High Sierra Topix

I was looking forward to your trip report. I did the southern section with a few friends in the 90s and it's still one of my favorite hikes. We went in October and lucked out with sunny days and clear nights on all but the last day. What struck me was how many people you saw. We saw only a father and son heading south and a couple of shady-looking guys in camouflage clothing. I know it's a more well-known trail now. Your photos of the camps and the understory are beautiful. Thank you for posting!
I think we may have climbed the same sketchy trail as you---it was off the beach and on a bluff. We thought we could take it to get around one of the points where surf could be an issue. It became very steep and we retreated.

Unfortunately, the Lost Coast has been put on a list of "top 10" backpacks in the USA by Backpacker Magazine. Currently permits are required (self register) with no quotas. I doubt that will last if it keeps getting swarmed by backpackers. The north part is BLM and there are no restrictions on camping and the permit is free. The south part is Sinkyone State Park, and the permit is free but you pay $5 a night for backpack campsites, and $25 a night for a campground that is within a mile of the headquarters at Needle Rock. Dogs are allowed on the BLM land; not on the Sinkyone trails. The BLM nearby car-camping campgrounds range from $8 - $16 a night and the federal Golden Age Pass applies (half price). Sinkyone has no senior discount. The BLM requires hard sided bear canisters; Sinkyone does not. I just carried my bear can all the way. EVERYTHING in Shelter Cove is really expensive. And the commercial shuttle service is outrageously expensive for a solo hiker- but a bit more reasonable for a larger groups. I would guess that much less than half the hikers do the entire route. Most do only the north part from Mattole River to Shelter Cove. This part was actually featured in Sunset Magazine about 10 years ago and became very popular after that.

I mistakenly said we did the south section. It was the northern section that we hiked, from the mouth of the Mattole to Shelter Cove. At the time we hiked it, it had been written up but that was pre-Internet days. My sense at the time was that it would be an isolated route, and it was. The established camp sites were all empty---as we walked, we talked about how we'd check out the camps when we got to them. We didn't expect them to be taken. Your photos of the interior valleys: that's one of the things I loved about the hike. When you look up those valleys, you feel how remote you are from anything. Beautiful shots.

Thanks for another great trip report that gives real flavor of the adventure.

Great report! The northern section was my first solo backpacking trip, back in 1990 I think. I went on Memorial Day weekend and did not see a soul! Times have apparently changed in that regard...

Your report makes me think I should get back there someday and do the southern part. Except maybe for the poison oak part.

Hi Dkramaic,

Welcome to HST! Hope to read some of your TR's in the future.
A intro would be appreciated when you get the time here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9329

I'm very curious about this stretch of trail. Did you have any issues with ticks? That is one of my biggest concerns about the area.

maverick wrote:http://lostcoastranger.blogspot.com/201 ... -tick.html

Precisely why I'm worried, especially since I'm interested in hiking with Callie, who picks up ticks so easily.

I'm curious how many ticks WD ran into over the course of the hike, and which sections they were problematic.

When I did the hike in 2006 there were quite a few ticks. I met a couple at Spanish Flat who had a black lab, and the dog had lots of ticks on it. I only had to pick a few ticks of me.

This year, do not know why, but I only found one absolutely tiny tick on me (on outer clothing). I also wore a "bugs-off" shirt - not sure if that helped because I only saw a few ticks anyway.

So I guess I would say that it all depends. Some years and some seasons ticks are bad, some not. Although I went the same time of year on both hikes, this year was much drier and the third year of drought; 2006 was at the end of a very wet rainy winter and in fact was still in the rainy season.