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| Sand is hard to hike on |
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| Dry socks anyone? |
Some of my favorite hiking is done on the coast. Washington has over 70 miles of beach hiking, most of which is in designated wilderness! California's northern coastline is another favorite with over 45 miles of beach hiking on "The Lost Coast". Backpacking on the coast is absolutely fabulous! There is so many things about these hikes that are special, that I will only list a few here. First off, where else can you camp right on the beach (above high tide line), see only wildlife, and sleep on a suspended net? The coastal views are spectacular. You can forage for food, and cook your bounty over a driftwood fire. You can pack in a surfboard and spend the day riding the waves. You can watch whales from your tent! It can be some of the best camping known to modern day hikers. It really does depend on your perspective, as to whether or not you will have a good time.
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| Steep wet climbs are common |
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| Slippery Rocks add to the Challenge! |
All of the coastal hikes I've done (all 3 sections on Washington's northern coastline, California's Lost Coast) have been moderate to difficult hikes. Hiking on sand can be brutal. After a few miles with a heavy pack, walking on sand takes a toll on the ole calf muscles. Also, we will be walking for miles on great beds of small rocks, baseball size rocks, and scrambles on large vehicle sized rocks. Keep in mind these rocks are wet and slippery. Another reason people don't flock to these hikes is the Stream and Headland crossings. All of these hikes have challenging crossings, some streams are chest deep and swift! Headland crossings are hazardous as well. Large parts of the coastline are cliffs that can only be navigated during low tide. People misjudge the tides and get trapped like Shannon and I did a couple of years ago on California's Lost Coast. We thought we could make 4 miles in 3 hours, easy. But the loose sand, slippery tidal crossings, and rock fields made the 4 miles an all day experience! We were trapped by breaking waves against a cliff line, and had to find a way up fast! We found a small creek's drainage and managed to get up the cliff. We pitched our tent on top of the cliff in a very sloped, uneven, brushy, poison oak infested, piece of uncomfortable ground and proceeded to drink all of the wine we had brought! Also, here on the coast, it rains a lot. In fact, rarely will you get a five day hike without a downpour! Also, don't forget about the bone chilling wind! And finally, what gets most people is encounters with Black Bears. The National Park Service requires permits and Bear Proof food containers. Mostly it is just the raccoons that try to sabotage your food, but there are a lot of Bears here as well. They like to forage in the tide pools.
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| Wet tent's are normal here! |
These are a few of the reasons why these coastal hikes are not for everybody. It takes a hearty soul indeed to make the 40 mile trip in a few days time. The rewards far outweigh the difficulty's. A beach fire, a challenging hike with friends, and several days without a cell phone make this on the very top of my list of things to do every year for the rest of my life! I hope you have enjoyed this post. I will have another hiking post where I will list some specifics about what to pack for a coastal hike and how to plan logistics. Please subscribe to my blog, and keep doing. Cheers.
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