Overview:  The Lost Coast is located along the northern reaches of the California's coastline. This trip had been on hold for quite a while.  The difficulty was we needed a few things to line up.  The weather, waves, and a vacation. We had been following the forecast closely these few weeks around Thanksgiving. The call was made and after a long drive that morning I rolled in to Shelter Cove meeting Mike, Earl, and Jared.  After the hike in, we would stay at Big Flat for 2 nights before a late start and a hike into the night on return.  Good hiking, views, surf, and weather, it was sweet.

Media: Trip Video

All that blue is one solid reason we made the never ending drive out to this part of the state for the weekend.  Before us stood the hike at hand, the coast making a giant curve, our camp looking oh so far away at the point.

The expansive beach before us.  Most of the hike was good going in the sand, but brutal in soft sections.

It

 After sunset we still had a mile or so left in the hike.  We set up camp in the dark along quite a few other campers/surfers.

 Camp was Robinson Crusoe style. Fire lit, wine out, just the sound of the waves, ahhhh. The ocean look a bit flat the next morning.  Later a few sets came in that were about a half hour apart, a good sign.

Day 2 brought some unexpected drama to the trip.  I had the camera out filming the crew that morning when a surfer walks by and threatens me, basically saying the camera needs to be put away.  He had a hard time believing I was not a journalist, "Thats what they all say?" He told me. Nobody can claim any surf spot, the film continued to roll, but they were definitely out for us.

A few screen grabs from the video.

 We took communion quite frequently each evening.

From camp the mountains rise abruptly above the flat.  The only reason that this area is still wilderness is that it was too difficult  and steep to build a road in, good thing. 

Along the hike out

It was a late hike out, soon the sun made its way down - the Moon blasted out making headlamps unnecessary.  The rhythm of each step in the sand, waves crashing, and a glimmer of light in the distance.  With each step it seemed that the lights of civilization were not getting  any closer.  But that was ok.

Dr

Note- Drove through the night back to Bend, came real close to staying along the way, but eventually made it.  Rolled back home at about 4AM!!!! Damn. Quite a finish to the trip.

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