8 pounds food was another 4.	I used this oven in my garage but the extra tray of turnovers it never got over 350 degrees. IN my garage with one tray I got 420 degrees. Wnd!
I had my steak n shake chief hat on as the master chief... um...not just in my own little happy world.
Ernie has a Girl Friend we found out on this trip.
		Richland Creek Falls
		Twin Falls is the BEST! It's a must see.
Fire is a must in camping.	Joshua and Mika preparing Pitta Breakfast!	Daves turnovers he kept flipping them..why didn't I think of that?
Ernie and Rob interacting with a widowmaker.
Base Camp Richland
Boys and older young men love exploring!	Falling Water Falls River Crossing
Roll up those pant legs and get er done.
	Mark saying get back 20 feet you will walk all over my stuff...GRIN! They all do that. We call it the 20foot rule.	Devotion around the fire
	Drive out.	Ozark Cafe a great place in Jasper to have Lunch
	Always a Ham at Backpacking Trips.
		Great friendships form around campfires and backpacks
	2 guys sitting on a log. One says to the other....
		Tons of fossils around here.
	Justin finding his inner tree.
Yup. Someone must always take the plunge. It's hard coded in some of them...NOT ME!
		Man. I am going to get a blood test and this picture shows up after fasting since last night.
		Plan a trip today. It will grow your Ranger Ministry.
I tell them the close up shots are for forensice evidence
Hunting Season we had our Orange		Ozark Double Excalliber Hamberger. Garrett ate it all!
Just think. God has even better places than this prepared for us! It's going to be GREAT!