ALL HIKERS

DAY 1: SOWATS POINT TO INDIAN HOLLOW

     I meet Keith and Bob at the Jacob Lake Inn for breakfast at 7:00.  We then drive to Sowats Point, which takes just over one hour.  After a little packing, our hike starts around 9:30.

Keith and Bob
10-7-2012 @ 9:22
Jumpup-Nail trailhead sign
10-7-2012 @ 9:23

     We only find a few flowers along the way, but that is to be expected in October.

Indian Paintbrush
10-7-2012 @ 9:25
Mormon Tea
10-7-2012 @ 10:29
Globemallow
10-7-2012 @ 9:47

     We come across a Horned Toad on the trail.  These used to be everywhere in Oklahoma when I was a kid, but I haven't seen one in many years.  At the base of the initial descent is a very nice Forest Service sign.

Horned Toad
10-7-2012 @ 9:27
Forest Service sign
10-7-2012 @ 9:39

     We then loop around to the north for about a mile on a level trail and are treated to some great views of the Esplanade, Kwagunt Hollow, Ojojojo Canyon, and Indian Hollow.  My objective for tomorrow, Racetrack Knoll, can be seen far in the distance

The view down
10-7-2012 @ 9:58
Racetrack Knoll
10-7-2012 @ 9:58
The view down
10-12-2012 @ 9:58

     I travel down the steep switchbacks and take a break at the Cottonwood trees at the bottom.  Bob has been having difficulty with the steep descent and arrives a half-hour later.

   
  Cottonwood trees
10-7-2012 @ 10:30
 

     After an extended break, we go down Kwagunt a short distance, turn to the south, and head toward Ojojojo Canyon.  Right away we come to some Cryptobiotic soil that you should avoid walking on.  We then find an established trail that we take until our descent.

Heading to Ojojojo
10-7-2012 @ 11:47
Cryptobiotic soil
10-7-2012 @ 11:58

     I learned on my previous hike here that you should avoid the first (most northerly) arm of Ojojojo and instead go down the south arm.  I placed a waypoint on my GPS where I believed the proper descent point was.  Upon reaching it, we start down.  Pretty soon we come to an obstacle requiring a little scrambling that I don't recall.  On my previous trip, I remember it was just a walk down, so I'm confused that there is any difficulty here.  We have lunch and then proceed further until reaching a very large, non-negotiable pour-off.  I didn't encounter any of this before, so I've clearly taken us down an arm too far south.  Keith and Bob tell me they are going to backtrack to the top and go down the next arm to the north.  I believe I can pass this pour-off by traversing a high, narrow, scary section for a few hundred yards and then making my way down to the creek bed at the end.  Everything works out well, but I don't recommend this at all as my apprehension was high the entire time and a fatal fall could have happened at any time.

Starting down Ojojojo
10-7-2012 @ 1:02
Starting down Ojojojo
10-7-2012 @ 1:02
Bob headed downhill
10-7-2012 @ 1:24

     I wait for Keith and Bob for an hour and a half and then leave them a note indicating I am moving on to camp in Indian Hollow.  Next to my footprints in the mud are those of some animal, possibly a coyote.

My footprints in the mud
10-7-2012 @ 4:09
Animal footprints
10-7-2012 @ 4:09

     Near the lower end of Ojojojo Canyon I come to Ojojojo Spring.  I am surprised that there is this much water here.  Water continues flowing almost all the way to Indian Hollow.  Just before Indian Hollow, you come to a large pour-off requiring some light scrambling to get past.

Ojojojo Spring
10-7-2012 @ 4:15
Ojojojo Spring water
10-7-2012 @ 4:22
Ojojojo pour-off
10-7-2012 @ 4:38

     I reach Indian Hollow in just a few more minutes and find a nice little flat spot there for our tents.  Keith arrives in about an hour and reports that Bob is very sick and has remained in Ojojojo Canyon for the night near one of the water sources.

Camp in Indian Hollow
10-7-2012 @ 4:58
Camp in Indian Hollow
10-7-2012 @ 5:51

     Fortunately, we have a large pool of water only a few feet from our campsite, so filtering water is easy.

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