Compounding Bad Decisions on LOViT

The Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT) is quickly becoming my nemesis. The LOViT is a 38 mile trail in Arkansas that runs along the south side of Lake Ouachita. Earlier this summer, I attempted to hike the whole trail, but abandoned my attempt when I woke up to thunderstorms after the first night on the trail. On Labor Day weekend, I decided to try it again.

I knew that August is not the best time to be backpacking in Arkansas, but temperatures were going to be a little cooler than they have been recently, with daytime highs only in the 80s.

I hiked in just over a mile on Friday night, to the same location I camped on my first attempt. Overnight lows were forecast to be down to the 70s, and it didn't reach that low until the wee hours of the morning. Most of the night was in the mid to upper 70s and humid. I didn't sleep great because of the heat.

In the morning, I woke a bit later than I had planned to. I didn't feel particularly hungry and knew I might not find water for the first stretch of trail. I decided not to use water to cook and instead ate an apple and a beef sausage.

Between miles two and three, there is a trail junction (see the yellow arrow on the map above). If you continue to the left, the trail loops around the peninsula and through Tompkins Bend campground. If you go to the right, there is a parking with road access and the trail continues across the road, then meets back with the main trail. Tompkins Bend has public restrooms, trash, and water. It's an extra couple of miles. I've done that whole loop as a day hike with Mrs. Gavagai. It's a nice loop. There are some views of the lake, especially on the western side, but there was nothing so spectacular that I was itching to see it again.

One option I considered was going there to make breakfast, fill my water, and rehydrate where it would be easier because I would have a picnic table and water from a bottle filling station/drinking fountain. Skipping breakfast at camp would have been fine if I had taken this morning break to hydrate and get some calories. Skipping breakfast and the opportunity to hydrate before doing ten miles in the heat was a very bad idea.

When I'm planning an all day hike, I basically have one speed. I'm not typically rushing, but I'm moving at a decent clip as long as I'm not completely spent and going uphill.

The trail was extremely dry and there were no good sources of water between that junction east of Tompkins Bend and where the trail crosses the road (Mt Harbor) near Joplin. The map showed there was water by Hwy 270, just south of the trail, so I walked down to that area thinking there might be a water fountain or better yet, a water bottle filling station.

Trail crosses Mt Harbor road between miles 9 and 10. Gas station on Hwy 270 has water.

The only facility was a gas station. I inquired inside and they said water was free from their soft drink fountains. I filled up both of my water bottles and tried to camel up a bit while I was there.

No one at the gas station gave me bad looks or anything, but it was a business and I was there with a big backpack and stinky. I felt awkward, so I left before I was rested and rehydrated properly. I should have taken my pack off, sat down at one of their tables, and had some real food. Instead, I left and headed back to the trail.

Around mile 11, the trail begins to follow a creek. That was the best naturally occurring water I had seen yet, but I didn't stop because I had full water bottles. I also looked ahead on my map. Hickory Nut Mountain had bathrooms and it was at mile 14, just four miles ahead. I don't recall the exact state of my water bottles when I reached mile 12, but I was getting a little low and the creek had pretty much petered out. That's when the trail started up the climb to Hickory Nut Mountain.

I was drenched in sweat from head to toe and completely exhausted. This was a Saturday. My original plan was to hike 20(ish) miles on this day, then finish the remaining and Mrs. Gavagai would pick me up on Sunday when I finished to shuttle me back to my car at the west trailhead. I think it was somewhere around mile 11 that I called and asked her if she would mind getting me a day early. The timing worked out pretty well because she was finished with the errands she had to run

There is a bench just before mile 14. When I reached that bench, Mrs. Gavagai was almost at the Hickory Mountain trailhead where we planned to meet, but I was completely out of water and moving at a snail's pace. 

Mrs. Gavagai finally offered to meet me with the water she had brought to drink on the drive out there. Poor girl had to walk about a quarter mile to me wearing sandals, but I was very grateful for her help. I also ate a granola bar at the bench. I was almost ready to pass out before the water and food. After that, I made it back to the car. She drove me to my car. I changed into some dry clothes, and we went home.

One last insight, that I didn't realize until just now as I was looking at the map more closely. When I was looking at the map while I was on the trail, I assumed that the bathrooms on Hickory Nut Mountain would have water. I don't think they do, now that I'm looking again. There are locations at some of the trailheads and camp areas where it shows bathrooms. They use a water fountain symbol when there is water available. Hickory Nut Mountain trailhead doesn't have one of those symbols.

Even if I made it to the top of Hickory Nut Mountain, I would have been out of water when no where to refill until mile 17 where the trail joins another creek. I may have had to bum water from day hikers to make it safely.

Hindsight

Eat, Hungry or Not

First, not being hungry before getting started on a long day of hiking isn't a reason to not eat. I know better than this. Why do I make bad choices like that?

Drink More on Hot Days

The temperatures were in the mid to upper 80s on this day and humid. I kept erring on the side of conserving water instead of drinking constantly, and I should have refilled and taken breaks. Again, I know better than this. I just made stupid choices.

FarOut Spoiled Me on the OT

The FarOut app (formerly GutHook) makes planning for water much easier. There are big water drops that mark water sources as reliable or seasonal. People also make comments about the condition of the water so you often have good information about when a source of water is the last location for the next however many miles. It is my understanding that the LOViT will be added as a new trail on FarOut sometime this year, but I know how to read a map. I just didn't employ the skills I should have in planning for this trip because I'm not used to having to think through the water sources that carefully. 

Another way in which FarOut spoils its users is that it makes it a bit easier to see the elevation gain. I wasn't paying close attention to the upcoming climb up to Hickory Mountain. If I had, I would have taken the time to camel up and fill my water at the creek below.

Looking Ahead

The LOViT seems like it should be an easy trail, but it's more challenging than it appears on paper. I don't know if I will have the opportunity to return to it before the new year, but I will definitely return and finish this trail. It's not that long!

I would also like to do this trail before it gets unlocked in the FarOut app because those are skills I need to practice, planning better just using maps. Before I do the trail again, I need to go through it more carefully and mark out the locations where the trail has access to water on the map, then pay attention to it while I'm on trail.

I hope this is helpful for you. It's helpful for me to reflect on these things and plan ahead for future trips. 

Holler if you have questions or comments.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gavagai