WINTER HIKING IS A
Coastal Life
DIFFERENT KIND
OF BEAUTIFUL
W
Story by DAN HAAG
ith the onset of rain and wind, we
take stock of what winter rep-
resents: perhaps a needed vacation,
or settling down with a stack of
books.
But don’t let wet weather
dampen your sense of adventure,
because the Oregon Coast’s beauty is not limited
by season.
Unlike our East Coast friends, we don’t need
a snowblower to venture outdoors. Hiking in the
winter rewards you with empty trails and a serenity
you won’t ¿ nd in -uly or $ugust.
Two nearby hikes are particularly inviting.
Perched between Manzanita and Cannon
Beach, Oswald West State Park is boundlessly
beautiful: winding trails, lush un-
dergrowth, regal trees, and vistas
of sea and sand. Stretching along
four miles of coastline between
$rch Cape and 1eah-.ah-1ie
Mountain, this 2,500-acre preserve
is a place of quiet contemplation
and regenerative power.
Plentiful trails offer green rain
cover and a cool embrace. One spi-
rals up 1eah-.ah-1ie Mountain
for magni¿ cent views of winter
storms building over the Paci¿ c.
$nother stretches between
Cape )alcon and $rch Cape. The
2-mile Cape Falcon Trail begins
at the northwest parking lot along U.S. Highway
101. The most accessible trail, it winds through old
growth. On a clear winter day at Cape Falcon, you
can see north to Tillamook Head and south to Cape
Lookout.
$nother trail in the park, starting from a south
parking lot, leads you to Short Sand Beach; a spur
trail also connect the Cape Falcon Trial to the
beach. Here lies the park’s essence; trees straight
out of Tolkein, pounding waves and supplies for
driftwood fort-building. $ popular cove with surf-
ers, several are always bobbing in the waves.
$ popular park in the summer, Oswald West
quiets considerably in the fall and winter, anticipat-
ing thundering surf and lashing wind. The hissing
rain on the emerald canopy adds a tranquility found
only outdoors in a coastal winter.
$ few miles north of Oswald West lies Ecola
Creek Forest Reserve, which encompasses the
north and west forks of Ecola Creek. Tucked away
from Cannon Beach to the east of U.S. Highway
101, the reserve is as quiet as the surface of the
moon in the winter months. The splatter of rain
drops on ferns and gravel crunching beneath your
boots may be the only sounds you hear.
Hikers start at the end of Elk Creek Road and
pass beneath towering red cedars. $ gate bars
motorized vehicles and a small information kiosk
shows the way.
The road rises and falls through Sitka spruce,
clear cuts now overtaken by alders, spruce and
hemlock, and the constant burble of Ecola Creek’s
west fork.
You’ll come to a road rising to the right. Head
uphill to another information kiosk above a city
water treatment facility. Turn right down the slope,
cross a short bridge, and head deeper into a lush
forest of spruce and cedar rising from a carpet of
brilliant green ferns.
The trees offer ample cover
from all but the heaviest rainfall,
though the trail is often muddy and
alive with skittering newts.
Eventually, you’ll come to a
chip trail with a marker pointing up
through the forest. $t the top lies
an old logging road, which loops
back toward the power lines.
If you’re still feeling adventur-
ous, head down under power lines
and for the West Fork.
Though relatively easy to ford
across in the summer, increased
winter rains make it risky, more
so with the creek’s slick, muddy banks. Spare your
boots and save the crossing for a hot summer day
— it’s time to head back, dry off, and get into that
stack of books.
Whatever trail you wander this winter, go pre-
pared. Some trailheads charge a small day use fee,
and hikes are well worth the price of admission.
.eep an eye on weather conditions before you
set out. $ sturdy rain Macket is a must, as are well-
worn, water-repellant boots.
Do your dogs a favor and bring them along:
They get cabin fever, too. Remember, leashes are
required at both Oswald West State Park and the
Ecola Creek Forest Reserve.
$dd a few basics such as water, light snacks,
a À ashlight and a cell phone. Most importantly, let
someone know your route and destination, as cell
reception can be spotty in the forest.
Don’t let the rain put a halt to trailblazing. Heed
the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and hike
enough to ensure “the strength of the shoe leather
has passed into the ¿ ber of your body.´
Hiking in the
winter rewards
you with empty
trails and a
serenity you
won’t fi nd in July
or August.
Photo by Dan Haag
Trees and ferns beckon along a pedestrian-only trail in the Ecola Creek Forest Reserve. The winding trail off ers great views of the North
Fork of Ecola Creek and is an easy-to-moderate walk from the gated access at Elk Creek Road.
Submitted photo
The waterfalls at Short Sand Beach are running strong after winter rains.
4 | February 11, 2016 | coastweekend.com