Big Bend - Dodson, Smoky Creek, Mule Ears - January 2006

[M.J.]

My Dad, brother and I did a two day overnight hike through the Sierra Madre at BBNP http://www.nps.gov/bibe/home.htm. The trail was more difficult than anticipated but everyone held their own. The terrain was rough, remote and beautiful. We left the first morning about 8:45 from Homer Wilson Ranch.

The first two photos are my Dad and I together and my brother alone. The third is the view south from Homer Wilson's Ranch window.

[M.J.]

Heading east on the Dodson Trail we left the morning shadows and began climbing. As we did we peeled off layers and enjoyed the views as we climbed above the desert floor.

[M.J.]

the Dodson trail tops out near the junction with Smoky Creek

[M.J.]

as we moved south on Smoky Creek it became clear that this was a much less travelled route than the Dodson. While it was initially mostly downhill, mainly following the arroyo, the going was, at times, hard. Our boots began to pay for themselves.

We encountered an increasing numbers of drops offs, sometimes impassable cliffs, which required backtracking for a detour or taking off the packs and relaying them down.

The fourth shot is a 30 foot cliff in the bed of the arroyo which required such a backtrack and detour. (Most were 3-6 feet.)

[M.J.]

When we climbed out of the arroyo the landscape opened up. We began to see landscapes that few had seen. Throughout the trail, but particularly in the open country, rock cairns helped mark the way.

The last two pictures are of our eventual destination, Mule Ears.

[M.J.]

we moved back down into an arroyo and began winding our way due west

the further west we moved the more the trail moved in and out of arroyos - nearing the end of the day the rough, sharp off camber climbs with loose rocks became more of a challenge

[M.J.]

we camped in a regular backcountry camping site - no rocks, no cactus in a 15ft footprint - we were 40 feet above the arroyo which encouraged us to stop when we encountered a 50 foot cliff and yet another awkward detour traverse to the next arroyo bed

There were no visible lights except for our headlamps, the cook stove and relflective material. Except for us and our gear there was no trace of anything except the desert. We were in the middle of nowhere.

unfortunately overnight it was overcast, it sprinkled a little and there were no stars - it was however, very, very dark

[M.J.]

the first photo is me above the 50 foot cliff at the start of the second morning

the following shots are moving down the arroyo towards the southwest

the arroyo narrowed and the walls steepened as we continued towards the Mule Ears Trail junction

water ran intermittently from seeps and springs which sustain the animals - some of the animals then become meals for other animals

[M.J.]

the trail eventually opened out into a broad floodpain - we were able to again see Mule Ears - a relief after trusting the map through the arroyos

[M.J.]

we then encountered some difficulties

the map indicated the trail turned north, away from Smoky Creek (which continued south) - I trusted the map and we followed an arroyo - there were no cairns and few footprints - when the trail didn't emerge from the arroyo when I thought it should we climbed out of the arroyo looking for the trail on the ridge above us - we found a few cairns but no real trail

it turned out that the trail marking on the USGS map was incorrect - there hadn't been a trail there for decades - we found our way via the compass and a careful read of the topographical maps - we had some of the most difficult off trail bushwhacking of the hike for the next two miles before picking the trail back up - as they say when you go in to the backcountry make sure you have a compass, a map and the ability to use them - am surprised that the Ranger didn't tell me about this when I told him our route and bought the map - but caveat emptor!

the first shot is of us heading north though the open country toward the top of the ridge, the second is my elation when we found some (decades old) cairns

[M.J.]

we eventually bisected the actual Mule Ears trail which felt like, and looked like, a highway compared to the open country and debris choked arroyo bushwack we'd been on - when we came across the trail we were only two miles from our pick up at Mule Ears Overlook

it was a great hike

[backcountrybung]

Awesome report and pics. That is beautiful country.

Thanks for the report.