Stacey Smith

Stacey Smith

The Lost Coast: Mattole to Black Sands Beach

08/25/15

I just wrapped up a 3 day/2 night backpacking trip on the Lost Coast Trail. It was an absolutely life changing experience for me, and I know it had a huge impact on my sister as well. It was amazing to take in all of the stunning vistas and wildlife -- deer, black bears, seals, sea lions, whales, dolphins, snakes (ewww) , bunnies, eagles, and monarchs -- and even more amazing to push past our comfort zones and redefine our limits! One thing neither of us were prepared for was the extreme drop offs leading in to Sea Lion Gulch, where erosion had cut away at the trail, leaving portions only 18" wide at most on a 60-65 degree slope of loose dirt and grass dropping hundreds of feet the the rocky beach. The strong wind gusts combined with the weight of an extra 35 pounds on our backs made for an uncomfortable situation. One missed step could result in serious injury or worse. We were thankful for trekking poles that helped provide that extra sense of balance in the wind gusts. We saw backpackers each day, but mostly had the trail to ourselves, which was nice. I was surprised that we were two of only a few hikers with poles of any kind. This area has rattlesnakes, and a large section of the trail is in knee high grass and brush on both sides of the trail. We saw a baby rattler in the sand close to Randall Creek (which is stunning, btw), and I've heard of others encountering them on the trails. Besides the snakes, there is a great deal of bouldering on this trek, and the poles really help you keep a good pace when making time through the areas that are impassable at high tide, as you get that extra bit of balance on the slippery rocks, so I highly recommend them. Also, there was an abundance of activity and tracks of a mamma bear and cub, so take the bear warnings seriously. This is one amazing hike, and the payoffs are abundant throughout. Definitely not one to be missed!!!

5.0