Backpack - Rialto Beach to Chilean Memorial

Meet at 9 AM Saturday on the front porch of the Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center (WIC) 3002 Mt. Angeles Road, Port Angeles.

At the WIC I will pay the $8 per person per night camp fee for everyone in the group and pick up bear canisters (no fee) for those needing them.  Olympic National Park requires that where we are camping all odor-emitting substances be kept overnight in an approved bear canister.  Those borrowing a canister from the WIC will need to repack their gear, so that the canister can fit inside your pack.  That can be done either at the WIC or at the trailhead, depending on where we have more time available.  Drinking water will be available at our campsite from a local stream, but must be filtered or treated to eliminate giardia and crytosporidium.

From the WIC we will caravan to the trailhead, by heading north on Mt. Angeles Road, turning left at Lauridsen, continuing straight at the traffic light onto US 101, continuing past Lake Crescent, turning right at SR 110 (signed to La Push), turning right at Mora Road (by the general store) and parking at the left parking lot at the end of the road, designated for backpackers.

When everyone is ready, we will hike north on Rialto Beach, through the Hole-in-the Wall rock formation and around two other headlands to arrive at our campsite on the beach at Chilean Memorial Cove.  This is a mostly level hike on the beach, but is rated moderate because there is some boulder hopping involved, primarily just before we reach camp and at the beginning and end of Sunday's day hike.  Our hike will be made easier by the favorable timing of the tide, that will keep us between low tide and mid-tide whenever we are hiking.