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Hike from Hell in the Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area
7/4/2014
Even though the woods are fully growed up after the wet spring we had, I still can't resist getting right in there with the trees and undergrowth. This is a mistake I make over and over again. Before this endeavor breakfast was at Denny's in Russellville. To access this week's chosen area you would turn onto Hwy 123 off of Hwy 7 north of Sand Gap. A right turn is made onto Lurton Assembly of God Rd, which is now named something else, but is also CR 36, I believe. Turn right on CF 37 and at Iceledo Gap a left turn is made onto CR 34 which is followed into Gene Rush WMA. Who was this Gene Rush dude anyway? My plan was to drop down into the Richland Creek valley and catch the Ozark Highlands Trail and maybe follow that to the Buffalo.
Around 5:45 a.m. the forest was around me. At first, the vegetation was not too difficult to navigate. Attempts were made to go down the hill with no luck due to an overwhelming conglomeration of low growing shrubbery. Eventually my path turned northward where Horn Mountain trailed off down the spine of a ridge that only led to more crap and eventually, a bluff line that looked to be more work to get down. At this point I gave up and headed back in the direction of my origin. I can handle stickers and such but wading through poison ivy and oak does not stimulate my pleasure center. In the end no contact dermatitis due to urushiol was inflicted upon me. A field soon opened up and gave me an easy way back to the parking spot. It was full-o-flowers and a few bear tracks as well. I like that. The hike was 2.8 miles of pure hell...most of it anyway. At least the temp started out at 66°.
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