1st week long backpacking trip - FHT

[FHThiker]

Hi everyone, I know this is the AT forum, but I just had to share my excitement for my upcoming near week-long backpacking trip I'm doing. I am, without a doubt, doing a 2008 AT thru-hike though (it planned, and I'm already budgeting for it ). I've been following this forum for over a year now.

Anyway, I'm doing my first week long trip on the Foothills Trail (FHT) in SC two weeks from today. I've done up to 3 nights before, but nothing near this length. For those of you that don't know, the FHT is a near 80 mile trail that runs from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park in South Carolina. I've done all the sections, but never a "thru-hike" of the FHT. I've been training like mad for the past 3-4 months and I'm up to 12-14 mile days (well, 4 days max).

I'm planning to do this hike in 5 nights/6 days. I've always been big into photo documenting/narrating my trips. Here's the start of what will grow into probably more than a hundred pictures by the time I get back...the pics I have so far are my preparations/packing/etc. I will, of course, finish this when I complete the hike in the second week of October. Here are the pics:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554291481gZBgwF

Let me know your thoughts...more to come soon...

Cheers!

[Phreak]

Good luck on your hike! I just got back on Wed from hiking this trail from Oconee to Table Rock. The trail is in overall good condition tho there are a handful of spots where several large trees are blocking the trail.

I look forward to seeing your narrative of your hike.

[Earl Grey]

Hi everyone, I know this is the AT forum, but I just had to share my excitement for my upcoming near week-long backpacking trip I'm doing. I am, without a doubt, doing a 2008 AT thru-hike though (it planned, and I'm already budgeting for it ). I've been following this forum for over a year now.

Anyway, I'm doing my first week long trip on the Foothills Trail (FHT) in SC two weeks from today. I've done up to 3 nights before, but nothing near this length. For those of you that don't know, the FHT is a near 80 mile trail that runs from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park in South Carolina. I've done all the sections, but never a "thru-hike" of the FHT. I've been training like mad for the past 3-4 months and I'm up to 12-14 mile days (well, 4 days max).

I'm planning to do this hike in 5 nights/6 days. I've always been big into photo documenting/narrating my trips. Here's the start of what will grow into probably more than a hundred pictures by the time I get back...the pics I have so far are my preparations/packing/etc. I will, of course, finish this when I complete the hike in the second week of October. Here are the pics:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554291481gZBgwF

Let me know your thoughts...more to come soon...

Cheers!

Ill be starting that same day with my first long backpacking trip. Maybe ill see you around. Check out my site www.mooncube.org I too like to take pictures of the wilderness and just wrote a post about my shakedown at Morrow Mountain.

[Lone Wolf]

You'll do just fine. You're ready. Let it happen. Be sure to have a campfire each nite.

[FHThiker]

Good luck on your hike! I just got back on Wed from hiking this trail from Oconee to Table Rock. The trail is in overall good condition tho there are a handful of spots where several large trees are blocking the trail.

I look forward to seeing your narrative of your hike.

Hey Phreak...yeah, you and I exchanged emails a couple weeks ago. So you had a good trip, huh? Anything to know about other than the fallen trees? How many nights/days did you do it in? And which direction is your favorite now (I've read/saw your pics of your first hike of the FHT going the other direction)?

Cheers!

[Phreak]

Hi everyone, I know this is the AT forum, but I just had to share my excitement for my upcoming near week-long backpacking trip I'm doing. I am, without a doubt, doing a 2008 AT thru-hike though (it planned, and I'm already budgeting for it ). I've been following this forum for over a year now.

Anyway, I'm doing my first week long trip on the Foothills Trail (FHT) in SC two weeks from today. I've done up to 3 nights before, but nothing near this length. For those of you that don't know, the FHT is a near 80 mile trail that runs from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park in South Carolina. I've done all the sections, but never a "thru-hike" of the FHT. I've been training like mad for the past 3-4 months and I'm up to 12-14 mile days (well, 4 days max).

I'm planning to do this hike in 5 nights/6 days. I've always been big into photo documenting/narrating my trips. Here's the start of what will grow into probably more than a hundred pictures by the time I get back...the pics I have so far are my preparations/packing/etc. I will, of course, finish this when I complete the hike in the second week of October. Here are the pics:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554291481gZBgwF

Let me know your thoughts...more to come soon...

Cheers!

What direction are you going to hike? I'll be back up there the same weekend with my wife. We're just doing an overnight from Oconee State Park to Simm's Field. If you are starting at Oconee, I'll definitely keep an eye out for ya. Again, good luck on your hike!

[FHThiker]

What direction are you going to hike? I'll be back up there the same weekend with my wife. We're just doing an overnight from Oconee State Park to Simm's Field. If you are starting at Oconee, I'll definitely keep an eye out for ya. Again, good luck on your hike!

I'm starting from the Table Rock side...so maybe next time...

[Earl Grey]

Just to let you guys know me and a friend will be starting early friday morning at table rock and going as far as we can in 2.5 days then turning around and coming back. We were gonna do a shuttle but 5 days isnt enough time to do the whole thing unless youre doing about 15-16 miles a day. Id rather stop and look at things. Im not sure what my trail name will be yet though. Any idea what the weather is supposed to be like then?

[The Solemates]

Hi everyone, I know this is the AT forum, but I just had to share my excitement for my upcoming near week-long backpacking trip I'm doing. I am, without a doubt, doing a 2008 AT thru-hike though (it planned, and I'm already budgeting for it ). I've been following this forum for over a year now.

Anyway, I'm doing my first week long trip on the Foothills Trail (FHT) in SC two weeks from today. I've done up to 3 nights before, but nothing near this length. For those of you that don't know, the FHT is a near 80 mile trail that runs from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park in South Carolina. I've done all the sections, but never a "thru-hike" of the FHT. I've been training like mad for the past 3-4 months and I'm up to 12-14 mile days (well, 4 days max).

I'm planning to do this hike in 5 nights/6 days. I've always been big into photo documenting/narrating my trips. Here's the start of what will grow into probably more than a hundred pictures by the time I get back...the pics I have so far are my preparations/packing/etc. I will, of course, finish this when I complete the hike in the second week of October. Here are the pics:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554291481gZBgwF

Let me know your thoughts...more to come soon...

Cheers!

Looks like we have a lot in common...We are Greenville natives, and have done the FT several times, and did our thru in 04. Are you a long-time resident of Greenville?

[Sly]

I'm considering doing the FHT next spring as a warm-up for the BMT, which will be a warm-up for the CT, which will be a warm-up for something else!

[Earl Grey]

Phreak can you give any tips about the FHT?

[FHThiker]

Looks like we have a lot in common...We are Greenville natives, and have done the FT several times, and did our thru in 04. Are you a long-time resident of Greenville?

Yeah, I actually grew up in Spartanburg, went to USC-Columbia for college, then moved away to Colorado for 8 years and then came back again 5 years ago...settled in Greenville...so I guess you could say I'm an "upstate" native I wish I would of gotten into the mountains/hiking/backpacking around here before leaving for CO...I didn't start exploring the mountains here until I moved back...I like it as much, if not better, than CO because the weather doesn't dictate what you can do as much (snow/cold = yuck ).

Anyway, nice to meet ya!

[FHThiker]

Just to let you guys know me and a friend will be starting early friday morning at table rock and going as far as we can in 2.5 days then turning around and coming back. We were gonna do a shuttle but 5 days isnt enough time to do the whole thing unless youre doing about 15-16 miles a day. Id rather stop and look at things. Im not sure what my trail name will be yet though. Any idea what the weather is supposed to be like then?

Yeah, 5 days would be a little much for 76 miles. I'm pushing it a little with 6 days of hiking, but I believe I can manage the 12.7 mile average with no problem.

The weather = I looked at the average high and average low for that week for the past couple of years and it looks like right at a 70 degree high, and then high 40s/low 50s at night average. And for the past couple years, there's been at least 2 days/week during the the second week of Oct where there's been off/on showers during the day.

Last year, I did a 4 day in/out FHT hike this same week starting from Oconee and the weather was PERFECT!! It rained a few times, but nothing sustained for more than an hour or so...it was chilly the first hour in the morning, but once I got on the trail, again, PERFECT. My success on that hike is the reason I've chosen this same week for my FHT "thru-hike."

[Earl Grey]

Hey Phreak how far is it to the first campsite from Table Rock? Ive been reading the guidebook and it looks pretty far.

[Phreak]

Hey Phreak how far is it to the first campsite from Table Rock? Ive been reading the guidebook and it looks pretty far.

Hey Blackmath,
There is a campsite 4.2 miles from the Carrick Creek Interpretive Center. You'll come to a large rock outrcrop (great views) at the park boundary, the campsite is .6 mile from there. The next designated campsite is 12.2 miles from this campsite, but there are a few spots in between that can be used if necessary.

After this second campsite, there are a ton of spots to camp along the remainder of the trail.

Have fun on your hike!

[Phreak]

Hey Phreak...yeah, you and I exchanged emails a couple weeks ago. So you had a good trip, huh? Anything to know about other than the fallen trees? How many nights/days did you do it in? And which direction is your favorite now (I've read/saw your pics of your first hike of the FHT going the other direction)?

Cheers!

Hey FHThiker,
Yes, this was a really fun trip. The weather was awesome and the girls (my two dogs) had a blast. It was their first trip in a few months and they were ready and happy to be on the trail.

I think hiking Oconee to Table Rock is easier than Table Rock to Oconee. But I dunno if there is any foundation to this observation of mine. I also find the Table Rock area to be more scenic than Oconee, tho I love camping next to the Chattooga River. I always make it a point to camp one night at Simm's Field on each of my hikes on this trail.

Other than a few downed trees, the trail is in great condition and the water sources are flowing and abundant. I never carried more than 1 liter of water and never ran out.

We finished at 11:30am on the 5th day of our hike.

[FHThiker]

Hey FHThiker,
Yes, this was a really fun trip. The weather was awesome and the girls (my two dogs) had a blast. It was their first trip in a few months and they were ready and happy to be on the trail.

I think hiking Oconee to Table Rock is easier than Table Rock to Oconee. But I dunno if there is any foundation to this observation of mine. I also find the Table Rock area to be more scenic than Oconee, tho I love camping next to the Chattooga River. I always make it a point to camp one night at Simm's Field on each of my hikes on this trail.

Other than a few downed trees, the trail is in great condition and the water sources are flowing and abundant. I never carried more than 1 liter of water and never ran out.

We finished at 11:30am on the 5th day of our hike.

Hey Phreak...just checked out your latest FHT hike pics...very nice. One week from right now as I type this, I'll be on the trail. I'm pretty pysched about it.

Agreed about the Chattooga...I did 4 days on the FHT trail starting at Oconee last year (in/out trip) and absolutely love that side of the trail.

[Earl Grey]

Wow 16.4 miles. 4.2 miles isnt far enough but 16.4 miles is too far. I could do it if necessary but id rather take my time and look around. Looks like ill be camping somewhere random.