Trip overview for the Summer 2012 Wilderness Adventure Trip:
- this trip will be 10 days & 9 nights beginning on Tuesday June
19 and
returning Thursday June 28.
- spend 1 night camping at Cascade Lake outside Brevard, NC.
- spend 5 days & 4 nights backpacking approx. 30 miles of the
Foothills Trail
through SC & NC skirting the northern shore of
Lake Jocassee and crossing (& swimming in) its spectacular source rivers.
- spend 2 days & a night exploring the
Chattooga River where it forms the tri-state boundary of NC, SC, &
GA. This will be day hiking without packs from a base camp at Burrells
Ford, SC.
- spend 3 nights camped on the shore of
Lake Jocassee in
Devil's Fork State Park in SC. This park has "facilities" meaning
there are showers & bathrooms. This portion will involve swimming,
kayaking, rope swings, and leaping off rocks into the cool, clear water
of this jewel-like lake lying at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Map
showing Lake Jocassee, its source rivers, and Devil's Fork State Park
Maps showing Foothills Trail
Tentative itinerary for the Summer 2012 Wilderness Adventure Trip:
- this trip will be 10 days & 9 nights.
- depart Cary Academy on the morning of Tuesday June 19.
- stop in Brevard, NC
for a short tour of
Brevard College and lunch at Rocky's Grill & Soda Shop. Proceed
to Cascade Lake Recreation Area and camp next to their swimming lake.
Swimming followed by an evening spent around a roaring campfire grilling
good food.
- pack up and head towards Sunset, SC and arrive at the Laurel Fork
Access Area where our backpacking adventure begins on the Foothills
Trail. Shuttle the bus to the parking/access area at Bad Creek, the
endpoint of our backpacking portion.
- load the packs and begin the backpacking portion of the adventure
with section A5 of the
Foothills Trail. Backpack
30.3 miles until we complete section
A7 and reach the bus at Bad Creek.
- drive a short distance to the parking area at upper Whitewater Falls
and view the tallest waterfall in the eastern U.S.
- drive a short distance to Burrells Ford campground and set up camp
on the
Chattooga River straddling the SC-GA border. Hike (without packs) the Chattooga Trail south on the
Chattooga River to picnic and swim. Spend the night at Burrells
Ford.
- day hike the Chattooga Trail north on the
Chattooga River into the Ellicott Rock Wilderness to picnic, swim,
and locate the tri-state boundary of NC, SC, and GA (Ellicott Rock).
- leave Burrells Ford for a short drive to
Devil's Fork State Park and set up camp on the shore of
Lake Jocassee. We will spend the last three nights here in a state
campground with showers & bathrooms with swimming, kayaking, and
rope swings in camp. We will also have access to grocery stores so we'll
be able to create some fancy feasts on our campfires.
- depart
Lake Jocassee and
Devil's Fork State Park for the return trip home. Stop for a
celebratory meal and return to Cary Academy on the evening of Thursday
June 28.
Trip Dates:
- depart Cary Academy on the morning of Tuesday June 19
- return to Cary Academy on the evening of Thursday June 28
Trip Cost:
- $985 payable to Cary Academy
- includes all necessary gear (backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping
pad, stove, water filter, kayak), food (except two restaurant meals
during travel), bus transportation, kayak rental, & park fees........all
for less than $100 per day.
Registration Form:
Leaders:
- two veteran high school teachers and outdoor enthusiasts both
certified in Wilderness First Aid
- a Cary Academy alumni assistant
- learn more about the leaders
Questions?:
See the travelogue, photos, & videos from last year's summer adventure trip to
the Foothills Trail:
Watch some of our videos:
Anticipated Highlights for our 2012 Wilderness Adventure Trip:
- we plan to break up the drive down with a college visit (if there is
sufficient interest) to
Brevard College in Brevard, NC
and a visit to Rocky's Grill & Soda Shop
- backpack major sections of the
Foothills Trail
(a 77 mile woodland
trail along the Blue Ridge escarpment between two South Carolina state
parks)
- swim in
Lake Jocassee and leap from a rock ledge (near an amazing
waterfall) into its clear, deep, cool waters
- our backpacking will take us across the state line as the
Foothills Trail
enters North Carolina within the
Nantahala National Forest in
Transylvania County
- camp by the Toxaway River, swim in it, and ultimately cross it on a
225 foot suspension bridge
- cross the
Horsepasture River
(a National Wild & Scenic River)
- swim in & cross the Thompson River
- re-enter South Carolina on the
Foothills Trail
- cross the Whitewater River
- re-enter North Carolina & visit
Whitewater Falls (tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi)
- re-enter South Carolina and
Sumter National Forest
- reach the Chattooga River
(another National Wild & Scenic River)
where it forms the boundary of South Carolina & Georgia
- swim in the Chattooga River
and cross it to briefly visit Georgia and the
Chattahoochee National Forest
- hike the Chattooga River Trail into the
Ellicott Rock Wilderness.
Find
Ellicott Rock locating the tri-state boundary of North Carolina,
South Carolina, & Georgia. It’s the only tri-state boundary found in a
wilderness. Hint: you have to get wet to find it.
- camp in
Devil's Fork State Park for three nights on the shore of beautiful
Lake Jocassee
- swim & kayak at
Lake Jocassee.
- try out the awesome rope swings at
Lake Jocassee
Is that enough adventure for ya??? |
