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Sun, May 2 2010 - SC Mountains: Table Rock and Pinnacle Mtn. (View Original Event Details)

Trip Leader(s): Stefan, Tanja B
Participants:Stefan, Tanja B, Bindu, John, John Christopher, Andy, Katy Dennison, Terry, Steve, Horst Dinkelacker, Armin, David, David Lloyd, Charina, Jennifer


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Write Up:
We met up at the carpool before sunrise, 6:30am, to take the long drive out to the ever-gloomier skies of South Carolina.  After stretching off the long ride at the Table Rock State Park Nature Center, we started off up the trail along a picturesque creek tumbling down well-smoothed rock formations.  The muggy morning was quickly relieved by a long, steady, cooling rain that thoroughly soaked us as we climbed to the top of Table Rock.  The rocks were surprisingly not slippery, especially climbing up the steps hacked into the rock on the way up.  Only slightly disappointed at the wall of cloud encompassing what must have been a spectacular view, we descended back to Panther Gap, where Stefan's late appearance coincided perfectly with the sun finally breaking through the clouds.  While the summit of Pinnacle Mtn was still enshrouded in cloud when we got there, the clouds finally parted enough to give us a spectacular view from Bald Rock Overlook before our long slow descent past more amazing boulder fields and outcroppings.  We all stopped at the Outback for food, drinks, and fascinating conversation before heading back to the carpool.  Thanks for the great day, y'all!

Highlights included several patches of blooming pink lady slippers among other beautiful wildflowers, very fragrant mystery-flowers by Bald Rock Overlook, a garter snake, newts, caterpillars, a swarm of termites, many small waterfalls, large rocky outcroppings, and even larger whale-boulders.