Hike Coordinator: Lane Harris
Narration by Lane Harris
Hikes that are scheduled weeks, or sometimes months in advance are never planned around the weather. No one can predict the weather that far in advance. So, we just schedule the hikes and hope for the best. And when those hikes are scheduled on the Oregon coast, well, that makes it even more unpredictable. And a hike scheduled in November? Odds are really good that you’re in for some cold, miserable weather…
But, as it turned out on this particular day in the middle of November, it appeared we had beat those odds! A large group of us arrived at the Oregon Dunes day use area north of Reedsport, greeted by some very friendly weather and some very friendly fellow hikers from the South Coast Striders hiking group. The conditions were so good, that many of us hiked the entire hike with just short sleeved shirts. Exceptionally calm winds with mild temps made for great hiking!
The caravan of hikers departed the parking lot and headed down the hill and towards the foredunes. The mile-long walk to the beach offers up a mix of part sandy desert, part forest, and part dune before promptly spitting hikers onto the beach. We took an immediate turn south, as the plan was to walk the beach all the way to Tahkenitch Creek. Several hikers opted for the shorter, 4-mile loop back up, which was achieved by only walking a mile and a half down the beach and then turning back inland toward the day use area. The rest of us made the long journey to where Tahkenitch Creek empties into the ocean.
The beach offered several distractions on the long trudge, including huge logs that had washed ashore, seagulls frolicking in the water, and jellyfish the size of frisbees, and larger!
After the long beach walk, hikers sat atop logs and such near Tahkenitch Creek and dined on whatever hikers bring for lunch. After a long respite here, we donned our backpacks once again and headed back north up the beach.
By this time, all hikers had been spread out as thin as that last bit of butter on a piece of toast, and we were in groups of only 2 or 3. At what is apparently milepost 114 on the Oregon coast, everyone turned inland for what would eventually be the strenuous part of the hike.
The trail was kind enough, as it meandered through the foredunes and a lush, forested knoll. Hikers caught a few glimpses of Tahkenitch Creek before the trail turned north towards the trailhead.
It was the last 1.5 miles that made us wonder why we decided to do a marathon hike to Tahkentch Creek before we turned around. The sand was deep and not the easiest to navigate. Anyone who has walked through deep, thick sand knows it takes twice as much energy to walk through it than walking on a solid surface. According to that math, then that last part, according to our legs, was really 3 miles, not 1.5!
All hikers made it back, thankful for the kind weather that mother nature had delivered. For those of us who did the whole enchilada, this was a rewarding 8.5-mile hike. Umm, better make that 10!
Read about this hike on Richard O’Neill’s Blog
More pictures on Richard O’Neill’s Flickr page and Lane Harris’ Flickr page
Pictures below by Richard O’Neill
