For the third year in a row the Ozark Highlands Trail Association set up a base camp at White Rock Mountain, from which a full assault on a summer’s worth of brush could be launched.

Headquarters was the CCC-built lodge on top of the mountain with full kitchen, 2 big bunk rooms that accommodate about 20+ people, and 5 bathrooms (4 with showers).  We were also allowed free use of the campground for those wishing to sleep in tents.  The top of the mountain is circumscribed by the 2 mile Rim Trail with several overlook areas offering some of the best views in the Ozarks (hinted-at in some of the pix from this trip).

OHTA provided tools and lots of good food – nobody went to bed hungry.  We cleared almost all of the OHT from Lake Fort Smith (mile 0) to White Rock Mountain (mile 18.4) plus the Shepard Springs Loop at Lake Fort Smith and most of the west leg of the Shores Lake Loop.

OHTA will be doing another base camp Oct 12-19 ’14 at the Redding Campground to address the area from Cherry Bend to Hare Mountain plus the Redding/Spy Rock loop.