Mapping the Sheltowee

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Day Five – Cotton Patch Shelter to US 27 in Whitley City (9.6 miles with many fords over Big Creek)

With only 10 miles to hike to US 27, we decided to get a later start on the morning. We woke up to rain and were unmotivated to hike. After all, the Cotton Patch Shelter provided us with a dry roof over our heads. After a few minutes though, we realized it was still freezing so we went ahead and packed up and prepared for a wet trek in the woods. Before our trip we had each purchased a Frog Tog rain suit at twenty bucks each. These Frog Togs had more than proved their usefulness over the last four days as an outermost layer keeping us warm on those chilly mornings. Today, they were going to keep us dry.

Our friend Tony had been watching us on the Spot-tracking site and had planned on meeting us at Whitley City that afternoon for our rest day pick up. He decided to show up early and take our packs so we could hike without them for the day. Since it was pouring, we happily tossed them into the back of his van which was parked at Alum Ford Campground.

The next 8 miles proved to be difficult indeed. With the rain coming down, it was hard to see and navigate. Fortunately the trail was well blazed through this area and we rarely needed to pull out the guidebook or map.

When we reached Big Creek, to our surprise it was a hefty ford after the last night’s rain. We sat on a rock and contemplated going back or bushwhacking upstream a bit. We decided to cross at the intended crossing and be done with it. After much discussion on the best crossing point, we were able to ford it with little problems even though the water was up to my mid-thighs and Michele’s waist.

After we crossed Big Creek, the rain really began to pour and the creek crossings became plentiful for the next few miles. It was miserable. We didn’t even try to stay dry but rather simply tromped on through the swollen streams.

Tony met back up with us at US-27 that afternoon. We were two very wet, very cold and very tired women who were happy to get into a warm van full of beef jerky treats and bottled waters. It was getting colder as the day wore on and we were grateful to have the next day as a rest day. I did not know that this would be the last day to hike with Michele. She had sprained her ankle the day before and kept quiet about the amount of pain she was in. I received a text the next afternoon saying she had gone to the doctor who had ordered her to stay off of it for at least three days.

Without a hiking partner I wasn’t even sure if I could complete the trip. My dog was back home in Slade and I had no other option but to either back out or move forward solo. This trip was turning into something very different than anything I’d imagined.