The Lost Coast Trail´s final stretch
Over the Fourth of July weekend, I had the opportunity to hike the Lost Coast Trail. The Lost Coast Trail is a 24-mile stretch of coast that leads north from Black Sands Beach to the Mattole River, along the wilderness beach.
This is a rugged hike, not a simple walk on the beach. Untouched by major highways and towns, the name is well earned, because the beach can only be accessed by a few back roads leading out of Shelter Cove in the south and Mattole in the north.
We started in the north at the Mattole river and headed south. It took us three days to cover the 24 miles through some pretty rough terrain. A walk along the beach sounds simple enough, but 11 miles (day two) through ankle deep sand and one-to-two foot boulders makes for a slow start the next day. It is, however, home to some of the most beautiful coastline in the world. It is not traditional beauty with long stretches of white-sand beaches, but the kind of awe-inspiring beauty that reminds you how small we are.
The King Mountain Range drops dramatically to black sand beaches. Sea lions dot the shores and rocks just off the beaches. The surf is legendary in the winter, but not for the faint-hearted; the brutally cold water and pounding surf are very real dangers, but nothing strikes as much fear as the Great White sharks that patrol the waters. On our second night we had a visit from a local black bear known as “the Ranger.” She comes out of the hills to visit backpackers and surfers and makes sure everyone cleans up their food.
It was a beautiful trip and a great weekend, but fish and chips and beer at the Shelter Cove deli were more than welcome by the end. We sat in the sun and ate our lunch watching the Fourth of July parade in Shelter Cove, California; a great end to a great weekend.
|
|
