About six days ago, I saw the weather report that said we were going to have a nice weekend in Western Washington with sunshine and mild temperatures. Time to get out! I perused my options within three hours or so that we would not be buried in snow. I then realized that I had never been to the northwest corner of the continental USA! Time to go!

For those of you who do not know, Cape Flattery is the place. It is located within the Makah Indian Reservation, just north of the Olympic National Park. There is a famous island known as Tatoosh Island with one of the older and most important lighthouses on the coast. This jut of land sticks out into the Graveyard of the Pacific, the piece of coast stretching from Tillamook Bay, Oregon, in the south, to the upper west coast of Vancouver Island. There are literally thousands of wrecks out there due to the treacherous combination of rock formation, reefs, sandbars, rivers (especially the Columbia) and unpredictable weather. Cape Flattery is one of the most dangerous areas of this coastline. The Makah have lived in the land surrounding the cape for thousands of years and are expert whalers. When visiting, a recreational pass is required (https://makah.com/attractions/recreation-permits/).

The drive is supposed to be 3 hours from where I live, per Google, but the actual drive takes more than four hours, because of the very rough roadway, and for stopping a few times to stretch the legs. Port Angeles is the last major town to gas up and fill your cooler on the way. The closest down is Neah Bay. We stayed at a campground on Hobuck Beach, which has cabins, RV spots, and an open tent area for camping. For me, the must do activities are hiking out to Cape Flattery, trying out the waves at Hobuck Beach, and hiking out to Shi Shi Beach. This trip was a bit short, so we were not able to make it all the way out to Shi Shi Beach, but the walk in the forest was worth the little drive south. 

Despite the cold temperatures, the campground had plenty of surfers hanging out, waiting for the right tide time, and trying out the waves. The beach is sandy and within a cove, somewhat protected from the usual crashing surf of Northwest Washington. We set up our tent, and headed out to check out the Cape.

Suddenly, the forest ends in cliffs, dropping to the ocean below, with the sounds of crashing waves filling the evergreens. 

A bald eagle perched silently, searching for food. The sun sparkled off the surging waters.

The combination of carved landscape, Evergreen trees, and sun filtering through the forest was stunning. The trail was very well kept and easy to navigate. Viewpoints were supported with wood constructed platforms to keep you safe.

The hike is only 1.5 miles, but the scenery is worth 10!

Back at the beach, the sun put on a show to end the day, and a fire was sure nice to warm up around at the campsite after dinner.  

The next morning, the sunrise was just as spectacular. Birds were everywhere, and I pretty much had the whole beach to myself for a nice hike which is great exercise in the sand. 

This was an amazing weekend, and perfect weather for winter camping. We certainly came prepared with a four season tent and plenty of warm clothing with super warm sleeping bags. Water proof boots are a must given the wet conditions. Make sure to gear up for winter hiking and camping as you never know for sure what you will encounter. I always prep for the worst and hope for the best.  Hiking was also rewarding and temperatures bumped up to the upper 40s just for us; I always bring hiking poles and my day pack with the ten essentials. Here is a good resource for reviewing essential gear: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html

For more information on the Makah Reservation, culture and history, visit this website: https://makah.com

I kept on track with a three short hikes this weekend, upping the ante in February as winter drags on. We have been fortunate in the Pacific Northwest, avoiding a lot of the horrible weather that the rest of the country is experiencing. I think more hiking is due later in February! 

Where are you hiking this time of year? I’d love to hear…