Trip report
Northwest Coast Trail, Olympic NP South section. Before going, check conditions at NP website. See a map of the “official” campsites.
I hiked out from the Third Beach trailhead, up over Taylor Point, then scrambled over rocks and rising surf around a headland near the last low tide for the day. 
April sun pushed the mercury to ~60 deg F, warm enough for short sleeves when ascending, but if I stopped on the beach, winds made me want to layer up or get going again. 
I passed Scott’s Bluff, Strawberry Point, some fine campsites, Toleak Point, then arrived at Jackson Creek, where my trail guide said I’d find campsites. A huge log jam blocked access to the camps. Many logs moved dangerously when stepped on and some had slick surfaces. 
I walked on, climbing up the headland that would lead to crossings of Falls and Goodman Creeks. Along the trail, I scanned the forest for potential campsites, noting infinite possibilities for hammock camping vs. nearly none for ground camping. I considered camping on the trail itself if I didn’t find a better flat, cleared piece of ground. At about 6 p.m. I found a delightful campsite above Falls Creek under a huge 12 ft tree. An unflavored chicken and pasta dinner almost tasted good.
April sun pushed the mercury to ~60 deg F, warm enough for short sleeves when ascending, but if I stopped on the beach, winds made me want to layer up or get going again. I passed Scott’s Bluff, Strawberry Point, some fine campsites, Toleak Point, then arrived at Jackson Creek, where my trail guide said I’d find campsites. A huge log jam blocked access to the camps. Many logs moved dangerously when stepped on and some had slick surfaces. I walked on, climbing up the headland that would lead to crossings of Falls and Goodman Creeks. Along the trail, I scanned the forest for potential campsites, noting infinite possibilities for hammock camping vs. nearly none for ground camping. I considered camping on the trail itself if I didn’t find a better flat, cleared piece of ground. At about 6 p.m. I found a delightful campsite above Falls Creek under a huge 12 ft tree. An unflavored chicken and pasta dinner almost tasted good.
Above: my camp using a 6 oz tarp made from window sealing shrinkwrap size 7’ x 10’. I tucked in at 8 p.m. and awoke at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 a.m. I put on my specs each time I awoke to look up at the night sky through the tarp--I was lying under a 7’ wide skylight. In the quilt, I wasn’t cold, but I wasn’t quite warm either. I had straps to pull in the sides of my Rayway quilt, but I lacked a drawstring to keep heat from leaving above my shoulders. A 70’s era watersack I used as a pillow went flat several times during the night.
At 0640 I descended to Falls Creek which ran just low enough for me to dance across en pointe. Not so with knee deep Goodman Creek. Back on the trail, more than once I stepped in sucking mud that flowed over the cuffs of my waterproof shoes. The shoes never dried out--the Goretex liner trapped the water--I’d have to stop and dump water or just keep walking with the extra weight. I got to Mosquito Creek about an hour before high tide, its thigh deep waters and mild current posing no resistance. I met and hiked with Jenny and her daughter, Rachel, sporting matching foot tattoos. Getting over Hoh Head included some rough ropes which made me glad for bringing good gloves. The tattooed women converted me to walking in non-waterproof shoes and convinced me of my error in not bringing my 70's era Frostline short gaiters. I learned to embrace the mud on the trail over Hoh Head.
I planned 3 d/2 n for this trip, but at the end of day 2, I had reached the end and I didn’t want to get back late on Friday before a canoe race. Having forgotten that the trail and road would take me to US 101, the Hoh River had a powerful pull, drawing me to its edge, but Rachel set me straight. I walked the road a mile, coming to a boat ramp where fishermen had just taken out. A fishing guide named Ryan took me & his two clients to Forks. Then the Quillayute Community Shuttle took me to the trailhead. I had luck getting the rides--one can’t know when anyone is driving out from such a remote area.
The map (above) from the trail guide showed Oil City at the southern end of this trail. No oil. No city. Just a handful of homes.
If one has the time, I recommend this trip as an out-and-back from Third Beach rather than as a two car shuttle or one-car-and-hope-for-a-ride. One needs to see the back side of everything one encountered hiking in and maybe spend a few hours taking pictures during sunset/sunrise.
More notes below.
Food: 5 lb for 2.5 days, including some unknown number of meals, beef jerky, trail mix. Not enough water bottles to carry water to camp. Fresh chicken thighs. The red bell pepper: delish. I need to learn low water cooking for pasta. Also need to cook dinner long before reaching camp, wherever that ends up being. Also, barley doesn’t cook quite fast enough.
Pack weight using an REI Flash 62 backpack (3 lb): 27 lb.
Notes to self for future trips:
Eat and drink more, starting with right away! Losing 6 lb after only walking 17 miles isn't healthy.
Print out the All Trails maps
bring 2nd gatorade bottle
replace LifeStraw filter or eliminate filter altogether.
breathable shoes
breathable ankle gaiters to exclude rocks, needles
Cook dinner before reaching camp, wherever that ends up being.
Learn low water cooking for pasta.
The sleeping bag or quilt can do with a pocket for eyeglasses
Go back with John H
Get pictures at sunset of those crazy swirls on the rocks.
Bring a book for long nights!
maybe bring a drysack for the camera for iffy stream crossings.
Gear list:
allergy Benadryl, Zyrtec, oxymetazoline
arm warmers-nylon
bear canister Bearicade
bug dope stick
Camera Sony RX100
Coleman 12 oz Polypropylene cup--from China via Walmart
Compass
eyeglass case
Firestarter: waxed paper
FOOD for trip
fuel, Snow Peak 110 gm, empty weight: 98 gm
gaiters black
GROUNDSHEET poly cro 62" x 105"
hat insulated Mt Whitney hood orange/gray
headlamp BlackDiamond Spot
jacket Montbell Ex Light down
KNIFE Gerber light weight
leg warmers-nylon
lip balm (SPF 15+)
long bottoms Patagonia capilene
map
matches, box Greenlite H2O proof
modified first aid kit
neck warmer-windproof
olive oil for flavor
PACK rain cover coated ripstop
PACK REI Flash 62 M
pack towel 9x25
paper, pencil
personal locator beacon (optional)
pot cozy for EverNew .9L
Pyrethrum soak for debugging apparel
RAIN Rain skirt 1
REI silk one socks for sleeping
SLEEPING RayWay alpine quilt
SLEEPING REI Flash air matt
Slik 500 tripod w/ball head
soap & cleaning pad
spoon plastic Kenyon
Stearns watersack/pillow
stove Snow Peak Giga power
Stuff sack for 0.9 L EverNew Ti
sunglasses
sunscreen cream or stick (SPF 30+)
TARP 7 x 10 poly cro
tent stakes Sorex 6"
tent stakes Sorex 9"
Ti saucepan/lid EverNew .9L
toilet paper: 12 squares of double ply/day
toothbrush/paste, floss
trekking pole BlackDiamond CF each
Umbrella GoLite reflective
Water container Powerade 32 oz
WATER RX iodine, vit C
WATER RX Lifestraw water filter
water: 1 liter
whistle/mirror
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