Backpacking Trip Reports Index 2004-2010

[mule ears]

Hey all as a “present” to the board on it’s 5 year anniversary I have attempted to go through all of BigBendChat  and pull out all the Backpacking trip reports (only those that involve an overnight, no day hikes unless it is a special case or place)  to make them easier to find for those planning backcountry trips.

Please let me know of any that I missed and I will update the list from time to time.  Look for all the reports after 2010 here.

I did not include every last one as some are very brief and/or don’t have any pictures or other relevant information.  I have them by area/trail in chronological order so you can hopefully find a trip that is similar to the time you may be planning to be in the park.  I did not include reports from the State Park or GUMO (They are on their respective boards).

It begins with Chisos trips, as that is how most folks start (including campsites stayed at), and then the OML and on to lesser hiked areas.  By author and date.  Some will have links to reports on other sites and some have several hikes described in one report.  Also look at the longer hikes, that cover a lot of territory, as they may have some information on some of the less traveled areas of the park or specific trails but are not listed under those areas.

Chisos/South Rim
jeffblaylock  7/04  (NE3, SE3) South Rim Zen Moment
MJ 1/06 (SW4)
Ray52 10/06 (EP1, SW3)
mountaindocdanny 12/06 with kids in the snow (SW2)
jeffblaylock  8/07 (TM1, LW3)
tjavery  9/07 the link includes 2 days in the Chisos (SW3, NE4)
jeffblaylock  4/08  South Rim on a Whim (SW4, LM1)
sleepy 7/08 (SE3, LW3)
randell  8/08  RMJGMR (NE4)
SA Bill  9/08  a return after 20 years (SW3)
Ay Chihuahua 7/09  Ay Chi Goes Mellow (NE4)
mcarlini  11/09  First backpacking trip ever (SW3)
African  12/09 with some snow (SE3)
walkingman  12/09 (SE2)
cookie  12/09  with their daughter (SW3, SE3)
PacingTheCage  2/10  First trip to BBNP (SW4)
jeffblaylock  3/10 taking a 1st timer (TM1, SW3)
TexasAggieHiker  5/10 (PI1, SW3)
FatPacker  5/10 and 8/10 (TM1, NE4, SW3)
tjavery  9/10  South Rim Express (SW4)
African  10/10 great fall pics (SE3, BC2)
Reece  11/10 starting from Juniper canyon
LEHudson  12/10 (SE1) includes a day hike to Ore Terminal

The Outer Mountain Loop (OML)
jeffblaylock  11/04  Very detailed
lighterfluid  11/06
JurisFrog  2/07
Casagrande  1/08  the OMG trip (a.k.a. the OML)
bdhawk133  11/08
walkingman  12/08
New Yorker  12/08
Ray52  1/09  great solo account
championbaum  1/09  a 32 hr. solo
txhiker  1/09  another 1 night trip
ryanrodgers  1/09
dkerr24  2/09  another good solo report
DJ  2/09  with the famous TWWG
RikD  3/09
ranchero  10/09 early Oct. and Hot!
Hiker79  3/10  counter clockwise solo and hot
championbaum  12/10  Outer Outer Mountain Loop


East side of the park
Marufo Vega
MarkD  4/06
randell  1/08  70 Hours
jeffblaylock  1/08  Of Burros and Marufo Vegamatics
summit  3/08
ryanrodgers  1/09
TexasAggieHiker 2/09
SABill  3/09
Mart  12/10

Strawhouse and Telephone Canyon
mule ears  12/04  part of longer trip
mountaindocdanny  1/07  and here on his site It includes Arroyo Venado

Dog Canyon and Devils Den
MarkD  4/06 a day hike
01ACRViper 1/07  a day hike

Banta Shut-In
benthegrate  1/08 from Roy's Peak vista
jeffblaylock & Ay Chihuahua  11/08 from Roy's Peak vista
CactusFlower  3/10  Roy's Peak campsite to La Noria

Sierra Quemada and the center of the park
Elephant Tusk area
tjavery  11/05
billh  2/09 Dodson down Fresno creek

Dominguez Spring
tjavery  3/07
sleepy  1/08

Mariscal Mountain including Cross Canyon
DJ  1/10  a day hike Solis>Talley

Badlands NE of Elephant Tusk
tjavery  3/09

Mule Ears area
billh  1/08
badknees  3/08  explorations of middle Smoky Creek
travii99  12/08 loop south of Mule Ears
Cookie & el hombre  12/10

Other and Longer trips in the Quemada
Robert  1/08  Homer Wilson/Dodson/Smoky Creek drainage/Goat Mtn./Homer Wislon
badknees  11/08  Mule Ears/Jacks Pass/ Dominguez/Fisk canyon/Smoky Creek/Mule Ears
Cookie & el hombre  2/09  Homer Wilson/Dodson/Smoky Creek/Fisk Canyon and back
championbaum  4/09  Mule Ears/Smoky Creek/San Jacinto spring  with his son
Jeff Baker  3/10  Mule Ears/Jacks Pass/Domiguez/ET/Dodson/Homer Wilson/Goat Mtn./Mule Ears
wild.open.spaces  12/10  Homer Wilson/Dodson/Smoky Creek/Fisk Canyon/Dominguez/Backbone/ET/Dodson/Homer Wilson

NW side of the park
Mesa de Anguila (MDA)
trtlrock  11/2000
mountaindocdanny  2/06  solo
lighterfluid  5/08  solo and hot!
randell  2/10
jeffblaylock, Ay Chihuahua, AC1Viper  4/10

Badlands near Maverick Jct.
tjavery  3/09

Christmas Mountains
RedHawk  1/09
sleepy  2/09

Slickrock Canyon, etc
sleepy 12/10  Oak Creek/Onion Flats/Slickrock canyon

Long cross country trips
Basin to somewhere or somewhere to the Basin
mule ears  12/04  Strawhouse/Telephone/Banta Shut-In/Dugout/Juniper Canyon/Basin
billh  2/06  Basin/Blue Creek/Dodson/Smoky Creek/Mule Ears
jeffblaylock & Ay Chihuahua  11/08  Basin/Juniper Canyon/Dodson/Smoky Creek/Dominquez/Jacks pass/MuleEars
mule ears  12/08  Lajitas/MDA/TA/Chimneys/Mule Ears/Goat Mtn./Blue Creek/Basin
Robert  1/09  Basin/Blue Creek/Smoky Creek/Mule Ears/Chimneys
championbaum  2/09  Basin/Blue Creek/Smoky Creek/Mule Ears

Other long trips
Juan Cuatros Lados  Across the park Lajitas to RGV date unknown 
Robert  12/09  Lajitas/MDA/TA/Red Ass Spring/Maverick Jct.
championbaum  12/10  Mule Ears/Jacks Pass/Dominguez Spring/Fisk Canyon/ET/Dodson/Juniper Canyon/S. Rim/Blue Creek/Dodson/Smoky Creek/Mule Ears

Completed but never reported other than extensive pre-trip planning threads
trtlrock  2/07  14 day circumnavigation of the Chisos and a some pictures of the first few days here
trtlrock  12/07  14 days Basin to Lajitas

[TexasAggieHiker]

Wow!  Great work!      

[leigh]

Mule Ears,
Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I know it will be a valuable tool for lots of folks!

Leigh

[Ray52]

Thanks a lot Mule Ears!  For me, and I'm sure many others who love reading these, this is a great contribution.  This is my favorite part of BBC and a great resource when planning a visit.

[chisos muse]

What an AWESOME job!!!  Happy Anniversary everyone! Exactly 5 years ago today for me. 

[trtlrock]

well done! 

[jeffblaylock]

Very nice, ME.

I realized from this list -- just 6 for me since '04 -- that I haven't backpacked enough in Big Bend lately.

[FatPacker]

M.E.
Thank you for including my report on this list!
It makes me feel like I am part of the "family"
This was a great idea and Happy Anniversary to Big Bend Chat!

And yes, we are planning the next adventure, hopefully in April.
And then will share that experience too!

[tjavery]

Great work, ME! Thanks for this resource. Here are a few more of mine that could possibly work:

Chisos/South Rim
South Rim Express Sept 2-5 2010
7-day trip Sept 2007 (with a two-day overnight in the Chisos)

(dunno where this would fit, but it's three separate one-night hikes to different badlands within the park)
Badlands March 19-22 2009

[mule ears]

Great work, ME! Thanks for this resource. Here are a few more of mine that could possibly work:

Chisos/South Rim
South Rim Express Sept 2-5 2010
7-day trip Sept 2007 (with a two-day overnight in the Chisos)

(dunno where this would fit, but it's three separate one-night hikes to different badlands within the park)
Badlands March 19-22 2009

Thanks, TJ I will get them in the list.  I knew that Badlands trip was out there but couldn't remember where.

[fartymarty]

What a great idea mule ears!   

Well done!..and THANKS!

[Casa Grande]

Wow, talk abOut being late to the party.   

[TexasAggieHiker]

There used to be a bookmark feature, (my favorite feature by the way).  It was lost in the last server transfer, along with the accomplishment badges.  But supposedly our bookmarks are still saved somewhere and they'll be back eventually.  Hopefully sooner than later......