VIDEO: A week in my hammock - 7 days 80 miles backpacking the Foothills Trail SC/NC

**Layne** · 07-16-2021, 12:25

I’ve had my eyes on the Foothills Trail for a while and had the opportunity to take a week off work and go for it this March. Stretching 77 miles from Oconee State Park to Table Rock State Park the Foothills Trail is best hiked by adding on a series of short detours that double the amount of waterfalls experienced. March is the most unpredictable month weather-wise in the Carolinas and my temperatures ranged from 30 to 80 over the 7 days outdoors.

Tragedy struck immediately upon starting. I parked at the end of the trail and took a shuttle to the beginning (friendly local driver Taz) but realized too late that I had forgotten my trek poles and camp shoes in my car. Facing the prospect of a week-long hike with no poles or shoes had me down, but I had no choice but to press on. My situation was soon to get much more dire.

A few miles in I stopped to thirstily filter for my first drink of water on the day (I had anticipated filling up at Oconee State Park but didn’t see any water available near the parking area). My filter was completely clogged. I tried backflushing on the trail with no success. Forgetting my poles and camp shoes were annoyances, not having a way to treat water was a more serious problem. After a few minutes of (panic and) reflection I decided to press on, figuring that most water-borne pathogens take around a week to cause sickness. Hopefully, if I did get sick, I’d be finished up and back home before suffering the impact. I couldn’t give up on my first day.

A couple more miles along the FHT I came to a road crossing and met a group of 4 backpackers who were heading the opposite direction and were on their last day. These fellows, members of the Black Folks Camp Too group, upon hearing my plight immediately dropped one of their packs and gave me a filter. He wouldn’t accept an exchange of phone numbers to allow me to pay him back when I finished up, just gifted me the filter out of the kindness of his heart. I am hugely indebted to the Black Folks Camp Too group - they saved me untold stress and potentially serious sickness.

All that adventure was just in my first 5 miles. I still had 75 to go . . .

Thanks for watching!
Layne

**Rhody Seth** · 07-16-2021, 12:54

Wow, that's a rough start to the hike Layne. Wonderful of them to give you a filter. Looking forward to watching this one!

**jb_outdoors** · 07-16-2021, 13:26

Great video as always, Layne. If you ever want to join forces for a 3 or 4 day hike in WNC or Upstate SC give me a shout. I'm based out of the Asheville area but have been all over the region over the years.

**FLTurtle** · 07-16-2021, 14:18

Sucks about the filter but that's awesome those folks helped you out! I joke with my hiking buddies "the hike provides" whenever we come across cool things like that.

A few years ago, we ran into a similar issue where one of the filters took a dump while on trail. At least there were 5 of us, each with a filter so it wasn't a problem. I found that the Sawyer squeeze tends to dry out when sitting in storage. I was able to restore mine by soaking in distilled water for a few days, then flushing it. I'm religious about testing it out before I get my gear together.

**jb_outdoors** · 07-16-2021, 14:57

Originally Posted by FLTurtle

I found that the Sawyer squeeze tends to dry out when sitting in storage. I was able to restore mine by soaking in distilled water for a few days, then flushing it. I'm religious about testing it out before I get my gear together.

+1 for this. Backflushing a couple times with vinegar or a weak bleach solution gets it right back to "like new" performance though.

**Dirtbaghiker** · 07-16-2021, 16:30

I'm gonna watch this tonight.
Apparently, its time for a Steripen!!! No more clogged filters, frozen filters , broken squeeze bags or slow pressure squeezes!!

**u.willie** · 07-17-2021, 16:27

Nice video & thanks for taking the time, and sharing.

I agree with you, and others, in that you had a bit of a rough start - in regards to the filter & trekking poles. Super awesome of the Black Folks Camp Too group to give you of their filters. For sure I, or any of us, would've done exactly the same thing, for them, or anyone else in such a situation. That's one of the very many things I love about being on trail: So many amazing, awesome people. Your encounter is another example of that.

The FHT is definitely a fantastic trail. I did the same as you when I hiked it back in 2016, going from Oconee to Table Rock S.P. It was nice having all the views at the end of the hike. I did it in Oct, so had the fall leaf colors too, which was amazing.

I carry a small eye dropper bottle of bleach when I hike, as a backup to my filter. Sometimes I just use the bleach over the filter, as it's a bit more convenient and quicker, if I'm just filling up and continuing on - not needing to drink right then.
I haven't (knock on wood) forgot a filter, or had one clog on me as of yet; but I have hiked with folks who have, and that eye dropper of bleach was a life saver.
Super inexpensive, super effective, super compact, pretty temperature tolerant, no batteries, and obviously WAY lighter than any type of battery powered UV light water purifier item.
Just an option that I've found works very well for me. Your and others "mileage"/thoughts/opinions may vary of course,

- willin'

**Layne** · 07-18-2021, 08:38

Originally Posted by Rhody Seth

Wow, that's a rough start to the hike Layne. Wonderful of them to give you a filter. Looking forward to watching this one!

Yes sir Seth, rough start, but all's well that ends well.

**Layne** · 07-18-2021, 08:41

Originally Posted by jb_outdoors

Great video as always, Layne. If you ever want to join forces for a 3 or 4 day hike in WNC or Upstate SC give me a shout. I'm based out of the Asheville area but have been all over the region over the years.

Always enjoy hiking with new backpackers! I'm headed to WY for most of Aug but maybe we can work something out over the fall/winter. I've been thinkin about heading to upstate SC to check out the raptor migration this year

**Layne** · 07-18-2021, 08:42

Originally Posted by FLTurtle

Sucks about the filter but that's awesome those folks helped you out! I joke with my hiking buddies "the hike provides" whenever we come across cool things like that.

A few years ago, we ran into a similar issue where one of the filters took a dump while on trail. At least there were 5 of us, each with a filter so it wasn't a problem. I found that the Sawyer squeeze tends to dry out when sitting in storage. I was able to restore mine by soaking in distilled water for a few days, then flushing it. I'm religious about testing it out before I get my gear together.

Spot on with "the hike provides". This issue was certainly a failure by me to properly check gear before heading out, could've resolved the issue had it been caught at home.