I remember 6 years ago meeting a guy at work that had just returned from the Olympic National Park and told me about his backpacking experience on the coast. At that time, the idea of planning a trip to carry all gear for 3 days seemed impossible to me. I couldn't even imagine how that all worked. Finally, this past weekend, WE DID IT! Olympic National Park has 73 miles of wilderness coastline that is not easily accessible and therefore very preserved for those that want to work at getting out there and experiencing it. We are grateful to President Roosevelt who began the series of events to preserve this beautiful location. Troy took video and I took pictures. Enjoy all this detail!
Video 1 = 15 minutes and there is sporadic voice and funny commentary
http://youtu.be/Oi0oqdiJScE
Video 2 = 15 minutes as well
http://youtu.be/FtWfJZYK49E
All the pictures are located in our 3 facebook public albums.
Album 1 - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150297375549446.358188.508919445&l=cd7558af25&type=1
Album 3 - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150297453329446.358218.508919445&l=3519b16522&type=1
Summary of animals: River Otter, Steller's Sea Lion, Bald Eagle, Northern Spotted Owl, SanderBlack Oyster Catcher, Red Tailed Hawk, Glaucous Winged Gull, American Crow, Black-Tailed Deer, Olympic Chipmunk, Cascades Frog, Common Garter Snake, Banana Slug, Black Beetle, Nudibranch, Blood Star, Bat Star, Leather Star, Sunflower Star, Decorator Crabs, Sand Flees, Sand Shrimp, and I am sure more that I am forgetting. Next time I am going to snap way more photos of birds.
6:30AM - Depart Maple Valley with our packs. Troy = 42lbs, Nick = 39lbs, Scheris = 40lbs, Alyssa = 34lbs
7:30 - Stop and visit my barista sister in Gig Harbor
9:45 - Arrive at Port Angeles WIC to pick up permit and bear cannisters $29
12:00 - Lunch at Taco Time
1:15 - Buy Makah Indian Reservation Recreation permit $10
2:00 - Drop off vehicle 1 at Donna's parking $10/night = $30
3:15 - Leave Ozette Lake parking lot and began our 5.7 mile hike
4:14 - Low tide and a ranger gave us some unexpected news, it was time to put our hike into high gear
5:00 - Reached Cape Alava - westernmost point of the lower 48 states, viewed Ozette Island, Tskawahyah Island, Boldelteh Islands, and other sea spires. Shipwreck of the Bark Austria 1/21/1887
7:00 - Forded the Ozette River at about 3 ft tide, and found our campsite - had the entire area all to our selves
10:00 - Constellation viewing
Ozette Island
Just 1 rock/island of the multiple miles of Flattery Rock National Wildlife Refuge, also part of the Washington Islands Wilderness and the Olympic National Park
5:04AM: -0.6 low tide, but we decided to sleep-in and not begin hiking yet (later to be regretted)
9:00 - hung out with the two river otters and sea lion
11:31: 6.5 ft high tide, time to get ready and head out
12:15 PM: left our campsite with the intention that we wanted to be at the Point of the Arches at low tide, we had 5 hours to travel 6 miles - no problem (we thought)
12:52: first headland
2:10: Seafield Creek
3:20: Lunched while waiting on tide to lower more
5:10: 1.9 ft low tide
Father and Son Rocks came into view
5:50: Cove
6:15: Point of the Arches
6:20:Shi Shi beach, found our campsite
10:00: constellation viewing
This is not my photo, but it is shows the Point of the Arches, with Shi Shi on the left and we came from the right.
Day 3
5:30AM: alarm clock
5:50: -1.0 low tide - explore tidepools, waited for sunrise
6:29: sunrise
2:00PM: Hike to Willoughby Lake - bush wacking, not a maintained trail
5:00: begin tidepool exploration
6:01:1.2 low tide
Day 4
5:30AM: alarm clock, head over to get ready for lowest tide yet
6:32: Sunrise
6:34: -1.2 low tide - explore tidepools
8:00: Returned to campsite, ate, packed up
9:30:Departed Shi Shi
I loved this hike and would do it over again. We picked up on some learnings that we would apply to make this hike a bit smarter next time around. Next time we will take a tide pool field guide so we can identify more living creatures! It was so amazing.
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