Beat the Heat Camping

[Doug SC]

The heat here in central SC has been bearable if you like the high 90s and humidity. The last camping, I did back in mid-July on my sailboat at the dock. The night was comfortable with a light breeze through the cabin, but the days were hot. There are 4 of us that have hiked together since the mid 70s, and we wanted to get out together. We picked some of the highest elevations where the temps would be in the 80s and nights in the low 60s. We camped at 6,100 feet the first night and 5,900 the second. As it turned out the high temp was 79 and the low 56. It has some of the southernmost remnants of Canadian Boreal Forest but is its own ecosystem with Red Spruce and Fraser Fir. There are a series of bald mountain tops with excellent views of the sky, so we hoped to have a grandstand view of the meteor show. Huckleberries and blackberries were coming in.

The clouds moved in at dark and thunderstorms threatened. We had a light rain, but the storms missed us. The next morning produced a great sunrise.

Near the top.
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Clouds moving in for the night.
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Lightening in the clouds after dark.
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Morning in camp
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Sunrise
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Page two will have a few more first morning sunrise and the camp photos on day two of the hike.

[Doug SC]

Part 2
We decided to camp the next evening in the spruce-fir forest and lucked into a spot with a view from a ridge in the middle of a large stand of dark timber. We were hit with a couple of thunderstorms in the night but were out of the wind. The next morning was bright and cooler with another fine sunrise. Came home reluctantly.

Sunrise and morning camp continued.
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We stopped in the forest when we came across this view of Mt Pisgah from a forest ridge.
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We had a hard time finding a flat place to sleep. This was the best we could do.
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Part three is next.

[Doug SC]

Part 3

The next morning was another nice sunrise. We had two thunderstorms come through in the night and slept a bit late.
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You have heard of the Ancient Mariner. We have a number on this site. Well, here is a photo of three Ancient Backpackers. We don't have as many trails left to hike as we now have far behind us.
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[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

Gorgeous pics!  Nice to have old friends like that, isn't it?

[Doug SC]

Gorgeous pics!  Nice to have old friends like that, isn't it?

Thanks Noemi! Oh yes friends and family can be the true treasures in life.

[Norm L.]

Doug, let me know when you go into the post card or inspirational poster business!

In my past I've enjoyed things like that, along with mornings and evenings at sea, but it's been a while and those photos bring back some great scenes.

[Ed]

Great pictures!  What type of camera are you using?  We use Go Pro/iPhone for their waterproof capabilities but I'm considering something more capable and idiot proof (I'm still taking tons of pics looking into the lense of the GoPro).  We've hiked a few local trails, but we live 40 or 50 miles south of the official start of the Appalachian Trail and hope to begin hiking it when the grandson gets a few years older with occasional overnights.  For now we are beaching and taking loops through campgrounds and forests around several good sized lakes controlled by DNR.  Trying Carter's Lake in North Georgia this weekend.You cannot view this attachment.

[Riley Smith]

Beautiful shots there Doug!

[Doug SC]

Great pictures!  What type of camera are you using?  We use Go Pro/iPhone for their waterproof capabilities but I'm considering something more capable and idiot proof (I'm still taking tons of pics looking into the lense of the GoPro).  We've hiked a few local trails, but we live 40 or 50 miles south of the official start of the Appalachian Trail and hope to begin hiking it when the grandson gets a few years older with occasional overnights.  For now we are beaching and taking loops through campgrounds and forests around several good sized lakes controlled by DNR.  Trying Carter's Lake in North Georgia this weekend.You cannot view this attachment.

Hi Ed, I use a 10 year old Nikon cool pix waterproof camera with 5X optical zoom that spends a lot of time in My PFD when on the water and an iPhone 13. Go Pro's are great.

[Doug SC]

Beautiful shots there Doug!

Thanks! I just happened to be at the right place and time.

[Captain Kidd]

Doug,
You are quite the outdoorsman! Love your posts and your pics are to die for.

I've done some backpacking but it has been quite a while. My brother and I were talking not long about about a trip we took when we were teens. I told him I stil have the trail maps from those trips 50 years ago. My younger daughter and I took a few trips.

I know now that I would be really slow, especially hiking "up" those trails, but I'd love to do it again.

In recent years I've settled on camping on the shores of Lake Ocoee here in eastern TN. Row my boat across the lake and have at it.

Thanks for the posts!