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goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
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Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 11:46 am 
Who knew. For years I've looked at the Ericson Bay Trail on the ONP map. I always pictured it as an overgrown marshy muddy jungle with no view--a simple way trail from Lake Ozette to the beach. Had I not been trying to hike all the trails in The Park, I would have probably ignored it. As it turns out, I saved it for the last beach hike. Wow, what a treat! First off, I think the trail should be renamed. I mean, Erickson Bay Trail sounds so perfunctionary (is that a word ? lol.gif ). Avenue of the Giant Cedars sounds so much more intriguing and would be closer to reality.
Big Cedar
Big Cedar
Giant Cedars on Erickson Bay Trail
Giant Cedars on Erickson Bay Trail
The trail is a winding avenue, through giant old growth cedars, boggy soils, and, this time of year, blooming skunk cabbage. It is one of the finest cedar forests I've ever seen. The only other place I can remember seeing giant cedars of this size and number were in the upper Duckabush drainage. Still, I don't think it compares to the cedar forest on this trail. And the trail itself is intriguing. At first, it presents itself like any other trail, with an orange and black overland trail marker that is highly visible from the beach just south of Sand Point. After the first few steps into the woods, there is a bonny new sign that officially marks the trail as the Ericson Bay Trail. Another 100 yards or so beyond that, a new foot bridge. Can you imagine, a new foot bridge.
The trail is wide at the beginning, almost like an old wagon road, and then slowly tapers down. The decaying cedar planks, creaky /rotting boardwalk, and holey bridges exudes a certain history, and a bit of excitement. Like, will I be the one to fall through?. I felt a bit like a time traveler, and spent a good part of the hike trying to imagine what it looked like years ago, wondering about the original purpose of the trail. Was it for ferrying supplies from the beach to Lake Ozette homesteaders? And I kept thinking about the rotten, collapsed bridge near the stream outlet by Sand Point (fresh water source for the camp area) and wondered if it didn't somehow once connect with this trail at one time. Mostly, I enjoyed the mystery. And when the trail narrowed down to nothing more than a series of single cedar planks, I felt like I was going through a secret passage way. It was cool.gif
Time travel
Time travel
Erickson Bay Trail
Erickson Bay Trail
Erickson Bay Trail - Cedar Planking
Erickson Bay Trail - Cedar Planking
At the very end, near Lake Ozette, there is a skeleton of an old bridge, about 40 feet long, with long, single, half-rotten planks, kind of laying haphazardly across the skeleton. I wasn't sure if they would hold up when I crossed it, and I complained to my hiking partners that they shouldn't have sent the fat lady (me) across first. This is the view at the end of the trail (or beginning if you prefer to come in via canoe) at Lake Ozette.
Erickson Bay - Lake Ozette
Erickson Bay - Lake Ozette
Erickson Bay - Lake Ozette 4/29
Erickson Bay - Lake Ozette 4/29
We tried in vain to reach Ericson Bay campground by hiking up the lake shore, but it was darn near impossible. We did get to within a couple of hundred yards before being turned back by swamp. And trying to go inland through the trees--well, imagine being tied up in thick cedar chains, wearing muddy cement boots, and getting poked in the eye even if you are walking backwards. I guess the only way I will see Anderson Campground is via boat. It will be saved for the next adventure. There was a beautiful water way adjacent to the lake proper.
Wetlands adjacent to Lake Ozette near Erickson Bay - Geese
Wetlands adjacent to Lake Ozette near Erickson Bay - Geese
And we saw gaggles of geese headed north. That was a real treat. I truly love the rhythm of the seasons. After another night camped at Sand Point (in our spiffy, previously occupied by an engineer (no doubt) campsite) we headed north to complete the Ozette loop.
Sunset at Sand Point - April 25, 2009
Sunset at Sand Point - April 25, 2009
Camp Host
Camp Host
A perfect campsite
A perfect campsite
Anna & D.J. - Sand Point 2009
Anna & D.J. - Sand Point 2009
Here are some interesting things we saw headed north.
Eagles nest - Cape Alava
Eagles nest - Cape Alava
Headless sea lion
Headless sea lion
Cape Alava  - April 2009
Cape Alava - April 2009
Searching for raccoons--and look what I found!
Searching for raccoons--and look what I found!
And yep, that is me. Holding my very own, first one I ever found, after looking all these years, never thought I would find, looking for raccoons when I found it, Japanese float. It's like it just magically appeared before my eyes. I can't believe it. lol.gif lol.gif hockeygrin.gif hockeygrin.gif hockeygrin.gif It was a great trip!

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
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wolfs
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wolfs
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PostTue Apr 28, 2009 12:17 pm 
Japanese float! So cool! Lucky you! My wife will now be mad with float-hunting-lust if she reads this report. She's always scanning the storm tideline amongst the first big logs along our ONP beach walks in hopes of finding one, even though I have told her many times that they aren't really found in even low-probability numbers since the 70s. So far my wife's found some big scary sodium deck lamps from fishing boats, which are about that same size and weight and also made of (ugly) glass, and that's about as close as we've come.

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sarbar
Living The Dream



Joined: 28 Jan 2002
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Location: Freeland, Wa
sarbar
Living The Dream
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 12:31 pm 
I found a lot of floats as a kid in Oregon - but none as an adult till a couple years ago - when we found a rolling pin shaped one at Cape Alava. That was dang cool - though yours is cooler lol.gif I spent the night a couple years ago in the campsite at the start of Erickson Bay Trail. Did you go check out the privy up on the bench? (When you walk off the beach, into the woods it is to the left, uphill). The camp is near the privy and one can sit up there and people come off the beach to see what the trail is - and never see you up there biggrin.gif

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
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Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 12:56 pm 
wolfs, yep, I heard the same thing, about low probability now adays. I also heard that sometimes they get caught up in currents out at sea until a twist of fate, slight change in the wind, maybe a butteryfly effect, carries them on their way to shore. Best to take the wife out and look some more. Besides, it's romantic on the beach. hockeygrin.gif sarbar, I think you found the really rare kind. up.gif biggrin.gif The rolling pin ones. Those are special. Kind of a neat feeling to find your very own, huh? hockeygrin.gif Do you display yours at home? I did see the sign for the privy but never walked up there. Sounds like a really cool spot (and it's close to the fresh water.) I will definitely check it out next time. Thanks for the good beta up.gif up.gif Did you happen to walk back on the trail?

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
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Malachai Constant
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Malachai Constant
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PostTue Apr 28, 2009 1:51 pm 
I think the last one I found was in the 90's. The Sodium lights are different from the rolling pin floats (you can see the wires inside). There are ruins of close to 50 cabins along the lake, including one on Tivoli Island. For a real adventure try the Allens bay trail to Norwegian Memorial. I have tried many times to find a way from Ericson's Bay Campground to the trail without success.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
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Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 2:05 pm 
mal, it sounds like you have done some great exploring of the area. Did you go via canoe or boat? Did you find any relics from the old cabins? I didn't realize there was a cabin ruin on Tivoli. I've only been out there once, on a quick day trip via canoe, from the south end of the lake and an old logging road. It's been about 10 years since I mucked through the mud on the Allen's Bay trail. I was disappointed at the end because there was no way to get down to the lake. It really does end up in a swamp. Though I did hear the Ozette ranger say (on this trip) that he thought some people had adopted the Allen's Bay trail and were semi-maintaining it. I might have had wax in my ears, I'm not sure. Anyway, it would be interesting to check it out. I think HJT is going to head that way one of these days.

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
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Malachai Constant
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Malachai Constant
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PostTue Apr 28, 2009 2:38 pm 
We used to go a lot by canoe. One time we camped on Tivoli and there were some wall just a bit up from the easiest landing. There is an old cementary just before Allens Bay. If you are on the water you can see remains of old docks at several places. There are remains of a cabin just past Eagle Point on the way into Erickson bay. There are some old rusting iron bits and some stone walls. I do not take relics, and they are generally just 1890's farm type stuff anyway. Lots of the trees by the lake are apple trees, but they go to crab if nobody cuts the suckers that sprout below the graft. The cabin at Roose Prarie is in very good shape. I used to live in Port Orchard and our family has been viiting the area since the 1950's.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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sarbar
Living The Dream



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sarbar
Living The Dream
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 3:00 pm 
I have a display of all my floats up.gif My Grandmother had a massive collection that was sold when she passed away...sigh. She lived for years on a bluff outside of Tillamook - you could see The Cape Mears Lighthouse from the house. So we'd go down to the beach after storms. My mom once found a bottle with a note and mailed them a reply up.gif Btw, this is the view in the morning from the campsite near the beach at EB.
The privy:
lol.gif

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
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Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 3:18 pm 
Thanks for extra info, Mal. You are really inspiring me to do the canoe thing. I didn't know about the old cementary. Some friends of mine canoed around the lake a few years back and had a heck of a good time. They would paddle, fish, paddle, camp, swim, fish etc. Spent a whole week there. Great picture of the morning sun, sarbar. It's like the best of both worlds--a great forest behind you and the whole ocean in front of you. I'm not sure about the privy, though. I mean, what are they thinking when they build those things? I suppose I am a little more modest about someone seeing my big behind than my little front view, but still. lol.gif lol.gif

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
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sarbar
Living The Dream



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sarbar
Living The Dream
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 3:24 pm 
Yeah, the ocean is to your back with the privy - you are looking at the forest. It is not what I'd call a "scenic view" lol.gif lol.gif

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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bobbi
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 5:52 pm 
goats......i remember we talked about doing this trail but at the time the tides were high. one more trail off your list! what a find...perfect! that glass ball is a beauty up.gif can you see air bubbles? totally cool cool.gif Avenue of the Giant Cedars....that's a great name. better as a book title! time to push that 'Twilight' off the chart lol.gif get writing, wc!

bobbi ૐ "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
Posts: 2524 | TRs | Pics
Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 6:23 pm 
Thanks, bc! biggrin.gif Yep, I remember we were planning that hike. Was it a year ago or so? My how time flies. Now we'll have to do it from the Lake--via a canoe or kayaks, whenever your legs need a rest from the marathon training. hockeygrin.gif

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
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bobbi
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 8:26 pm 
my legs will find rest after the marathon biggrin.gif in the meantime, i'm using hiking as my cross-training activity! up.gif i would like to head to ozette and do the loop, it's been sometime since i did it...except this time, i'm bringing my camera smile.gif of course that silly tide thingy makes planning crucial. in the meantime, come run, jog, walk, crawl, and slither with me...13 miles on thursday, or maybe saturday. ouch! i'm still beaming about your magnificent japanese float glass! cool.gif shades because of the beams.......must protect my eyes lol.gif

bobbi ૐ "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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Magellan
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 9:56 pm 
Thanks for all the info on this area Mal and GGW. I haven't been there, and now I must. I will forgive you if I don't find a float. Gorgeous! up.gif

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goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
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goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostTue Apr 28, 2009 10:38 pm 
Thanks, mag. You're so sweet! Sand Point would be a great family hike for the little ones as it is short and relatively easy when the weather is dry and the boardwalk is not slippery. And the steps on the boardwalk are generally easy steps (not more than 6-7 inches in height.) Dad could probably even make a couple of round trips to the car for gear. winksmile.gif hockeygrin.gif

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
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