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Tales from the Trail: October 2013
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Your monthly news from PCF
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October Quote 
"All walking is discovery. On foot we take the time to see things whole."
-Hal Borland
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Sponsor Spotlight:
TD Charitable Foundation
This month, we would like to give a warm welcome and thank you to one of our newest supporters, TD Bank. Thank you to TD Charitable Foundation for your support of PCF's mission and your passion for getting more children in South Carolina outside, active and in the woods! |
Handlebar Happy Hour is Oct. 9!
Meet and mingle with other bicyclists while discussing ways to make Columbia more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly.
The next HHH will be held at Publick House, located at 2307 Devine Street, Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 6-8 p.m. Publick House will offer free raw fries, wings, and celery with blue cheese for any participants who arrive on bicycle or foot. Free drinks will also be available while supplies last.
This month, Councilwoman Leona Plaugh will speak on Columbia's bicycle-friendliness.
For any questions about this event, please contact Mary Roe at PCF's office at (803) 771-0870 or via email at mroe@palmettoconservation.org.
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PCF to celebrate 20 years of the Palmetto Trail in 2014
In 2014, PCF will celebrate 20 years of the Palmetto Trail. To mark this milestone, we are hosting a celebration of the trail on Facebook. To start the celebration early, we have been featuring a different passage of the trail with fun facts, trip suggestions, pictures and more to highlight the unique qualities of every section.
We have also asked our Facebook friends to submit their pictures of each passage as part of an ongoing photo contest. Our staff will vote on the best picture for each section and the winner will receive a free PCF membership. At the end of the year, all the winning photos will be entered into a larger photo contest, and that winner will receive a special prize pack.
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If you have pictures of the trail that you would like to share, please email them to us or post them on our Facebook page. |
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Wish List
Maintaining the Palmetto Trail is a huge task and our trail coordinators do a great job. Having the proper tools, however, makes their work much easier. If you would like to donate anything on our wishlist, please contact our office at (803) 771-0870. We appreciate your help!
Wish List:
Chain Saw Winch
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Thanks for joining us for National Public Lands Day!
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Sneak peek of the Peak to Prosperity OnCell Tour | |
Welcome from Furman Miller, Volunteer Coordinator
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We're gearing up to open the OnCell Mobile Tour of the Peak to Prosperity Passage of the Palmetto Trail this month! Stay tuned as we launch this amazing and unique way to learn all about the history, culture, ecology and more of the Peak to Prosperity area. Click the video for a sneak peek of one of the tour stops with a welcome courtesy of Furman Miller, one of our volunteer coordinators.
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The Peach Country Passage is now open to hikers and bicyclists!
The Peach Country Passage was officially incorporated into the Palmetto Trail on Sept. 28, 2013. This new section of trail comprises the upper part of the connection between the USC Upstate Passage and the Blue Wall Passage. The trail is currently routed through existing backcountry roads, making it ideal for bicyclists and hikers alike. Through the master planning process, PCF is currently looking potential sites to develop another passage of the trail through the area that will be similar to existing passages of the Palmetto Trail.
The passage begins in the town of Inman and stays on sidewalks past Chapman High School. The trail continues and ascends Windmill Hill, the highest point of this particular section. From Windmill Hill, the trail continues on country roads to a trailhead at Gramling, SC. Visitors will find a small store in Gramling across US-176 that can be accessed for refreshments. Numerous surrounding peach orchards in the area make for a scenic stretch of trail while illustrating the importance and history of the peach packing industry in the area.
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The Peach Country Passage kiosk is ready and awaiting its new map and sign.
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The trail continues on lightly-traveled, rural country roads until it reaches the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (SC Highway 11) near Campobello, SC. The trail follows Highway 11 for less than one-quarter mile before returning to rural country roads.
The Palmetto Trail enters Landrum through Brookwood Park before joining with the Blue Wall Passage either to the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (F.E.N.C.E.) or to downtown Landrum, where visitors can browse unique shops, dine in quaint eateries and stay in local bed-and-breakfast inns before continuing their journey on the trail. The Peach Country Passage is suitable for hiking, running, or road and mountain bikes.
Stay on the lookout for a map of this passage on our website soon.
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Palmetto Trail Master Plan Update
Having gathered input during our regional public workshop meetings around the state, we have now updated the project website with plenty of information on the Palmetto Trail Master Plan's progress. The plan, which has been generously sponsored by The Boeing Company, will examine the gaps and potential reroutes for the Palmetto Trail and offer the best solutions towards the trail's completion.
We are now moving into the third phase of this process as Alta Planning and other consultants work to prepare their final recommendations for the completion of the Palmetto Trail. Please check the project website periodically for further updates and to send the PCF staff and consultants your questions regarding the plan.
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Kickoff event planned for the new Mary Black Rail Trail Geotrail
Saturday, November 2, 2013
from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
 To earn her Silver Award in Girl Scouts, a Spartanburg girl has partnered with PCF, Partners for Active Living and the City of Spartanburg to create the Rail Trail Geotrail (RTGT) consisting of 12 geocaches along the 1.9 mile stretch of the Mary Black Rail Trail. By answering questions about the area around each of the 12 caches and completing the RTGT Passport, you will be eligible for your very own RTGT reward token.
A kick off event has been planned to celebrate this new geotrail. On Saturday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., head to Ricky's Drive-In next to the East Henry Street trailhead of the Rail Trail ( 307 Union Street in Spartanburg) to experience this awesome new feature of the Rail Trail. Come early for breakfast or hang around afterwards and grab some lunch.
Click here for more details about the event and to register.
Can't make the event and don't want to miss out on the fun? Not to worry, the Geotrail will remain, and the passport will be available for download on both the PCF website and the Partners for Active Living website. This information will also be available on all RTGT geocaches which you can find by doing a search for "RTGT" on geocaching.com.
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Update on new high ropes course at Glendale Outdoor Leadership School
Check out some more pictures of the soon-to-open new high ropes challenge course at GOLS. We're currently working with Vertical Engineering to construct a course that offers eight elements, including a stand-alone element and a zipline. This new attraction will add to the wide array of opportunities for outdoor adventure at our GOLS campus in Spartanburg County. We're projecting that the course will open sometime in mid-November. Look for more information in next month's newsletter!  | |
Ramp leading to the high ropes course platform.
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Looking for volunteers to help clean up the Wateree Passage
We are looking for volunteers to help out on the Wateree Passage on Saturday, Oct. 19. We will be removing blowdowns and low hanging limbs to clear the railbed so the mowers can go in and mow the grass along the railbed from the Foxville Trailhead out toward the Wateree River. We need folks who are chainsaw certified and those who are capable of removing big pieces of cut-down trees. We can also use crews with loppers and pole saws to cut limbs along the side.
The tentative meeting time will be 9 a.m. at the Foxville Trailhead. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Suzette at (803) 771-0870 or email info@palmettoconservation.org for more details.
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Thanks to Mast General Store
Thank you to Mast General Store for allowing us to set up a display in their window on Taylor Street at the Columbia store during the month of September. The store also generously donated 10% of their sales on Sept. 14 to Palmetto Conservation Foundation. We're lucky to have such a wonderful partner to help us spread the word about all the amazing things the Palmetto Trail has to offer!
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Upcoming Outings and Events
International Walk to School Day
Wednesday, Oct. 9 Teach your child the importance of pedestrian safety skills and cultivate a joy of walking early on by participating in this year's International Walk to School Day! Walking to school is a great way for kids to get exercise and it also helps reduce traffic near schools. Unfortunately, many children are unable to walk because conditions are not safe. The long-term goal of this event is to increase walking and make the neighborhoods safer for kids walking to school. Midlands friends, click here for details about a group Walk to School Day in Columbia.This is a statewide event, so check out plans in your hometown for opportunities to walk with a group on Oct. 9. Or, spread the word and start your own group!
Kayak/Camping Trip on Lake Marion
October 12th-13th 9 a.m.  There will be a short paddle from Harry's Fish Camp in Pineville to the camp site on Chimney Island. Once you arrive at Chimney Island, you will set up camp and then spend the day exploring the area by foot or kayak. Each participant will need to provide their own camping gear and food. A limited number of tents and sleeping bags are available to rent. Chimney Island is a great place to do some birding and paddling through the large cypress tree stands.
Call (803)771-0870 to sign up and pay for your spot.
Ladies Hike on the Awendaw Passage
Sunday, Oct. 13  It has been a year since the Ladies of the Palmetto Trail first ventured out on the trail. This month we will have completed hiking from the mountains to the sea! Join us as we venture out on the Awendaw Passage. This beautiful section of trail winds along Awendaw Creek and the Intercoastal Waterway, providing amazing scenery and photo opportunities. Bring a camera, as we will have instructions from a professional photographer on how to best capture the plants and landscape. Awendaw is one of the most popular passages of the Palmetto Trail--what a great way to finish out the first year of Ladies hikes!
Length: 4.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Rosa Green Road
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Carpool: 7:50 a.m. at 722 King Street, Columbia, SC, 29205
Bring: Light lunch/snack, water, bug spray, camera
Registration: Email Katherine Anderson at kanderson@palmettoconservation.org
Guided Hike on the Saluda Mountains Passage
Oct. 19
9:30 a.m.
 Level of difficulty-moderate to strenuous, 3-4 miles. The Poinsett Watershed is a 19,000 acre tract of property that includes the entire watershed feeding the Poinsett Reservoir of the Greenville water system. The Saluda Mountains Passage of the Palmetto Trail is the second passage of the watershed. The watershed is one of the significant wilderness areas in South Carolina and a unique natural habitat for rare plants and wildlife. This hike will be led by one of PCF's trail coordinators, Jim Kelly. You will meet Jim at the trailhead near the Talisman Camp at 10am. Parking is located just down the road from the trailhead. This 3-4-mile hike's level of difficulty is rated moderate to strenuous.
This hike is FREE for PCF members. Call (803)771-0870 to reserve your spot.
Dark Bay Kayak Trip
Nov. 2
9 a.m
 The day will begin with an introduction from Forest Ranger Janna Dupre on the recreational opportunities available within the Francis Marion National Forest. Archie Thompson will then guide the group on an exciting paddle through Dark Bay. This is a great trip to see birds and wildlife in a remote section of the forest.
Call (803)771-0870 to sign up and pay for your spot.
Volunteers needed to clear South Fork of the Edisto River
 The Bamberg County Chamber of Commerce is interested in working with individuals and groups interested in promoting the recreational uses of the portion of the Edisto River that forms the border with Orangeburg County. The Chamber believes the South Fork of the Edisto River can be a popular destination for paddlers. However, the river first needs to be cleared of limbs and trees that are blocking paddlers' ability to navigate this stretch of the Edisto.
A Canoe & Kayak race will be held from Bobcat Landing to Brabham Landing. on Saturday, Oct. 26.
If you are interested in volunteering to help clear the river before the race, please contact Archie Thompson of Berkeley County Blueways at ilike2kayak@juno.com
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2013 Senior Explorers Outings
 Our 2013 Senior Explorer Season has come to an end. Thank you to everyone who participated in our many exciting trips this year! Our group went hiking, kayaking, and walking through historic sites throughout our beautiful state. Participants even visited a real local dairy farm and enjoyed a healthy cooking demo with wine tasting. All in all, we had a lot of fun! Thank you again to all who joined us this year. We hope that you enjoyed the trips and learned a little about health, fitness, and SC's abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. |
Pinterest Picks
Check out some of our favorite pins this month. Click the pictures for a link to see more of PCF on Pinterest.
 | | At 67, Emma Gatewood (1888-1973) became the first solo female thru-hiker of the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail. At 5'2", she was also an unwitting pioneer of extreme ultra-light hiking, wearing Keds sneakers, carrying an army blanket, a raincoat, a plastic shower curtain for shelter, a cup, a first aid kit & one change of clothes slung in a homemade bag over her shoulder. She gathered wild foods on the trail, supplementing them with dried beef, cheese, nuts & sausages bought in towns along the way. |
 | | We could go for a view like this right about now! |
 | | Gotta love a good John Muir quote. |
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Become a PCF Member Today!
A membership to PCF comes with great benefits, including discounts at local outfitters and special rates on PCF events. Your membership dollars will go towards building and maintaining the Palmetto Trail. Click here to become a member!
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Contact Info
722 King Street
Columbia, SC 29205
(803) 771-0870
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