They Call it the Lost Coast for a Reason

Labor Day weekend was a treat because I got two days off instead of just one. What to do with all that extra time? Go backpacking of course! My friend David Nichols drove up from San Francisco, and we headed out with ten other hikers into the Sinkyone Wilderness.

The plan was to hike 7.5 miles up the Lost Coast trail, camp at Little Jackass Creek, and then follow the creek up a ravine to a fire road, which makes for quick hiking back to the car. 

The scenery was stunning.

Photo by David Nichols

Photo by David Nichols

We had good company, a campfire and hot toddys. 

Photo by David Nichols

Photo by David Nichols

Morning was beautiful on the beach.

Photo by David Nichols

To say the hike out was grueling is an understatement. It was 1 mile / 1400 feet elevation gain / 30% grade, on average / 4 hours / no trail / heavily, HEAVILY overgrown with brambles, stinging nettle, giant ferns, pampas grass, boulders, waterfalls and fallen, rotting redwood trees. 

Photo by David Nichols

Photo by David Nichols

Photo by David Nichols

There were some truly impressive Redwood trees.

Photo by David Nichols

Making it to the fire road was physically exhausting and mentally challenging. I've never been happier to see a fire road. 

Photo by David Nichols

Here's a map of the route we took. The top of the loop is the ravine we hiked out of.