Foothills Trail 20M Run - South Carolina
from Fish Hatchery Road past Upper Whitewater Falls
MM 20.6 to MM 30.6 (out and back)
Monday, November 1, 2021
Another
beautiful Caroloina running day, starting at an elevation of exactly
3000 feet, this time beginning at Fish Hatchery Road at MM20.6 at
about 0700 with temps at a moderate 46 degrees. Very dark morning
had me following the light of my flashlight for most of the first
hour in shaded forest for 3.3 miles to Sloan Bridge where the trail
crosses Hwy 107 again. From there the trail tilts mildly uphill
to a nice sunny ridge with views of Lake Jocassee and the community
of Tomassee to the east in SC.
The
leaves were nearly at their peak with nights beginning to dip into
the thirties, so I stopped often to capture an image. Coming off
the ridge, the trail winds down through an area that experienced
a ground fire within the past two years as several acres were scarred
with the crowns of the trees remaining untouched. After crossing
Hwy 130 the trail steepens with more technical terrain and many
constructed steps, undulating for a mile and a half to Upper Whitewater
Falls with its boulder field and sturdy bridge across the Whitewater
River. From there I followed the stream down another 0.6 miles to
the Duke Power sign at MM30.6 for an even ten miles before turning
around.
Temps
in the sun climbed over 60 degrees making the run back up very pleasant.
After reaching the ridge the rest of the way back was a gradual
drop in elevation, so I relaxed and played with the trail, enjoying
the day.
Encountered
14 day-hikers and backpackers - surprising that so many people would
be in the trail on a Monday morning - enthusiastic lovers of these
mountains. I really enjoyed today's adventure run, exploring new
trails and seeing finally getting to see Whitewater Falls during
the daylight. My knee continues to improve and my trail saavy is
returning; I'm ready for my next race - a 50K mountain run in five
days.