Chattooga!

I took advantage of spring break at my tech college to go backpacking with son Thomas along the Chattooga River in the Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area of South Carolina.

 

In a word, the trip was: miserable! Oh yes, we had a great time, and we are glad we went, but still, it was miserable.

 

We entered the forest in the rain. Of course finding dry wood was a challenge, but we did it. It took all we could to start a fire and keep it going. Then it got coooooold! It was 25 F overnight the first night. In the morning not a single coal was left from our fire. (I usually don't do winter camping, but it was in the 70's just last week!)

 

And as we ate oat meal and hard boiled eggs for breakfast, it started snowing!

 



Our campsite viewing down river



We then hike 12 or 13 miles to come back to a even colder (but dryer) campsite. While making the fire was easier, the wind chilled faster than the fire could warm.

 

But the sights were out of this world.



Arriving at camp

A view from the camp upriver.

Recording the high (and lows) of the trip.





A view of the river

Another view of my better side as we headed out this morning

Oremus pro invicem!