This activity is part of the annual Washington Coast Cleanup – a dedicated, focused effort by 100’s (but never enough) of volunteers to pick up debris from the Washington Coast from Long Beach to Cape Flattery. To learn more about the big picture, check out coastsavers.org. (There is no need to register at coastsavers.org; I have registered for the group.)

Our group will meet the evening of April 19th at the Lake Ozette campground OR at 0830 on April 20th at the Lake Ozette Ranger Sta... More

This activity is part of the annual Washington Coast Cleanup – a dedicated, focused effort by 100’s (but never enough) of volunteers to pick up debris from the Washington Coast from Long Beach to Cape Flattery. To learn more about the big picture, check out coastsavers.org. (There is no need to register at coastsavers.org; I have registered for the group.)

Our group will meet the evening of April 19th at the Lake Ozette campground OR at 0830 on April 20th at the Lake Ozette Ranger Station. Either way, on the morning of the 20th, we will hitch a ride from the ranger station to Duk Point with folks from Friends of Olympic National Park. Duk Point beaches run from just south of Point of the Arches at the north to the Ozette River at the south – about 4 miles total. Our group will probably work the northern beaches this year.

Most of us will camp at the Lake Ozette campground the night of 4-19 (Friday). Camping is courtesy of the National Park Service since we are participating in the cleanup. (Of course, if you don’t want to camp, you can drive out the morning of the 20th, but it’s a long drive.) Folks are welcome to stay at the campground again on Saturday night (again free of charge) and those who do so may want to join me for a trip to Neah Bay on Sunday. (I plan on having breakfast at the Warm House Café, taking a hike out to Cape Flattery, and visiting the Makah Museum on Sunday.) Also, if you are a Mountaineer kayaker, we will go on a paddle on the afternoon of April 19th; meet at the campground at 2 PM for the paddle. (I intend to be at campground by 130 or so to get my tent setup prior to the paddle.)

There is potable water at the Lake Ozette campground; bring everything else you will need to camp and hike. (But keep your hiking gear to a minimum – enabling you to carry more trash.) For the hike itself, hiking boots and clothing appropriate for the weather – stuff to keep you warm and dry - will be needed as will water and food.

There are a few pieces of gear that are helpful to have for the cleanup - but certainly not necessary: A stout 6 or 8 inch fixed-blade knife (We often need to cut large diameter line), gardening gloves, and a pack board. Trash bags will be provided.

While any of the listed maps will be useful, I think the Seatrails map is the best for this activity.

Directions to the ranger station and to the Lake Ozette campground: Take hwy 101 through Port Angeles to Sappho. At Sappho (don’t blink) turn right onto hwy 113. Hwy 113 will merge into Hwy 112. Take Hwy 112 through Clallam Bay and past Sekiu. About 2.5 miles beyond Sekiu turn left on Hoko Ozette Road. Continue on Hoko Ozette Road to the ranger station at the end of the road. It will take about 2 hrs to get from Port Angeles to the ranger station. (Don’t be tempted to take a right on hwy 112 just out of Port Angeles – it is the sort-of-scenic-but-definitely-slow route.) If you are using a GPS or Google Maps (or a similar mapping service), you can aim at 21261 Hoko-Ozette Road, Clallam Bay, Washington.

Please contact me at hohfern@gmail.com if you have any questions and to let me know (1) if you are coming out on Friday or Saturday, (2) if you are joining me on the Sunday trek to Neah Bay, and (3) if you are kayaking with us on Friday.

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