OML Starting Mar 29

[Hiker79]

I plan on doing the OML counter clockwise starting 3/29.  Obvious question is will the Dodson be too hot?  I will be starting each day about 4am and getting in as much distance as possible before it gets hot.  I'd guess Fresno would hold the only possibility for water?  I'm going to cache at Homer Wilson.  Does anyone know if there is a bear box at Boot Canyon as I will be unable to cache at JC2?  Thanks.

[jeffblaylock]

There are bear boxes at the Boot Canyon campsites but I don't see why you'd cache anything there.

As for too hot, I suppose that's a matter of personal taste. It is not the hottest part of the year, but highs could still reach the 90s.

[dkerr24]

With almost zero shade and possible highs in the 90s, that would be pushing the comfort zone for me.  However, if you are allowing yourself several days to complete the OML and only hiking from 4am to 1pm or so, it should be possible.  You never know, you could get lucky and only see highs in the 70s or 80s?

I did the OML clockwise back in early Feb '09 and found the weather about perfect, although the nights really didn't cool off much as I expected and I ended up sleeping on top of my 20F bag most of the night.

Fresno is the only place I found water right along the trail.  I understand there is water in a few other spots, but you have to bushwack off trail to find it.

[txhiker]

Fresno will probably have water (but check a few days before the trip). Boot springs might have something and Juniper Canyon spring might have something. JC spring is not on the trail and requires a bit of finding. The rest should be dry.

Historical avg for Terlingua on March 27th and following days is 73 high and 35 low. I think you should just try to get an early start (sunrise) but not 4 am..but that is just me. I have hiked in the desert in August and it wasn't much fun but temps were in the 110's. I'd take 70's quite well.

If I were you I'd bring a book to read when you get hot and stop under some shade to rest. Make sure you have plenty of water and consider doing the loop clockwise caching water at Homer wilson.

[mule ears]

The first time I did the OML it was mid early April and it got impressively hot on the Dodson but we just got going early, stopped and noon, found/made some shade (a tarp near a rock wall) and hung around until late afternoon.  We then ate dinner and hiked another few hours until dark.

With this cool winter, it might not be too bad.  I am a fan of the counter clockwise loop, climbing up Juniper canyon is a bit longer than Blue Creek but it is in the shade in the afternoon and the foot bed is more solid and better graded.  Either way you have to carry water from Fresno to Boot Canyon (unless Upper Juniper Spring is running) one is just an up hill carry versus the down hill carry.

[Hiker79]

Thanks for the info and suggestions.  A friend will be day hiking the same time I'm at the park and I figured Boot Canyon would be a good site for him to leave me a "reward"    .  Thus the bear box question.

[Terlingua50337]

Ahhhh Haaaa...... he's wanting to get re-dehydrated.

[guc126]

I want to do the OML next hiking season but I was planning on departing from the Juniper canyon trail parking area, go around the rim, down the blue creek trail, pick up a water cache at the HW ranch then up Dodson and back to the Juniper canyon trailhead. I'll only need 1 water cache and will save my AARP legs from the extra basin mileage. Is this a valid OML?

[jeffblaylock]

I want to do the OML next hiking season but I was planning on departing from the Juniper canyon trail parking area, go around the rim, down the blue creek trail, pick up a water cache at the HW ranch then up Dodson and back to the Juniper canyon trailhead. I'll only need 1 water cache and will save my AARP legs from the extra basin mileage. Is this a valid OML?

Yes it is. Colima Trail is a short-cut between Juniper and Blue Creek trails but not nearly as scenic as the rim trails. If you go during when the Northeast/Southeast Rim trails are open, the views are great but the climb up the Northeast Rim trail is a bit of a surprise, in terms of how steep and how high, especially after the long climb up Juniper Canyon. Depending on how many days you have, you could make Boot Canyon campsites a Day 1 goal, then circle around to the Southwest Rim sites (SW3 in particular), then down Blue Creek to your water and a campsite on the western Dodson Trail. Then the Dodson Trail with water available at Fresno Creek. If you have another night, explore either Fresno or Elephant Tusk trails as a dayhike, leaving a short final morning back to your vehicle.

[guc126]

I was thinking of a very leisurely 4 night hike. The Elephant Tusk dayhike looks interesting.

[TheWildWestGuy]

Here is a brief opinion about water sources on the OML:
- Boot Canyon Tinajas - reliable but often algae choked,  biggest tinajas are ~1/2 mile up from Juniper Canyon Junction.
- Upper Juniper Springs - 90% reliable but often overlooked, when you get to the treeline in Juniper Canyon and see the metal sign saying Juniper Camp, take the short side trail and stay on the uphill side of any branches until you find the cement ruins, the small spring is located under a large boulder about 200 feet uphill, follow the muddy slope to it, clean the leaves out of the small rock bowl and enjoy.
- Dodson Spring 95% reliable, follow the metal pipe ~30' up from the trail crossing to the spring, often muddy and small but you can get water there or just keep going to Fresno.
- Fresno 100% reliable,  best water is 200 yards downstream from the trail crossing in the slickrock canyon.
- Smokey Creek - 80% reliable, small spring located ~15 minutes hike down the Smokey Creek Trail from the Dodson/Smokey junction.  This spring is located almost immediately below the "3 Dog" campsite but there is a short cliff in between so go around on the main trail.
-Blue Creek Homer Wilson Ranch,  has a big bear box that you can cache water in,  you should put your name and the date you intend to retrieve the water on your bottles/cache.  Volunteers collect trash and unclaimed items out of the bear box and check for unclaimed water.  In the past things might sit in there for months but now they seem to check it regularly.


If you do make the OML please post a trip report or water information.
   TWWG

[txhiker]

I agree with the wild west guy however dodson springs I would not rely upon. I searched and searched for the spring around the old ruins and where the trees where and also I had the spring marked on the gps and never found it. That was back in January of last year, so things may be different now. Just my 2 cents.

[TexasAggieHiker]

I'm with txhiker.  I was at the Dodson ruins on Thanksgiving.  The spring was just a muddy spot on the ground.  I'm sure you could have dug a little and got to some water.  But Fresno is only a mile away, so there's really no need to get water there unless it's an emergency.

[Hiker79]

Thanks TWWG.

[sstrong42]

I'm doing the OML again on April 2nd.  Should be fun.  =)