Hiking The Oregon Coast Trail, Day 12: Cape Lookout To Sandlake
For the past couple days, I've woken up with ferocious hunger. The kind that rumbles loudly and sidelines any other plans until it’s satiated. Before even considering coffee, I stuff some dates, a banana, and two instant oatmeals with peanut butter into my face, but my stomach is barely satisfied.
I need to ramp up my calorie intake significantly, especially since I'm burning 3000 to 4000+ calories per day!
Jason Evangelho
The hike out of Cape Lookout State Park is a beautiful beginning to the day. The slightly overcast sky seems to accentuate the various shades of green, brown, and yellow flora nearby. I stop to admire a flawless swamp lantern (e.g. skunk cabbage) before stepping over the creek and making my way towards Cape Lookout itself, and eventually to Cape Kiwanda by the end of the day.
I love me some swamp lanterns and flowing water.
As is prone to happen, I'm not even a half-mile down the path when a pair of trees stops me in my tracks. Their root systems are intertwined, trunks cozied up next to each other. The one on the right looks like it's putting a thick, barky arm around the other's back in a show of eternal support, as if to say "I've got you, friend."
Nature never quits. It never stops impressing me.
Nature has other qualities besides nonstop beauty, though. Namely, destruction. After another half-mile, the trail comes to an unplanned dead end. It is barricaded with a danger sign. I lean over it and look for the "why" and it certainly looks dangerous.
From what I can tell, the closure is due to massive landslide damage, and because the trail proceeds along a cliff face for a while, going forward would be suicide.
The dynamic nature of this trail definitely keeps a person on their toes!
The official OCT trail doesn't actually include hiking to the tip of Cape Lookout, so to make up the mileage I'm missing out on due to the closure, that's exactly what I'll do. A sidequest to the end of Cape Lookout, and then continue to the south trail leading down to the beach and eventually to Sandlake.
The Cape lookout trail is deceptive. The first half is a wide, gentle trail with smooth grading. Then the second half turns into a roller coaster, traversing up and down, over and through tree roots and mud. And several spots where there is some serious exposure to the cliffside and the vastness of the ocean about 1000 feet below.
It’s not super dangerous, but you definitely have to walk with purpose and be mindful of your footing. I saw a couple hikers with dogs on a leash during this stretch, and I have to caution you never to do that unless you have absolute confidence in and control of your pet friend. An impulsive action on its part could endanger you or a hiker near you.
And yea, the Cape Lookout Trail was somewhat crowded, but that resulted in several fun "single-serving conversations" with people about the Oregon Coast, and hiking, and admittedly adorable puppies. Like the cocker spaniel/chocolate lab mix whose owner lives in Manzanita and told me with conviction "it just gets better and better the further south you go!"
Remember those tree friends I mentioned? Kimber is my unwavering tree friend. Arm metaphorically around me, permanently. Propping me up emotionally (and I'm sure physically if the need ever arises). After I've doubled back and reach the junction that connects the Cape Lookout trail to the path leading south and down to the beach, I see her waiting for me.
After having a snack and catching up, she reaches into her backpack and pulls out a pair of new bluetooth earbuds she picked up at Fred Meyer. This is a gift as valuable to me as gold. After losing my iPod, I’ve really been craving music to help me endure some of the tougher stretches. (Even when there's no signal, I can fire up any of the albums I've downloaded from my Plex server.)
Silence and solitude are also valuable, but too much of it can subtly steer my brain into dark places.
5 miles down so far, and there's a decidedly obvious spring in my steps as I hike down to the beach all the way from the top of Cape Lookout. I love how the sound of the surf keeps growing louder and louder, like an invitation to hurry up and come play. It's exciting, and it's invigorating!
Then I'm walking another long, gorgeous expanse of Oregon beach like it's another well-guarded secret. Completely, blissfully alone.
The phrase "complex emotions" keeps surfacing in my thoughts, and I have plenty of time to ponder it. After gazing out at the surf and focusing on the wet sand underneath my bare feet, I realize something. And that something feels ominous.
I'm starting to feel like I'm at some kind of breaking point. I have no idea what is going to break, what is going to change, but I somehow know I'm on the verge of it. I can't describe it with any degree of articulation, but it's like a new idea or philosophy slowly metastasizing and I don't understand it. I hope that whatever complex emotions these are, the trail will help make them clearer.
My notes toward the end of this day trail off and repeatedly mention things like "I already said that" and "I'm really tired." It was a long hiking day – nearly 15 miles! But a beer flight, the world's best mac + cheese, and some enjoyable conversation with K at Pelican Brewing Company are the perfect, wholly satisfying end to yet another idyllic day on the Oregon Coast Trail.
Btw: if you're at Pelican Brewing Company during Spring, get The Brewed Abides. It's seasonal, but the best beer I've ever tasted!
Tomorrow, a brand new adventure at Cape Kiwanda awaits!
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