Video: Foothills Trail A8-A4, The Overnight That Became One Long Day

[FireInMyBones]

Good on ya Uncle Mike (transport)! The pace was on, big miles too. Stairs and bridges are cool, suspension bridges are the best. Very, very, very nice place! I’m tired now after watching that, so I think I might go have a little nap. lol Thanks the the fast paced trip report, FireInMyBones!

I love my uncle Matt. As he continues to get into better shape, we plan on doing some more hiking together. He just dropped me off, but. He's great.Suspension bridges are my favorite kind. I rested most of yesterday.

Cool hike I would love to hike it myself, one day!
Thanks for the cool video!

I highly recommend the hike. You are welcome.

Plus one on Uncle Matt ... good uncle for sure. STEPS! YIKES ... I thought you were in China for a minute there. Every "trail" there is made of steps if there is an incline and some are marble or a slick stone of some kind. Never understood the logic on that one!

Looks like a great trip ...

I think that you should give the trail a shot. I've never been to China, but I'd be sure to enjoy it. I'm so glad to have my Uncle around.

[Triggerhpy]

Killer hike... You were cruzzen right long.

[ShellD]

Thanks for the trip report. I'm going to yo-yo from Laurel Valley to Bad Creek and back to Laurel Valley next week. I was worried there would be more blow downs due to the storms we've had. I felt your pain on Heartbreak Ridge. That little ridge has broken my heart a few times and I'm quite sure it will again next week. Not doing the high mileage you did though. I'm doing a 14, 17, 17, 14 route. Mmmmm, I ain't young like you, I'm old and wore out, Mmmmm. Plus I like to lollygag in camp a little. But like they say, hike your own hike. Glad you had a good trip.

[Rain Man]

Thanks for the report and video. Sorry you missed Hillard Falls. We cooled off there last summer and enjoyed our stop.

BTW, there are over 130 steps going down from Upper Whitewater Falls, which you mentioned early on. We counted.
wooden steps below Upper Whitewater Falls.

Also, we stopped and got in almost every river, due to the heat. The lake came all the way to Canebrake for us.

YES on the "stairmaster" routine!!! Man oh man. I know what you mean about just about crying on Heartbreak Ridge! Your pace was incredible.

Nice you got to give those other hikers a ride just when they needed it.

Rain Man

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[swampfox]

Great video! I really enjoyed watching it.
This is the part of the FHT that I'm still missing. I've made it in to the top of Laurel Fork Falls several times but never on over to Upper Whitewater Falls. I plan to fix that in May.
Thanks for taking us along.

Now, to get technical... what camera do you use and what are you using to hold it so steady while you walk?

swampfox

[FireInMyBones]

Killer hike... You were cruzzen right long.

Not too killer, at least in regards to the effort output; eventually I want to be able to do 30 mile days. However, those views...so nice, killer.

Thanks for the trip report. I'm going to yo-yo from Laurel Valley to Bad Creek and back to Laurel Valley next week. I was worried there would be more blow downs due to the storms we've had. I felt your pain on Heartbreak Ridge. That little ridge has broken my heart a few times and I'm quite sure it will again next week. Not doing the high mileage you did though. I'm doing a 14, 17, 17, 14 route. Mmmmm, I ain't young like you, I'm old and wore out, Mmmmm. Plus I like to lollygag in camp a little. But like they say, hike your own hike. Glad you had a good trip.

Other than that one big tree in the video, blow down was almost nonexistent. Small things on the trail I tried to remove with my poles. Enjoy your trip. I'll be looking forward to a rematch with Heartbreak Ridge in July, maybe sooner for the fun of it.

Thanks for the report and video. Sorry you missed Hillard Falls. We cooled off there last summer and enjoyed our stop.

BTW, there are over 130 steps going down from Upper Whitewater Falls, which you mentioned early on. We counted.
wooden steps below Upper Whitewater Falls.

Also, we stopped and got in almost every river, due to the heat. The lake came all the way to Canebrake for us.

YES on the "stairmaster" routine!!! Man oh man. I know what you mean about just about crying on Heartbreak Ridge! Your pace was incredible.

Nice you got to give those other hikers a ride just when they needed it.

Rain Man

.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm happy to share. So, many stairs. I had no idea. I lost count on Heartbreak Ridge after ~400. The "stairmaster" snip was caught by my family and although true, holds a meaning for us. When my family used to travel for summer vacations together (I was in middle and high school), we would RV around to different amusement and national parks. One year we went to Kings Island in OH and I did the same waterslide on Pipeline Peak 70 times in a row earning the park's unofficial title of "stairmaster." I have no idea if anyone has beat my "record." But I was just having fun.

I would love to see the lake level up again, but ll of the maintenance Devil's Fork State Park had been doing, plus already low water levels from last year is going to take a while. As an avid Scuba diver at Jocassee, I am kind of enjoying the ability to get a bit deeper without going deeper.

Great video! I really enjoyed watching it.
This is the part of the FHT that I'm still missing. I've made it in to the top of Laurel Fork Falls several times but never on over to Upper Whitewater Falls. I plan to fix that in May.
Thanks for taking us along.

Now, to get technical... what camera do you use and what are you using to hold it so steady while you walk?

swampfox

Thanks. Well, I hope you get to do this section. It is wonderful.

I am using my new Fujifilm Finepix XP50, in blue, set on 720 for video and a stick pic to mount the camera on the end of my hiking pole (Black Diamond Distance Poles). It takes some getting used to and some forearm strength, but after the first few videos, it gets much easier.

[Fronkey]

Woohoo! Gotta love those Carolina woods. That's great you started using "Hydropel," it's great stuff. I use Bonnie's balm for my feet while I'm out on the trail. I am a total foot cleaning nerd when I'm in the woods. Thanks for the vid and glad you made it home safe.

Are you going to be at the Linville gorge or Trail days next month?

Fronkey

[carolinasbackpacker]

Enjoyed the video. Been waiting to see how ya came out there

[DivaB]

Glad you listened to your intuition and your safe.

[FireInMyBones]

Woohoo! Gotta love those Carolina woods. That's great you started using "Hydropel," it's great stuff. I use Bonnie's balm for my feet while I'm out on the trail. I am a total foot cleaning nerd when I'm in the woods. Thanks for the vid and glad you made it home safe.

Are you going to be at the Linville gorge or Trail days next month?

Fronkey

I have to say, I love our woods. As to the hydropel, I have yet to use it on my feet. Since I switched to "thinny thin" socks that I run in, I haven't had any hotspots...on my feet. My upper thighs and the surrounding region is another story.

I may be at the Gorge for an overnight, but I'll be in the Smokies the following weekend. Never been to trail days, nor do I know anything but of the name.

Enjoyed the video. Been waiting to see how ya came out there

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I personally am glad I made it out safe.

Glad you listened to your intuition and your safe.

The Lord works in mysterious ways, sometimes that means my gut...