After a failed attempt to drive down the iced road to the Lower Dungeness Trail, a friend and I decided to enact Plan B and haul out to Dungeness Spit near Sequim, WA. The road to the trailhead is paved the entire way and a $3 permit fee is required to enter the refuge. From the parking area, follow the dirt access road for approximately 0.5 mile as it winds through trees, past a lookout deck with a pair of high powered binoculars for public use free of charge and down the promontory to the beach. From here you will follow the outside of the spit approximately 4.5 miles to the New Dungeness Lighthouse where you may be offered a free tour. The tide was out during our trek out to the lighthouse and we found the compact sand near the waterline easier to walk on. The same was true for the return trip even though the tide was a little further in. There is no need to fear being trapped on the spit during high tide because there is always more than enough beach to walk on. The weather cooperated for the most part with occasional light rain on the return trip. I was able to complete the hike wearing shorts covered with gore-tex pants and a t-shirt with the occasional application of a cotton sweatshirt, a gore-tex rain jacket and gore-tex gloves. All in all it was a great hike with no obstacles encountered along the trail or on the roads leading there. The wind was not an issue.

Camped and hiked out on the Dungeness Spit. The weather was calm and beautiful. Many people were swimming. If you walk 1/2 mile up the beach, you'll leave the crowds behind and can explore the spit in privacy.

I also ran the upland trails on Sunday morning around 7am, and didn't see another person - just lots of quail, very tame deer, and several goldfinch.

we had planned on x country skiing at Hurricane ridge, but the road was closed with no indication of an opening time. Headed back to the Sequim area and walked the spit. We decided that if coast walking is 'coasting,' then spit walking must be spitting....follows logically no? Anyway....in the famous Olympic Rain Shadow, we walked through a half mile of ferny forest to the ramp to the beach. Turned towards the east and north and walked the spit for the 4 1/2 miles to the light station. Took a tour of the lighthouse from the volunteer keepers there( yes, you can volunteer to do this...see www.newdungenesslighthouse.com... rain turned the corner of Puget Sound and rattled the lighthouse windows. We hung out there and ate snacks and talked with the keepers and eventually took off again in the rain. It quickly stopped( hey, we asked as it is the Rain Shadow and it was Susie's birthday.....) and we enjoyed sunny conditions for our return stroll back. 10 miles round trip is somewhat tiring slogging along a beach. I recommend low tides for firm sand walking for this one......

Start:1030 Lighthouse: 1245 Finish: 1600

A fine amble along the spit. I arrived a little later than I had anticipated due to sleeping in. Paid the $3 to the ranger and off I went. By and large the vast majority of people stayed in the first 1/2 mile of the spit. Once past that, I pretty much had it to myself.

Lots of good beach hiking as the tide was still pretty low on the outbound leg. Lots and lots of Sanderlings deedeleebopping on the waters edge. Plenty of Sea Chickens (Gulls) and I was surprised to see Caspian Terns out there as well. I was constantly paralleled by Harbor Seals from about the halfway point to the lighthouse. Unfortunately, there was a dead baby seal near the lighthouse. The ranger came out and did a report on it and when high tide came, the sea took the body back out. A few yellow flowers as well and lots of crabs!

At the lighthouse I got an excellent tour from a volunteer who lives out there for a week and is then rotated. Got the whole history of the area and he was a real pleasant fellow. They're refinishing the floor of the main house and maintaining the rest of the buildings. I was surprised to see that they had an artesian well that pumped a constant 40 gallons/hour an tasted excellent. Had lunch at the lighthouse and enjoyed the weather. While it was cloudy, it was nice and cool with only moderate wind.

Heading back, the tide started to rise quickly and got caught by a couple of big waves coming up the beach to the shingle. The waves were really dramatic at the angle of the spit and boomed impressively. Lots of widowmaker logs coming in to the beach. Saw a lot of grommets and gulls hitting the water in one place and figured there was a herring ball present but couldn't really tell. Obviously something good for the birds.

Found that walking on an angle along the spit causes stress on your left outgoing and right incoming. Just was interesting to see how it affected the feet. And walking on the shingle can always be a little tricky, but overall was no problem thanks to the trusty hiking stick.

Went to the mandatory post spit dinner at the ""3 Crabs"" and had an excellent feed, followed by the drive and ferry back. Glad I didn't believe the weatherman!

DuckDuckGoose

-------------- Why are people always trying to stop themselves from doing what they really want to do?