[Crazyforthetrail]

Hi folks, I lead the Trailside hiking group in the Tacoma/Lakewood area, and tomorrow (Sat) is a planned hike to the Cape Flattery area, possibly Shi Shi Beach too. If you don't have other plans and are interested in an overnight option, let me know. Here is our plan.. Meeting at 7:00am at the Stadium Tully's in Tacoma, leaving around 7:15. We'll be heading towards Neah Bay to pay our recreation fee to hike in the Makah Reservation. After we are done hiking, we'll be heading back to Sequim to stay overnight at the Sequim Inn & Suites, a newer place. After so much driving, it would be nice to hang out in Sequim overnight before heading back to Tacoma Sunday morning... Anyways, I have reserved several rooms there, and there is one room available with 2 Queens. $50pp. We'll be back in Tacoma by 12 noon Sunday. We're a great group. Welcoming to everyone. No catches, just great hiking and fellowship! We are an exploratory hiking group, not really mountain climbers. That means we are made up of several novice hikers...and I am the picture-taker of the group ;-) If you would like to go, we have space in my car. Let me know this evening and meet us in the morning at Tully's (24 N Tacoma Ave, 98403) Thanks, and hope to see you! Mike aka CFTT my website: http://trailsidegroup.tripod.com

[realityguy]

Shi-shi has some mud on the trails but not too bad.You can usually walk around the bad spots...

[Crazyforthetrail]

Shi Shi was pretty muddy in spots, but it was a fantastic hike to the beach! For doing the overnight at Shi Shi, there are a couple parking areas before the dayhike lots, both charge $10 per day, but they both seem safer than a roadside turnout. One, that is about .8 miles from the trail is called Donna's, and the other is closer, that just says 'Park & Pay'.. I'd like to hear about other hikers' experiences with backpacking in this area, including southbound towards the Ozette area. Isn't that like a 17.5 mile trek one way? Also looking for a backpacking partner to do this area sometime this summer. Thanks so much! Mike aka "Crazyforthetrail"

[realityguy]

I hiked up to Seafield Creek last week from the Ozette ranger station at Lake Ozette. The lower section starts with boardwalks to Cape Alava(most of the 3 miles),then a pretty easy beach walk except for one small cove of boulders and walking around drift logs and walking around one rock point(or up a rope over a steep area during higher tides) before you get to the mouth of the Ozette River(more like a creek but was running pretty swift) that you have to cross during low tide and close to the surf,less than knee deep there. North of the Ozette River is a large treed campground with several sites,also..another smaller one with several sites on the south side of the river on top of the bluff.There are supposed to be privies in both.I didn't know that one was there but spent a small portion of the hike around the rocky point with a ranger who showed it to me. Ozette Beach..is a nice stretch of flat sand that soon turns into loose gravel(not bad walking) for about two miles to Seafield Creek,the next possible camping area. Seafield Creek has an area about 40'x40' up on a bluff above the creek with grass and an area designated for a campfire,should hold 3-4 tents or so..You can camp on the beach in a couple spots above a 7.0 high tide(when I was there) with room to spare..maybe 2 spots.I think the ONP designates this spot as "for one group" so make reservations in advance.Follow the picture link to the folder for the hike and another to Shi-shi showing campgrounds there.You can look in the "ozette folder" for pictures of the North Ozette campground area(with the green hammock..several more sites that size there and a large major area) The area between Seafield Creek and Point of the Arches is the roughest on the trip with possible boulder beaches,some rope ladders, or climbing up ropes on steep areas and some headlands woods walking by the sound of it.I haven't been there,just heard about it. I'm somewhat in the same boat with no turnaround person to thru-hike with but think I found a local person to do that with..even though I have a house out there at Whiskey Creek(HWY112 right above Lake Crescent). I figure a person could hit a tide under about 1.2-2 and do most of the hike easily over a two day enjoyable trip.I hit the Ozette River on the outgoing tide and returned across the river the same day a few hours later completing 15+ miles.The distance to Seafield from the Ozette ranger station is 7.6 miles,an easy hike with about 30-40 lbs of gear like I did.I more than likely could have made it through to Shi-shi except for the turnaround problem,no vehicle there..but that probably wouldn't have made the hike 'enjoyable"..rushing though it.You need to spend at least one night somewhere to make the trip worthwhile.Shi-shi,North of the Ozette River Campground,or Seafield Creek at the halfway point are all good spots to spend the night and would support a group nicely.Seafield Creek is a lot like Petroleum Creek's mouth(since you probably saw that) in size with a smaller sandy "beach"(otherwise a rocky beach) area and only "one" designated spot to camp,20' high bluffs both sides of the creek's valley,one wooded. There are lots of spots at Cape Alava for camping also but it might get crowded and supposed to have pesky raccoons.You can continue down the beach to Sand Point,another three miles,then take the bottom of the Ozette Triangle trail back to the ranger's station,adding 3 miles of rocky beach,petroglyphs(Wedding Rocks),and nice southern views from a seastack(Sand Point) to the hike.Ozette is a safe,free(put your ONP pass on the dashboard) place to park a car and the paid private parking at the top end is the way to go at Shi-shi..drop off gear and people at the trailhead and have one person leave/retrieve the car,depending on hike direction,N to S or S to N... I'd probably do that section North to South unless it's crowded and Seafield and north ozette are desgnated as "full".Make your reservations(limitted areas!) as soon as possible and go during the week if you can for more isolation!

[Crazyforthetrail]

Thank you so much! Great ideas and tips! I appreciate it! Mike