Backpack - Ozette Triangle

Meet at 9 AM Friday on the front porch of the Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center (WIC), 3002 S Mt. Angeles Road, Port Angeles, WA. 98362,  It is reached by turning left from US 101 in Port Angeles at N. Race St., continuing up the hill past where it changes its name to S. Mt. Angeles Road, and turning right into the WIC at the south end of town.     

At our campsites, Olympic National Park requires that all odor-emitting substances be stored overnight in an approved bear canister.  A canister can be borrowed from the WIC at no charge.  Before we meet at 9 AM I will pick up any bear canisters requested by participants in our trip and pick up the prepaid permit for our trip.  When we meet, I will distribute the bear canisters and collect the camp fees, which are $17.00 per person, in cash or by check.  Those borrowing bear canisters from the WIC will need to repack their gear at the trailhead, because the canister goes inside your pack.  Be sure that your pack is large enough for the bear canister to fit inside it.

We will caravan from the WIC to the trailhead, involving heading north on S. Mt. Angeles Road, left at the traffic light at Lauridsen, and straight at the next traffic light to rejoin US 101.  Turn right at SR 112, signed to Neah Bay, right at the stop sign at the T junction to stay on SR 112, left at Hoko-Ozette Road and continue to the trailhead parking lot at the end of the road.  A National Park  Pass must be displayed by each car parked there.

We will have a picnic lunch at the trailhead, where a water faucet provides clean water and nice restrooms are nearby.  Then we will begin a 3.3 mile hike to Cape Alava campground, where we camp Friday night.  There is a stream where water can be filtered near the south end of the camping area.  Although we have a campsite reservation, campsites are first come, first served, so arriving on Friday should allow us to find a better campsite.  After setting up camp, we will stroll a short way up the beach to view the site of  an ancient Indian Village and gather firewood for the evening campfire.   After a camp dinner, we'll build a campfire and roast smores, followed by conversation around the fire.  There are two outhouses by the Cape Alava camping area.

Saturday morning we'll have a camp breakfast, break camp, eat a trail lunch in camp and then after lunch head south on the beach to take advantage of the  2:10 PM low tide.  We'll stop at Wedding Rocks for a rest break and an opportunity to search out the 50 ancient Indian petroglyphs located on the rocks there.  Then we'll continue on to Sand Point, which is about 3 miles from Cape Alava.  We'll camp on the south beach if there is enough sand above the high tide mark.  Otherwise we can camp at one of the many large campsites in the woods with no view of the ocean.   No campfires are permitted at Sand Point, but we will have a camp dinner together in the evening. Water can be filtered from a stream at the south end of the camping area.  There are two outhouses at Sand Point.  A late evening option will be  to  view the 9:22 PM sunset from atop the small hill at Sand Point, where there is a panoramic view up and down the coast.

Sunday morning we will have a camp breakfast, break camp and hike back to the cars on a three mile trail.  The two trails from Ozette to Cape Alava  and from  Sand Point to Ozette are mostly level and about half on board walks and half on dirt and gravel.  They pass through a scenic rain forest.  The beach hike on Saturday is all level and mostly on sand and flat rocks or through small rocks.  There is no climbing over headlands, due to the timing of the hike.

On the drive home there will be the option for a meal stop at a restaurant, if covid 19 conditions permit it.