
Doane’s Falls – Royalston, Massachusetts
I wanted to hike and do a Backroad Capers video of a wintery waterfall. I couldn’t find much info so I headed to one of the higher elevations and hoped for the best. No snow or ice, but a pretty walk – Video link will go here!
It’s funny now that I have started trying to rock climb, I look at every rock face or boulder and wonder… this one looked very promising and as I started looking at a route I see it is already bolted for climbing…. after a search I couldn’t find any info so I asked Facebook
“There are a few climbing areas at Upper Creek. The trailside boulder outcropping near the creek has several bolted lines. The juggy routes on the left go at about 5.10. There is an excellent .12+ on the right called Ask the Moon that goes through a crescent feature similar to Rotator Cuff at Rumbling Bald. Another .12, Moonlight, avoids its crux There is another wall of short bolted lines nearer the parking lot that are all 5.9-5.11”
New campsite.
I started early and had Silver Run Falls to myself. It’s a great swimming hole!
One of my goals for the weekend was to ride some new single track. I talked to several mountain bikers I met and one asked me, “you know about Stump House Tunnel right?” ummm no, well it has history (old railroad tunnel that was never finished), a waterfall and miles of single track to ride – sounds like a dream!
The waterfall – Issaqueena Falls – was a little disappointing, but there are several more to find/explore on my next trip.
Stumphouse Tunnel and it’s history is cool. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stumphouse_Mountain_Tunnel
The ride was totally worth the trip! As I was studying the map, a young kid rolls up and asks if it’s my first time, yes, well ride with me. Connor, a Clemson University student showed me the best lap and we had a blast, he could drop me on every downhill and I could catch back up on every climb.
After the hike up Table Rock and the long ride in DuPont, my legs were dead today, so I choose shorter hikes like High Falls.
Detail on the way down.
The morning after a rainy night filled with thunder and lightning
Pot Hole Falls at twilight
Lynn and I debated what to hike today, long hike or drive to waterfalls, or shorter hikes… I finally decided. To the top of Table Rock, the guide said it was strenuous and plan for 5 hours as it gains 2000 feet from the start.
After last night’s thunderstorms all the creeks were flowing nicely.
As we climbed, it started getting foggy.
But when we reached Governor’s Rock it had cleared up. I heard voices below us while we rested and Lynn was reminded I have a competitive side, we had gotten an early start and I wanted to be the first to summit today.
Back on the trail and back into the fog.
The overlook on Table Rock
I love fog, but not after hiking for 2.5 hours for an overlook. After a quick lunch, we started back down (it’s an out and back)
I bushwhacked down to the creek to see this water feature.
Pumpkintown is on teh far left, I still haven’t seen Table Rock (it’s behind the clouds) ; )
Table Rock State Park in South Carolina. Once I arrived, Lynn and I decided to do the short Carrick Creek Trail which starts with Carrick Creek Falls.
You can even crawl behind the falls.
About a mile into the hike it started pouring, neither Lynn or I brought protection for the iPhones so we went back to parking lot, got plastic bags and since we were already soaked, we started again.
it is a very pretty hike, even in a rain storm.
It stopped raining long enough to take a couple of pictures.