The Lost Coast

I started my hike of the Lost Coast in Shelter Cove. The view from the parking lot gives you a sense of the scenery for the rest of the hike.



The Lost Coast is a great place to find solitude. The King's Range rises from sea level to four thousand feet within three miles of the coast. The peaks cuts out light and noise pollution so common around the bay area. Even better, few people venture to the Lost Coast during the winter so you can often have large sections of the coast to yourself. I find this one of the best locations for quiet prayer and reflection. To consider God's goodness and listen for His voice.

On this trip I only saw three people: surfers who had carried their boards in six miles to Big Flat. There are a number of shelters made of drift wood which become home to surfers who are waiting for some good waves. Some of the shelters can be quite elaborate. Last year this shelter has four walls and a tarp roof. This year it is a wind break and a perfect place to stop and have a snack.



I also came to the Lost Coast because it is known for heavy rains and high winds. I was looking for a location to further test a Gossamer Gear Spinnshelter.



The weather obliged. Much of the first day I was walking through a constant drizzle. By five in the afternoon the drizzle turned into a solid rain which continued until four the following morning. This was perfect to test the Spinnshelter. The second day was absolutely beautiful demonstrating how variable the weather can be. The following pictures are taking from an almost identical location within a day of each other.



Overall this was a great trip. The only down side was that around sixteen miles in on the first day I pulled my knee as I leaped over a stream. Some friends have suggested that this is one example of how ultralight backpacking might have done more harm than good. They point out that if I had been carrying a sixty pound pack I wouldn't have tried to leap the stream and therefore wouldn't have pulled my knee. The hike back was slow.