Earl Grey
10-13-2006, 00:24
So I spent some time in the wilderness of upstate South Carolina. Specifically Table Rock State Park and beyond with more beyond than state park. It's like stepping into a different world because of the rawness, undeveloped nature of the land. Consequently along with the raw land comes raw animals. These are wild animals and while you're in the country you are in their turf. Geographically Table Rock is in the beginning of what's known as the Blue Ridge Escarpment. This is where the land rises suddenly into the Appalachians from the flat piedmont region. One can actually see this at the top of Table Rock or Pinnacle Mountain. The elevation changes by 2,000+ ft within 2 miles which makes for very steep terrain. This makes the trails in the park strenuous and sometimes dangerous but it also make for high waterfalls from the various creeks in the region.
I arrived at Table Rock on Friday the 6th around 11:30 and was on the trail by noon. Starting at the trailhead I took the Pinnacle Mountain trail which leads to the start of the Foothills Trail. It took around 3 hours to get to the top of Pinnacle Mountain which has amazing views along the way. This is rugged trail with frequent steep ascents and some precarious positions around waterfalls. The view at Bald Rock Overlook was amazing and that day you could see for miles into the piedmont of South Carolina and Paris Mountain. Beyond that is the start of the Foothills Trail which begins near the summit of Pinnacle Mountain and follows a ridge to backside of the mountain. On the ridge there are rock outcrops which allow you to see Lake Keowee in the far distance. From here the trail winds across some creeks and a few mountains. I wanted to make it to Sassafras Mountain which is the highest point in SC by nightfall but this was not to be so I camped right on the trail near the summit of Hickorynut Mountain. That night a front was coming through and there was very gusty wind all night. It was so loud it sounded like a freight train coming from a distance and the roaring past at high speed. This sound would mask the sound of any bears that may have wanted to pay me a visit but fornuately that was not the case.
The next morning the wind had died down and I was able to make some breakfast and get on the way. Before I got to Sassafras Mountain I passed an old rock formation which is the remnants of an old cabin's chimney. This used to be the cabin of the area's earlist settler, John L. Cantrell. I arrived at the summit of Sassafras Mountain around 11am and looked around, signed the trail register and left. The top of the mountain is nothing special with just a parking lot and couple views. From here it was on to Chimneytop Gap and Laurel Valley. I really hit my stride here and was averaging over 3mph which put me at Laurel Valley and Hwy 178 around 2pm. Crossing a bridge over Eastatoe Creek puts you on the Laurel Valley segment of the trail. I slowed down here somewhat due to lack of water and unnecessary fast pace. The trail here generally follows an access road on the way to Laurel Fork Falls. I stopped around 4pm at a designated campsite for the night and started a fire. It wasn't as windy as it was the night before although the sounds of the night filled in the gap. Mainly it was owls and acorns falling from trees. The owls (I assumed there were 3) would leave and come back on the hour every hour, hoot to each other and then fly somewhere else. This made for a somewhat restless night.
I broke down camp at 7am and was on the trail by 730am trying to make my way all the way back to the car before sundown. I decided during the night to go all the way back because of coming bad weather and my knees were killing me. That morning I took 3 Aleve's and 2 more a few hours later so I could walk down hills. The combination of the weight and rough terrain put a tremendous amount of strain on my knees and I needed some rest. From the campsite it is 16.5 miles back to Table Rock which means I would have to average over 2mph to make it back before sundown. I was back at the top of Sassafras Mountain by 11:30am which was 30 minutes before schedule so I was feeling pretty good about the chances to make it back. After Sassafras however is the really tough, strenuous part of the hike so it would be a little slower going. One thing that kept nagging at me was the lack of water because at this point I was out and there wasnt any for about 4 miles. Being dehydrated is not a fun experience, my lips were chapped, couldn't swallow anything and no energy made for slow going. When I finally found a creek I jumped down in it to filter some water.
Before I got to creek I heard something rustling in the woods which isnt surprising so I didn't think anything of it. While I was getting water I heard something above me on the creek bank that sounded like a horse snorting so I turned to look and saw a BEAR. It was staring down at me, growling and jumping up down on its two front paws. I was squatted down at the time so I looked small to it and it probaly thought it could take me which being 400-450 lbs it probaly could but I wasn't going out without a fight. Black bears are usually timid unless its rabid or you mess with a cub with its mother is around. Fortunately neither of these conditions applied so I stood up and faced it to make myself look bigger. I started clapping my hands, yelling and whistling to try and scare it off which finally after a few tense moments it did leave, up the trail where I was going! I stood there frozen for about 5 minutes making lots of noise until I was sure it was gone and hopefully off the trail I was walking. Filtered some water, drunk about a liter, stored a liter and went on the way double speed. I wish I had got some pictures but it was over in 10 seconds. I don't think I have ever been more scared in my life.
After that I just kept my head down and went as fast as possible to get back to Pinnacle Mountain. I made it there around 2:30pm and had lunch on Bald Rock Overlook but didn't stay long as the weather looked like it was starting to turn bad. I made it back to the car around 5pm and was exhausted from being dehydrated and carrying 30lbs 16 miles in 10 hours up and down rugged terrain. Still it was an amazing experience and I can't wait to hike the whole thing.
Pictures are here (http://mooncube.org/v/Foothills+Trail/).
Mirrored from http://www.mooncube.org/2006/10/13/foothills-trail-experience/
I arrived at Table Rock on Friday the 6th around 11:30 and was on the trail by noon. Starting at the trailhead I took the Pinnacle Mountain trail which leads to the start of the Foothills Trail. It took around 3 hours to get to the top of Pinnacle Mountain which has amazing views along the way. This is rugged trail with frequent steep ascents and some precarious positions around waterfalls. The view at Bald Rock Overlook was amazing and that day you could see for miles into the piedmont of South Carolina and Paris Mountain. Beyond that is the start of the Foothills Trail which begins near the summit of Pinnacle Mountain and follows a ridge to backside of the mountain. On the ridge there are rock outcrops which allow you to see Lake Keowee in the far distance. From here the trail winds across some creeks and a few mountains. I wanted to make it to Sassafras Mountain which is the highest point in SC by nightfall but this was not to be so I camped right on the trail near the summit of Hickorynut Mountain. That night a front was coming through and there was very gusty wind all night. It was so loud it sounded like a freight train coming from a distance and the roaring past at high speed. This sound would mask the sound of any bears that may have wanted to pay me a visit but fornuately that was not the case.
The next morning the wind had died down and I was able to make some breakfast and get on the way. Before I got to Sassafras Mountain I passed an old rock formation which is the remnants of an old cabin's chimney. This used to be the cabin of the area's earlist settler, John L. Cantrell. I arrived at the summit of Sassafras Mountain around 11am and looked around, signed the trail register and left. The top of the mountain is nothing special with just a parking lot and couple views. From here it was on to Chimneytop Gap and Laurel Valley. I really hit my stride here and was averaging over 3mph which put me at Laurel Valley and Hwy 178 around 2pm. Crossing a bridge over Eastatoe Creek puts you on the Laurel Valley segment of the trail. I slowed down here somewhat due to lack of water and unnecessary fast pace. The trail here generally follows an access road on the way to Laurel Fork Falls. I stopped around 4pm at a designated campsite for the night and started a fire. It wasn't as windy as it was the night before although the sounds of the night filled in the gap. Mainly it was owls and acorns falling from trees. The owls (I assumed there were 3) would leave and come back on the hour every hour, hoot to each other and then fly somewhere else. This made for a somewhat restless night.
I broke down camp at 7am and was on the trail by 730am trying to make my way all the way back to the car before sundown. I decided during the night to go all the way back because of coming bad weather and my knees were killing me. That morning I took 3 Aleve's and 2 more a few hours later so I could walk down hills. The combination of the weight and rough terrain put a tremendous amount of strain on my knees and I needed some rest. From the campsite it is 16.5 miles back to Table Rock which means I would have to average over 2mph to make it back before sundown. I was back at the top of Sassafras Mountain by 11:30am which was 30 minutes before schedule so I was feeling pretty good about the chances to make it back. After Sassafras however is the really tough, strenuous part of the hike so it would be a little slower going. One thing that kept nagging at me was the lack of water because at this point I was out and there wasnt any for about 4 miles. Being dehydrated is not a fun experience, my lips were chapped, couldn't swallow anything and no energy made for slow going. When I finally found a creek I jumped down in it to filter some water.
Before I got to creek I heard something rustling in the woods which isnt surprising so I didn't think anything of it. While I was getting water I heard something above me on the creek bank that sounded like a horse snorting so I turned to look and saw a BEAR. It was staring down at me, growling and jumping up down on its two front paws. I was squatted down at the time so I looked small to it and it probaly thought it could take me which being 400-450 lbs it probaly could but I wasn't going out without a fight. Black bears are usually timid unless its rabid or you mess with a cub with its mother is around. Fortunately neither of these conditions applied so I stood up and faced it to make myself look bigger. I started clapping my hands, yelling and whistling to try and scare it off which finally after a few tense moments it did leave, up the trail where I was going! I stood there frozen for about 5 minutes making lots of noise until I was sure it was gone and hopefully off the trail I was walking. Filtered some water, drunk about a liter, stored a liter and went on the way double speed. I wish I had got some pictures but it was over in 10 seconds. I don't think I have ever been more scared in my life.
After that I just kept my head down and went as fast as possible to get back to Pinnacle Mountain. I made it there around 2:30pm and had lunch on Bald Rock Overlook but didn't stay long as the weather looked like it was starting to turn bad. I made it back to the car around 5pm and was exhausted from being dehydrated and carrying 30lbs 16 miles in 10 hours up and down rugged terrain. Still it was an amazing experience and I can't wait to hike the whole thing.
Pictures are here (http://mooncube.org/v/Foothills+Trail/).
Mirrored from http://www.mooncube.org/2006/10/13/foothills-trail-experience/