Moscow Hill Camping Area

Discover the rustic charm of the Moscow Hill Assembly and Camping Area nestled within the Charles Baker State Forest. Here, primitive campsites await, offering a serene retreat for outdoor enthusiasts. These sites are thoughtfully equipped with picnic tables and fire pits, ensuring a cozy camping experience. Whether you’re traveling with an RV, trailer, or horses, the facilities cater to your needs, featuring spacious accommodations and equestrian amenities such as horse stalls. During the warmer months, Moscow Hill beckons horse enthusiasts, while the off-season provides a tranquil escape from November to April. While the trails are closed to horses during this time, the spring-fed water source remains accessible. Winter offers a peaceful ambiance, and if snowfall is limited, nearby Moscow Hill Road grants easy access, ensuring year-round enjoyment amidst the natural beauty of Charles Baker State Forest.

January 15, 2023 9 AM Update

Good morning! Made it what is normally the coldest โ„ part of the year and I’m out camping ๐Ÿ• in Madison County. What can I say, I’m kind of nuts ๐Ÿฅœ and I like burning shit ๐Ÿ”ฅ and spending time out in the country where things are real. ๐Ÿšœ For a while last night that fire was rip roaring and that smoke was black! Well it is Martin Luther King weekend. ๐Ÿ–ค

Mostly cloudy and 13 degrees at the Moscow Hill Camping Area. โ˜ There is a north-northwest breeze at 8 mph. ๐Ÿƒ. The current wind chill is 2. There is a dusting of snow on the ground. โ˜ƒ Things will start to thaw out at Tuesday around 10 am. ๐ŸŒก๏ธI’ll be home by then then.

I planned to leave by nine yesterday and started down the road and realized that I didn’t know where my hat and gloves ๐Ÿงค were which are kind of essential for winter camping. So I ended up heading home and searching ๐Ÿ”Ž for a half hour until I realized that I stuck it in the cooler to carry it out.

Then I had to stop in Esperance for food and fuel. โ›ฝ ๐Ÿฅฉ The roads were just wet and salty all the way until I got out to Brookfield where they were snow covered. They don’t have a bare pavement policy in Madison County though the roads did have plenty of sand on them. I got to camp โ›บ on Saturday around 12:30 which left plenty of time to gather and chop wood for the night ahead ๐Ÿ”ฅ and set up camp and listen to a podcast then go for an hour walk in a beautifully snow ๐ŸŒจ covered woods before dusk. ๐ŸŒ† And cook some sausages up for lunch. ๐ŸŒญ

Today will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny โ˜ โ˜€ , with a high of 27 degrees at 3pm. Five degrees below normal. North wind around 8 mph. A year ago, we had mist in the morning, remaining cloudy in the afternoon. The high last year was 38 degrees. The record high of 65 was set in 1995. 13.4 inches of snow fell back in 1983.โ„

I’ll believe it when I see it for the sun, โ˜€ so far this morning has been pretty cool and gray. I’d like some sun, preferably by midday to top off the battery bank ๐Ÿ”‹. The weatherman promised sun for today but I’m not that hopeful with the skies so gray.

Today I have planned out a ten mile hike around the state forest, ๐Ÿด hiking the horse trails which should be well frozen this time of year. In the summer they can be quite swampy from the horse hooves churning things up but things are well cold and frozen today.

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 12:12 pm with sun having an altitude of 26ยฐ from the due south horizon (-44.5ยฐ vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 12.3 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 4:09 pm with the sun in the southwest (234ยฐ). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-southwest (242ยฐ) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 4:53 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 19 seconds with dusk around 5:23 pm, which is one minute and 11 seconds later than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ The best time to look at the stars is after 5:59 pm. At sunset, look for partly clear skies ๐ŸŒƒ and temperatures around 24 degrees. There will be a north-northwest breeze at 7 mph. Today will have 9 hours and 26 minutes of daytime, an increase of one minute and 39 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be mostly clear ๐ŸŒƒ, with a low of 8 degrees at 6am. Eight degrees below normal. Maximum wind chill around 10 at 5am; North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became light freezing rain by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 30 degrees. The record low of -16 occurred back in 1971.

Going to be a cold night ๐Ÿ”‹ I may need to start my truck up to be safe before bed. ๐Ÿ› But once I’m under the covers I should be good. But first I plan to have a big ol fire ๐Ÿ”ฅ just like I had last night.

Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until 40th Birthday ๐ŸŽ‰ when the sun will be setting at 5:11 pm with dusk at 5:40 pm. On that day in 2022, we had cold, partly sunny and temperatures between 14 and 0 degrees. Maybe I’ll go camping then too. โ›บ LOL ๐Ÿ˜‚. Typically, the high temperature is 33 degrees. We hit a record high of 54 back in 2002.

Clearing

December 23, 2021 – Looking Ahead This Week

Cold but clear morning. ๐ŸŒ… 

I am going to take camp down in a bit then I think explore Glimmerglass before heading home. I could stay one more night but I think I’d rather head home while the sun is shining as I think the snow may stick around for a while on the roads tomorrow morning. It’s been a nice three nights in the woods and I want to see family on Christmas Eve. 

Today.
Cold !

Slight Chance of Snow Showers then Partly Sunny

A slight chance of snow showers before 9am. Partly sunny.

Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

and

26 degrees , 6 max wind chill, 4:31
sunset.
Tonight.
Feels like …
December 17th.

Snow is likely

Snow likely, mainly between 8pm and 5am. Cloudy.

South wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of around 2 inches.

and

22 degrees , 7:30
sunrise.
Friday.
Feels like …
December 22nd.

Chance of Snow then Partly Sunny

A chance of snow, mainly before 7am. Mostly cloudy.

South wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

and

36 degrees , 4:32
sunset.
Friday Night.
Feels like …
November 23rd.

Chance of Wintry Mix then Wintry Mix

Freezing rain, possibly mixed with snow and sleet before 5am, then rain and freezing rain likely, possibly mixed with snow and sleet. Low around 29. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

and

29 degrees , 7:30
sunrise.
Christmas Day.
Feels like …
December 18th.

Rain is likely

Rain likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy.

South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

and

37 degrees , 4:33
sunset.
Saturday Night.
Feels like …
November 17th.

Chance of Rain/Snow

A chance of rain before 10pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 50%.

and

31 degrees , 7:31
sunrise.
Sunday.
Feels like …
January 5th.

Chance of Wintry Mix then Chance of Snow

A chance of freezing rain before 9am, then a chance of snow between 9am and 1pm. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 30%.

and

33 degrees , 4:33
sunset.
Sunday Night.
Feels like …
December 17th.

Mostly Cloudy then Chance of Snow

A chance of snow after 1am. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 30%.

and

22 degrees , 7:31
sunrise.
Monday.
Feels like …
January 5th.

Chance of Snow

A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 50%.

and

33 degrees , 4:34
sunset.
Monday Night.
Feels like …
December 14th.

Mostly Cloudy

Mostly cloudy.

 

and

23 degrees , 7:31
sunrise.
Tuesday.
Feels like …
December 18th.

Mostly Cloudy then Chance of Rain/Snow

A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 40%.

and

37 degrees , 4:35
sunset.
Tuesday Night.
Feels like …
November 30th.

Chance of Snow

A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 40%.

and

27 degrees , 7:31
sunrise.
Wednesday.
Feels like …
December 6th.

Chance of Rain/Snow then Chance of Rain

A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 30%.

and

41 degrees , 4:35
sunset.

Ferry Now, Bridge Later

Good Morning – December 23, 2021

Good morning! Happy Festivus ๐Ÿ– ! The holiday for the rest of us.

Celebrating it out in the wilds of Madison County. One last day, I plan to head home before the snow later today. ๐ŸŒจ.

Mostly clear, a moon lit morning 16 degrees at the Moscow Hill Camping Area. ๐ŸŒ• There is a west-northwest breeze at 10 mph. ๐Ÿƒ. The current wind chill is 4. Things will start to thaw out at tomorrow around noontime. ๐ŸŒก๏ธ

I got away for three days, so I can’t complain. โ˜บ Last night was a bit cold with the wind but it was a pretty moon lit morning, though I think it’s going to snow shortly before sunrise. ๐ŸŒ… So I’ll probably hang out at camp for a while, maybe go back to bed or maybe a hike.

Eggs ๐Ÿฅš and sausage for breakfast today. ๐Ÿณ I first had a few cups of coffee โ˜• and have been listening to the news. ๐Ÿ“ฐ Since having unlimited data, I’ve been using my phone a lot more for streaming radio ๐Ÿ“ป. It’s kind of nice.