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| On the Connector Trail, at about
the 5.5 mile point, I could just barely see the Great Stone Door bluff way
off in the distance. I could also see a house on the edge of a bluff near
Beersheba Springs
After a moderate climb following an old jeep trail, the trail rapidly descends towards Big Creek. At 5.7 miles, I come up on another new suspension bridge that crosses the normally dry bed of Big Creek (#9). Then it's another steep climb on the Connector Trail. This was the hardest part of the trail to navigate. I had to stop several times just to figure out which direction the trail went next. At 6.1 miles, the trail joins an old logging road access (#10). |
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At 7 miles, another new bridge, the crossing of Laurel Creek (#11) |
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| At 1:00, and 7.6 miles, I reached the Big Creek Gulf Trail (#12). I took a rest here, realizing that the next mile would be a very steep climb up to the Stone Door. A climb of about 550 feet in elevation. | |||
| Up to this point in the journey,
I have felt really good. But this steep ascent up Big Creek Gulf Trail,
really worked me over. I took numerous rest breaks along the way.
Finally I reached the point where I could look straight up and see Stone Door overlook, this was a real boost for me, cause I could see how close I was to the finish line. |
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| Now I'm in familiar territory. All I have to do is climb the steps of Stone Door and it will be an easy mile to the parking lot. | |||
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| And here I am (below), at 2:00, 8.5 miles into the journey, a major milestone. I am standing on the Big Creek Gulf Overlook (#13) right next to the Great Stone Door. It's hard to imagine that I had just hiked up this gulf. Cator Savage Cabin is in the flat part of the valley in the distance, where Big Creek Gulf and Collins gulf meet. | |||
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As I started on my last mile,
Shannon and Briley where already on there way to come and pick me up at
the parking lot, a 19 mile drive from home.
Shannon and Briley met me at the Laurel Gulf Overlook (#14). They actually got there about 15 seconds before I did, amazing timing. What was amazing to me is that I had not seen a soul during the whole trip. It had been six and a half hours. We decided that while we where at this beautiful place, might as well take a family photo. But the journey is not over yet, still got three tenths of a mile to go. |
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| After 9.4 miles, I signed out at
the Stone Door Ranger Station at 2:35 (#15).
Awesome Trip!! |
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