Palmetto Trail thru

[10-K]

Well... I think in mid-October after the SOBO shuttle business starts tapering off I'm going to try a Palmetto Trail thru hike. I've got Taba's guide and from the looks of it with that and a DeLorme Gazetter with the relevant sections it should be doable.

I had planned on another Sheltowee Trace trail hike but am feeling like a different trail would be nice.

So has anyone hiked any of the northern passages? From the looks of it there is a great deal of road walking until you get to the middle of the state and then it's all off-road.

[The Solemates]

ive only hiked the foothills portion. interested to hear your thoughts on the trail. i've driven through most of the areas where the lowcountry trail portions exist. oct would still be too hot and buggy for me.

[10-K]

ive only hiked the foothills portion. interested to hear your thoughts on the trail. i've driven through most of the areas where the lowcountry trail portions exist. oct would still be too hot and buggy for me.

You think the bugs will still be had the 3rd/4th week of October? I was thinking it might be cool enough to keep the bugs back but warm enough to still pack a pretty light pack. It looks more like a 'stroll through the countryside' than a full-on backpaking hike once you get to Spartanburg.

I can't possibly leave before then and our 25th wedding anniversary is October 15 and I can't miss that so I was looking at starting at Oconee around October 20th and allowing 25 days for the hike.

[RED-DOG]

When you start in Oconee it will be cool maybe even some frost, but once you get to the Mid-State mark it will warm up make sure you pick up some kind of bug repelent, the closer to the coast you get the warmer it will get and the bugs will still be fairly bad, but you could probably get away with a summer set up, since you will be hiking from the MTs to the Coast.

[The Solemates]

You think the bugs will still be had the 3rd/4th week of October? I was thinking it might be cool enough to keep the bugs back but warm enough to still pack a pretty light pack. It looks more like a 'stroll through the countryside' than a full-on backpaking hike once you get to Spartanburg.

I can't possibly leave before then and our 25th wedding anniversary is October 15 and I can't miss that so I was looking at starting at Oconee around October 20th and allowing 25 days for the hike.

going from mtns to sea wont be too bad. but i just checked and averages in oct in the lowcountry are still in the 80s. that means 90s are possible during a hot year. but it hasnt been hot this year either...so. either way....yes, the bugs will still be bad. i'm sure you will be fine though. enjoy!

[FooFighter'12]

I was wondering, are you still planning to do this hike? I'd like to follow along if you have a blog or journal.

[10-K]

No... I'm going to hike the AT from Springer back to Erwin instead. I'll come back to the PT when more of the trail is complete.

[FooFighter'12]

Oh ok. I am patiently waiting for more to be completed too. I don't like the idea of walking on that many mountain roads. I have done a few sections in the upstate and enjoyed them all. Until it's completed, I'll knock off a couple other trails. Looking at the Pinhoti, BMT, or the sheltowee for early next year.

[Kraken Skullz]

The Sea to Mountain route is better as the lowcountry sections are complete up to Columbia. After Columbia it gets spotty and you really would have to drive between some spots. Hopefully they will connect the downtown Columbia section to the Peak to Prosperity section which will will in about a 25 mile gap. Support the trail by being a member of the Palmetto Conservation Society.

[Kraken Skullz]

Just got a recent update on the Peak to Prosperity section being complete. It was actually mentioned in this month's Backpacker magazine.

[Dogwood]

Just got a recent update on the Peak to Prosperity section being complete. It was actually mentioned in this month's Backpacker magazine.

This is no surprise to me. I'm a supporter of Backpacker magazine but I certainly have noticed many of their writers/articles picking up on trail issue topics/original ideas after they initially surfaced at public websites in "unofficially" anonymously authored posts/articles found at sites like White Blaze, Back Packing Light, etc. In other words(pun intended), all the ideas/beta/topics/techniques you see written about and depicted in publications like Backpacker didn't all originate from Backpacker or it's writers!

[ChuckT]

This is no surprise to me. I'm a supporter of Backpacker magazine but I certainly have noticed many of their writers/articles picking up on trail issue topics/original ideas after they initially surfaced at public websites in "unofficially" anonymously authored posts/articles found at sites like White Blaze, Back Packing Light, etc. In other words(pun intended), all the ideas/beta/topics/techniques you see written about and depicted in publications like Backpacker didn't all originate from Backpacker or it's writers!

Aww, now you've gone 'n ruined my overwhelming esteem for a truly unique rag.