Highpoint: Louisiana. Driskill Mountain (535 ft). June 28, 2010

[TrishandAlex]

Cut and pasted from http://www.trishalexsage.com
Accompanying pictures can be found there.
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I'm still working off of my Facebook images, as I won't be able to retrieve the original photos from my old computer until next month. These tiny pictures will be replaced with the full-sized originals when we return to New Hampshire.

After spending a lovely week in Pensacola, the girls and I headed northwest into Bonnie and Clyde territory -- Bienville Parish, Lousiana.

The highpoint, Driskill Mountain, requires a mile roundtrip hike on a reddish, winding trail through thick woods. The path is at first wide...

...but soon narrows as it delves deeper into the forest. Though the owners of this private land have done much to assist the visiting highpointer, we did not feel that Driskill Mountain was an easy climb. We found our way through the many twists and turns, thanks to the signs and arrows...

...but the heat and humidity wore us down. Also, the chirping bugs seemed unnaturally loud -- and the spider webs were made of steel. I ran into one that was stretched across the path and it didn't break. Seriously. I thought I had wandered into a Tolkien chapter and spent the next few minutes glancing feverishly around.

We made it to the top and took a summit photo...

...then dragged ourselves back down into the car, where I turned on the air conditioner full-blast.

Something I'm learning on this trip -- we are not hot weather climbers. I can hike 7 miles in 70 degrees without a problem, but trying to go half a mile in 90 degree heat kills me. Guess it's a good thing we live in New Hampshire.

Next stop: Arkansas (the location of my laptop accident).

 

[Snowflea]

Have been told that those are called banana spiders because they have a stripe of yellow on their bodies. Yep, they do make a strong web.

Of all the 50 (49.98) HPs, I found Louisiana's the eerie-est, but perhaps that was because we arrived after sunset so had to do the entire hike by headlamp. Had 'True Blood' been airing then, we likely would have waited until the next day. All you 'True Blood' fans know what I'm talkin' about.

Neat adventure with the kids and cool that you're exposing them to a world beyond what they know in New England!!

 

[TrishandAlex]

Have been told that those are called banana spiders because they have a stripe of yellow on their bodies. Yep, they do make a strong web.

Of all the 50 (49.98) HPs, I found Louisiana's the eerie-est, but perhaps that was because we arrived after sunset so had to do the entire hike by headlamp. Had 'True Blood' been airing then, we likely would have waited until the next day. All you 'True Blood' fans know what I'm talkin' about.

Neat adventure with the kids and cool that you're exposing them to a world beyond what they know in New England!!

Thanks, Stinkyfeet. We are having a good time, I am very fortunate that I can do this with them!

Alex had just told me that she felt this highpoint was "kind of creepy" when I ran into that web. I shrieked, uttered a few curse words, and dropped our water bottles on the ground. Then I saw what I had run into -- which had not broken! -- then I cursed a few more times and looked wildly around for a spider over 3 feet tall. Luckily, non appeared.

This WAS a creepy highpoint -- no offense to the landowners, who have done a great job making the summit easy to find. Lots of overgrowth, LOUD bugs -- I mean, LOUD chirping and creaking and buzzing -- and that spiderweb, which I swear was made by a creature from another planet.

Can't imagine doing this one by headlamp!!

 

[Christa]

It seems weird to have something that has a total elevation of 535 feet above sea level be called a "Mountain". I'm sure there's plenty of other examples of it, but it still seems weird to read.

It's been fun reading your High Point Adventures. We've done a few of them and others you've done are on our "list to do" at some point. Sounds like you've had a fun road trip.

 

[Chugach001]

So are you doing all 50 this summer?

I grew up in coastal Louisiana so to us, Driskill was a mountain and they were all Yankees up there in the Bible Belt. We would prop a stick in our handlebars when riding on trails to catch the banana spider webs. It is SO much creepier at night but it's really wild to be out there in the dark.

The Heat - we used to say there are two seasons in Louisiana; Hot and real damn hot. It's a killer. I swam in Lake George today and you're nuts for being there and not here.

You're doing great but need to pick up the pace if you want to finish them off this summer.

 

[TrailwrightBratt]

Driscoll

So you did find some red mud
The loud bugs were probably Chicadea,very loud almost a whistle sound or like a ringing in your ears.
You will be impressed with Magazine mt.in Arkansas with the rocks from all over the country on the high point.Enjoy.

 

[una_dogger]

Had 'True Blood' been airing then, we likely would have waited until the next day. All you 'True Blood' fans know what I'm talkin' about.

Oh, time lapse decaying fox!

 

[TrishandAlex]

So are you doing all 50 this summer?

You're doing great but need to pick up the pace if you want to finish them off this summer.

No, not all 50. I don't think Sage (age 5) is quite ready for the likes of Rainier or Denali. Actually, I'M not ready for those kinds of climbs...we need a few more years (at least!!!) before we can seriously consider ascents of that caliber.

Our goal for 2010: every highpoint east of Colorado, with the exception of Maine and New York (we'll get those two next summer).

We will definitely acheive this goal, barring some unforeseen accident. I post the TRs one to two weeks behind where we currently are, simply because I'm a paranoid Mama and I don't want anyone to know our realtime location. At this moment, let's just say I am confident we'll acheive our goal by the end of this summer. Very confident. Very, very confident.

 

[Chugach001]

WOW! How ambitious. They start getting big and/or far apart west of Louisiana.

 

[TrishandAlex]

WOW! How ambitious. They start getting big and/or far apart west of Louisiana.

Yes, and the scenery starts to change, bigtime. I love road trips!

TrailwrightBratt -- We enjoyed Magazine Mountain very much. So much, in fact, that we stayed there an extra day just to hang about. I'll write about that in my next TR, which I hope to post later this morning.

Christa -- thanks! We are having a great time. I highly recommend doing this kind of thing, with or without kids. Seeing the country, chatting with the local folks, enjoying nature, experiencing the views -- all good stuff.