B4
THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021
Gary Chapman
Backpackers traverse the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail, a roughly 60-mile trail that runs from downtown Corvallis to the Oregon Coast south of Newport.
Trail from Corvallis to central coast to open
A nearly 50 year eff ort
By JAMIE HALE
The Oregonian
Backpackers who have aspired to hike
from the Willamette Valley to the Oregon
Coast fi nally have a dedicated trail to do it.
The Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail has been
little more than a pipe dream for nearly 50
years, but on Aug. 21 it will offi cially open
with a ribbon cutting ceremony, off ering yet
another outdoor adventure in Oregon.
Running about 60 miles from downtown
Corvallis to Ona Beach south of Newport,
the long-distance hiking and mountain bik-
ing trail crosses through a dense Coast Range
forest, using old logging roads and newly cut
trails. Like the neighboring Oregon Coast
Trail, some sections of the hike also require
walking along the shoulders of open roads.
The new trail is certainly challenging, but
that may be a small price to pay for dedicated
adventurers who seek the thrill of trekking
from the valley to the ocean.
Gary Chapman, president of the C2C Trail
Partnership that made the trail a reality, said
people have already been exploring the Cor-
vallis-to-the-Sea Trail, which has technically
been open (though unsigned) for more than
a year. Now that signs are in place and maps
are being printed, it’s fi nally time for a proper
celebration.
“I feel like we’re doing something that
would make the people who started the idea
back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, to make them
proud, if they could be here, to see what’s
happened,” Chapman said. “Mainly it’s a
camaraderie and a thank you to what soci-
ety has been able to create, despite all the tur-
moil we’ve seen over the last years. It’s really
gratifying.”
The fi rst real attempt at blazing the trail
appears to have come from Oregon State Uni-
versity student Marty Wong, who scoped out
a route in 1974 during an internship with the
Siuslaw National Forest. The idea bounced
around bureaucratic channels and made it into
local newspapers before dying on the vine in
the 1980s. Oregon State students revived the
idea in the 1990s, but it once again failed due
to a lack of federal resources.
In 2003, the C2C Trail Partnership came
together to give it another shot, patiently
gaining permission from the U.S. Forest Ser-
vice, Bureau of Land Management and pri-
vate landowners, building the trail with help
from a variety of local organizations, private
donations and scores of volunteers.
Hikers who complete the 60-mile trail
will cross through a patchwork of public and
private lands, and while it’s free to hike, all
through-hikers need to obtain a special per-
mit to hike one section of the trail.
Chapman said the C2C Trail Partnership
already has plans for future projects. Eventu-
ally they would like to add loop trails for day
hikers and backpackers looking for quicker
adventures. The partnership would also like
to get hikers off the shoulders of roads, if
possible.
And then there’s the question of how
popular the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail will
become. If hikers fl ock to the trail, there will
be a greater impact to the land that may need
to be addressed, Chapman said. Right now,
there are no established backcountry camp-
sites, and offi cials remain optimistic that
backpackers will leave no trace as they go.
“Will success spoil C2C?” Chapman
asked. “That’s always a potential problem.”
Unlike some of the most popular back-
packing trails in Oregon, there are no vol-
cano views or alpine lakes to entice hikers.
And while Chapman said he doesn’t consider
the trail to be particularly diffi cult, not every-
body agrees.
Al LePage, executive director of the
National Coast Trail Association, which has
aided in the eff ort to complete the Corval-
lis-to-the-Sea Trail, said he fi rst visited the
wild, unfi nished trail with Chapman about 15
years ago, “to see what it was really like,” and
returned last year to hike the completed trail
end to end.
“It’s not just a cakewalk, it’s not just a
walk in the woods,” LePage said. “I thought
it was challenging, very challenging.”
Like most other backpacking trails in the
Pacifi c Northwest, the Corvallis-to-the-Sea
Trail requires some special preparation and
precautions. All drinking water taken from
streams must be boiled or treated. All food
should be either hung from high branches
or stored in bear canisters away from camp.
And hikers are asked to bury human waste
and pack out used toilet paper.
Campfi res are banned year-round on the
trail, except at the developed Big Elk Camp-
ground about 30 miles in.
Hikers and bikers might also run into
black bears and cougars on the trail, Chap-
man said (in fact, some already have) and
should make sure to know how to fend off
potential attacks — though the best advice is
just to leave all wildlife alone, he said.
LePage said he hiked a total of 62 miles
in fi ve days on his most recent trip down the
Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail, sleeping in rough
backcountry campsites, drinking purifi ed
water and battling mosquitos the whole way,
but he said the struggles were worth it in the
end when he stepped out onto Ona Beach.
A seasoned Oregon adventurer, LePage
said he’d like to see the new trail become part
of what he calls the Grand Oregon Adventure
Loop, or GOAL. In his vision, hikers could
paddle the 187-mile Willamette Water Trail
from Corvallis to Portland, then continue
paddling down the Lower Columbia River
Water Trail to Astoria. From there, they can
hike the Oregon Coast Trail south to New-
port and hike the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail
back to Corvallis.
For the most part, though, the Corvallis-
to-the-Sea Trail will appeal to the slightly
more casual adventurers, those who light up
at the prospect of a week in the woods and
60 miles under their feet. Chapman said the
trail is already attracting about three parties
a week, roughly split between hikers and
bikers.
Adventure aside, one of the biggest draws
might just be the opportunity to immerse
yourself into a natural setting that is bet-
ter known for logging roads and highways.
Although the trail has logging nearby and
some busy roads, Chapman said there’s
plenty of opportunity to escape into the quiet
of the Coast Range forest.
“What do you hear out there?” he said,
thinking back to his most recent trip. “Once
you get away from the civilization and every-
thing, what you hear is silence.”
Going to the Dogs!
ST
E
T
N
O
C
PHOTO
Welcome to
’s
D G DAYS
Juniper
& Chip
National Dog Day
Photo Contest!
Grab your collars and your cameras, National Dog Day is Aug. 26 and we
are on the prowl for the bestest, cutest, snuggliest pups on the coast.
According to www.nationaldogday.com, the day celebrates all dogs, mixed
breed and purebred, and works to promote the many dogs that need to be
rescued.
Last year we had 144 shots of over 160 critters.
Submit your photo(s) before midnight Wednesday, Aug. 18 here:
dailyastorian.com/dogdays
Then, come back and visit the pooches all that next week and vote on
your favorite before midnight Sunday, Aug 22. Vote once a day.
The top vote-getters will be featured in the annual Going to the Dogs
section on Thursday, Aug. 26.
Share with your friends and family: #Going2TheDogsNW
Now, who’s a good boy? Who’s a good girl?
For more information, call The Astorian at 971-704-1555 or email sales@dailyastorian.com
Coastal Living
Proudly serving the Oregon North Coast from Tillamook to the WA. Peninsula
Golden Whale Jewelry
Gemstones • Silver
Gold • Navaho • Earrings
14kt Gold & Sterling Charms
Quality jewelry in gold and sterling
silver by nationally known artists
Se habla español
Renae Lalyn Nelson
Owner
Cell: 503.717.2231
renae@luckyductllc.com
P.O. Box 979
Seaside, OR 97138
www.luckyductllc.com
CCB# 206236
Come Join Us!
One of the most unique Cafes in the world. Located on
the Columbia River in the West’s oldest cannery building;
the historic Hanthorn Cannery at the end of Pier 39
Friendly services • High quality espresso
Sumptuous fresh pastries
Unique breakfasts and lunches
Monday - Friday 7 AM TO 4 PM
Saturday & Sunday 8 AM TO 4 PM
100 39th Street #2, Astoria, Oregon
503.325.6900 • T HE C OFFEE G IRL . COM
194 N. Hemlock
Cannon Beach
(503)436-1166
(800)548-3918
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING UNIQUE, VISIT THE GOLDEN WHALE
Off Hwy 101,
Next to Costco