Lost Coast, Southern Section.

[AidanDawn2000]

Hey all!
Trying to find non-Sierra backpacking options while we all wait for snow to melt. I would love to do the more popular Kings Rang section but permits are already booked every day until November. So this leads me to the little traveled southern Sinkyone Wilderness section that goes between Usal and Needle Rock.

Has anyone done it? Could not find any recent reports.
This blog post is really stoking my interest.
http://www.redwoodhikes.com/Sinkyone/LostCoast.html

[Wandering Daisy]

I have done the entire Lost Coast twice. Here is one trip report. The photos are messed up because I no longer use Photobucket. I can add the photos if that would help. I did an earlier one before I joined HST. I think I could dig up an old report since I always write for my records. Let me know if that would help.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12855&p=96352#p96352

[c9h13no3]

Hey all!
Trying to find non-Sierra backpacking options while we all wait for snow to melt. I would love to do the more popular Kings Rang section but permits are already booked every day until November. So this leads me to the little traveled southern Sinkyone Wilderness section that goes between Usal and Needle Rock.

Has anyone done it? Could not find any recent reports.
This blog post is really stoking my interest.
http://www.redwoodhikes.com/Sinkyone/LostCoast.html

Lots of good coastal backpacks in the Ventana Wilderness this time of year too, with much easier logistics. Course, you live in Santa Cruz, so you probably know this :P

[Wandering Daisy]

Here is a summary of my 2006 trip. May 18: 10 days. This trip had very difficult conditions, continuous rain, heavy at times (4 inches one night), very poor trail conditions (some washed out, much overgrown- no recent trail work done), and a pick-up at Hwy1 (Usel Road too rough for my husband to pick me up on his motorcycle!), so I added a few contingency days.

Day 1 North Section TH to Spanish Creek, 10.9 mi, 6 hr, foggy conditions, all beach walking

Day 2 to Gitchell Creek, 10.1 mi, 6 hr, all beach, rain at night

Day 3 14.1 mi, 8.3 hr, camped 1 mile north of Shelter Cove. Planned on camping at Shelter Cove CG, but it was full, so walked back to my camp.

Day 4 1 mile back to Shelter Cove, walk up the road to the store, pick up food that I took there before the trip, walked Hidden Valley Trail to junction and dropped to Wailakie CG, lots of rain, nice CCC trail crew let me camp with them and use their big group tarp and table. 6.6 hr, 8.1 mi, 3560 feet gain.

Day 5 Back up to trail, to Needle Rock CG 6.6 mi 5.8 hrs, plus day hike to Visitor Center to dry out gear and chat with host. 1100 gain. Rain most of day, very sketchy part of trail as it dropped to Wailakie

Day 6 Wheeler Camp, 7.3 mi, 7.1 hr heavy rain all day, 4 more inches at night! Big Elk herd! 1400 gain

Day 7 Little Jackass 4.8 mi, 4.9 hrs, very poor trail, washed out, overgrown. Bears! Trail covered with slimy slugs! 2100 gain

Day 8 Anderson Gulch, 2.5 hours, 3.4 hrs, sunny so stopped and spent day drying everything 600 gain

Day 9 Usel CG, 5.7 mi, 4 hr, rain off and on all day, only stopped here because I was not going to be picked up until late next day. 1700 gain

Day 10 Walked road to Hwy 1, very muddy, did not see any cars come up it, very poor condition. 1300 gain

Total trip: 17,000 feet gain, 76 miles, 55 hrs.

I must say that riding on the back of a motorcycle all the way back to my car was the most anxiety provoking part of the trip!

These two trips just illustrate that conditions can vary a lot in the Spring. The other trip was night-and-day, almost no rain, recently maintained trail. As popular as the trail is now, I doubt they would let it get in as bad condition as my 2006 trip.

I think you can start the south section at the Hidden Valley TH rather than Park headquarters. If you make it all the way to Needle Rock CG you do not need a permit for that section.

I noticed that the write-up went south to north. Almost all coast hiking should be done north-to-south if possible because of prevailing winds that blow north-to-south. Not a big issue in summer, but can be in early spring.