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Blog Archive
October 07, 2017
Holy Cross Trekkers
Holy Cross Trekkers, AKA 2X2
Our new hiking group seeks to introduce and encourage regular engagement with the beautiful area where we live and to better appreciate the wonders of God’s creation.
On 9/23, Faith Weathington, Joe Burgess, Carol and Larry Newton, and Craig Williams went on the first monthly HCK hike. This trip took us into the Shining Rock Wilderness on the East Fork of the Pigeon River Trail up towards Shining Rock for an up and back hike of about 8.0 -8.5 miles.
On 10/7 Gail Stockdale, Faith Weathington, Carol Newton, and Craig Williams again headed towards Shining Rock, this time taking the Art Loeb trail, near where it crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a blustery day with side-blowing mist-fog from the windward side of the ridge, which the trail follows over three balds, though the leeward side was much warmer and calmer. We ended up with about a 5 mile or so loop hike.
For the next hike, we will plan to stay a bit closer to home, taking the Palmetto/Blue Wall Trail off Dug Hill Road near the back of Lake Lanier, on Saturday 11/18 (weather permitting). The first part of this trail, which passes two lakes that are part of a Nature Conservancy land trust, are moderate and follow a gravel road, with a side trip to a small waterfall. This part of the trip would be a great trip for families with kids and is about a 2.5 mile out and back. After that, the trail cuts sharply uphill through a beautiful hardwood forest to Vaughn’s Gap and over Rocky Spur, down the masterfully engineered part of the trail through the Greenville watershed to Orchard Lake Campground near Saluda, and even beyond. Hikers will be welcome to go up and back as far as desired or hike all the way to Orchard Lake, where some generous soul will (hopefully!) pick us up. Or, if others like, Craig will be glad to show hikers a short cut that follows old logging roads through the woods, past an old moonshine still site, and comes out at Rock Springs Church on Dug Hill Road, about a mile from where Craig and Jacque live on Braewick Road. Come join us for any of these monthly hikes through. Call Craig Williams 859-3124 if you are interested in going on the November hike or have ideas for other hikes. WWJD? He would walk. Thanks Be to God.