Walls of Jericho 5/2011

[OwenM]

Pressed for time for this week's overnighter, since I slept 9 hours of my trail time away after sitting down "for a minute", I needed a short hike on short notice, and chose a return trip to the Walls of Jericho. 2hr+ drive, but an easy downhill hike in(took half again as long coming out, since it's all uphill).

Visited here last year, and posted a thread with some history and pics:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/742717-The-Walls-of-Jericho-AL-TN
Wow, exactly a year ago. Didn't realize...

Anyway, this year I made a couple of short videos.
Video of the water coming from a cave:
[youtube]KeGJGcUYROc[/youtube]
Video of a quick trip from the front to back of the Walls. I've got to stop holding the camera in front of my face. Had some sinus issues that morning, and sound like Darth Vader breathing in the videos--screw it, I'm audioswapping it...
[youtube]FbxZIK1S0hE[/youtube]
Had not intended for this to be a "survival trip", but that's indeed what it turned into
[youtube]Pee6CD7f3U4[/youtube]


Pics are a little redundant after last time, but here are some anyway. For some reason it's really hard to get decent pics there

They have primitive campsites, but I preferred the meadow.

My bivy doesn't need the BCUSA 5x7' ground sheet, but it makes a nice porch.

 

[OwenM]

Gore-Tex. I like it

If it had been a little warmer, I'd have been in there!

Water flowing from the Walls.

Looking out,

..and further back.

On the way out, I went through the creek, instead of following the trail.

I didn't crawl down in the cave entrance like last time...

A bit anti-climactic, since I'd been there before, but it's a beautiful place to visit. The weather was fantastic. Upper 60s when I got there, and when I left the next morning, lower 40s for the low. I got to use my new Big Agnes Air Core mattress again, this time on level ground, and in my bivy. The air mattress is soooo much more comfortable than thinner closed cell foam and self-inflatable pads. Between it and my 40 degree bag, it was the most comfortable night I've ever spent outdoors. Probably one of the most comfortable nights I've ever spent anywhere.
I ate breakfast at the back of the main amphitheater(where my pack is sitting in the video where I climb up to the back section and look at the Grotto), and after sitting there for a few minutes, birds were doing laps around the circle, as if getting their morning exercise. Pretty cool. Leaving by the creekbed was lots of fun, too, and I got to see a lot more of it than last year, when I just played in it for a little while. I don't do much sitting still while outdoors, but this is a good place for it, time permitting. Lots of little scenic spots, with nothing but the sound of birds singing, and water running over the rocks. I'll go back next year:thumbup:

 

[sicily02]

I love the pics with streams in them. You got some cool ones. I was out today walking along the river that runs besides our small town. I like to hike in the woods to, but walking long or even in the streams is my favorite. But last night we had a good bit of rain in our area and to the north of us and the river is up

a lot higher that it was just a few days back

Bryan

 

[OwenM]

Whoa. I'd say there's a little difference there!

I love the pics with streams in them. You got some cool ones. I was out today walking along the river that runs besides our small town. I like to hike in the woods to, but walking long or even in the streams is my favorite.

Mine, too! Well, my favorite thing to do is follow a river or creek, find a feeder coming down off a high ridge, and follow the waterfalls up to the top. Usually need my hands free, but sometimes I'll video it. Here's one from last year. I put a music track about the same length over the audio, because I was running my mouth the whole way
Anyway, this is one of the things I most love to do:
[youtube]MUD_FPCIgRE[/youtube]

 

[tknife]

Great stuff, especially the water coming from the cave, that looks awesome!

 

[OwenM]

Thanks! Apparently noone is watching the videos, though. My lame night hike video might have broken people from clicking on them. Can't blame them...
These ARE in day time, though!

 

[sicily02]

OwenM, Thanks for posting the video, I have been gone since I posted lol. Just tuned in. Yea, I tell ya nothing like following the streams and seein where they are comming from. I love to walking in the water also. To me there seems to be so much more to look at when water is around lol

Neat pics and vids,

Bryan