Monday, March 31, 2008

The Trip That Almost Never Was - Backpacking The Foothills Trail Hwy. 178 to Bad Creek



The latest trip was planned to finish dad's last section of the Foothills Trail. It is a 32 mile hike from Highway 178 (A4 in the Foothills Trail Conference Guide) to Bad Creek Access (A7). This first photo is of dad & me at Hwy. 178 before the first attempt on Thursday. Notice something missing with the guy on the left? (hint: tent poles) We hiked a few miles in before remembering the poles. After hitchhiking our way back to my truck at Bad Creek we went home to regroup and start again Friday.



Dad early on day #1... warm and more importantly, dry.



Dad on a bridge made out of a fallen tree.



There were lots of flowers along the trail.



More trail-side flowers...



A waterfall on Laurel Fork Creek.



Oconee Bells on the trailside.



Looking over Laurel Fork Falls. This is where we camped the first night (7.5 miles)



Laurel Fork Creek upstream from the falls.

There are no pictures from day two because it rained hard and cold. We decided with the nasty forecast in front of us we'd hike as many miles as possible so we could make it out in two nights instead of our original plan of three. At the end of the day we hiked 17 miles from Laurel Fork Falls to Bearcamp Creek.



This is me the morning of the third day leaving Bearcamp Creek. Still smiling but cold, wet, and tired.



The Thompson River



More of the Thompson River



Dad on the Thompson River bridge officially finishing the Foothills Trail.

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