Lost Coast Trail Tide Planning

[Daniel R]

Hi! I’m looking into the feasibility of a Lost Coast Trail trip in June. The tide tables for the window I have look discouraging, and I would love to get some insight from more experienced people.

 

I would like to start my hike on June 6, and hike out on June 8. For the tide tables, I’m looking at this tide chart: LINK.

High tide happens around noon, which seems about as inconvenient as it can get. I thought of a potential plan to work with it. The plan involves camping just before an impassible zone, and hiking out at 5:30 am when the tide is at its lowest point. Getting up that early doesn’t sound fun but I’m used to it for my job, and I figure I can take a nap when I stop for lunch.

Here’s my plan in outline form:

6/6

• Take shuttle to trail, arrive around noon
• Hike past Punta Gorda in afternoon during receding tide
• Set up camp at Sea Lion Gulch

6/7

• Get up at 5:30, hike through impassable zone as quickly as possible (would need to be past the zone by 11 if I’m reading the chart correctly)
• Take a break around noon for lunch/nap
• Hike to Big Flat, set up camp

6/8

• Get up at 5:30, hike through impassable zone as quickly as possible
• Take a break around noon for lunch/nap
• Hike out in the afternoon

 

Is it unwise to hike during the rising tide like this? It seems like I would have 4 or 5 hours before it 3 feet, assuming good weather.

Am I being too paranoid? Not paranoid enough? Can you think of an alternative plan I could use? Would appreciate any insight anyone can offer.

 

[Ken Thompson]

Those tides are not in your favor, but doable. Surf conditions will play a large part there too. Keep your eyes peeled for old fence posts up on the marine terrace. Usually a hard packed trail to follow up off the beach. After Big Flat it is what it is, mostly along the beach.

[Daniel R]

Cool!  Do you think that the idea of hiking in the morning i the best way to make it doable? The problem is that even if I wait for the afternoon after high tide, low tide isn’t really that low and it starts rising again within a couple hours.

[Ken Thompson]

Yes, but I am a morning person. But in this case it does make good sense.

 

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