Dinner at the bus stop. Hey, it's dry!
Lake Ozette Paddle and Hike
Rating: SKII
Distance: Variable
Date: March 26-28, 2004
Leader: Pete Schwab Participants: 7
Weather: It was the end of March, what do you expect? Variable from overcast and rainy/windy, low forties at night to mostly clear and temps around 60-65F.
Description:
Thursday: We made the drive up to Ozette on Thursday afternoon in time to set up camp and eat supper in the daylight. Not only in the daylight but in the rain, cold, and wind. Nevertheless, we got the job done just in time for some of the other folks to arrive. By the time they'd eaten, we got a break. The stars and moon came out and we were able to sit around a campfire and chew the fat a bit before settling in for the night.
Friday: Friday was up for grabs. Hike or paddle, whatever the group wanted. But Friday dawned disgusting! Raining, cold, and windy. Looked like a lousy day for either activity so we piled in the cars and drove over to Neah Bay and spent a few hours in the Makah museum. The museum was terrific. Many of the artifacts are from the archeological dig at Ozette so there was plenty of history to be seen. Followed that up with lunch at the Makah Cafe (featuring the "Kalakala Burger") down the street and drove back to Ozette for the evening. There wasn't a dry place in sight. What to do for supper? Well, over in the main parking area there's a three-sided structure that looks rather like a bus stop. We hauled all of our cook gear over there and had supper out of the rain.
Dinner at the bus
stop. Hey, it's dry!
Saturday: Saturday morning was a nice surprise. Cool and overcast but very little wind and the rain had stopped. Things were beginning to dry out as a weak high pressure system moved inland. Great day for a hike. So after breakfast we all got together at the trail head right behind the ranger station and headed out along the trail to Cape Alava. The boardwalk is, in places rough, bent, and broken...and slippery. Take care! It appears that the Park Service is experimenting with various types of walkways so the future may be brighter. In the meantime be prepared for sore calves from trying to maintain your balance. The trail is easy, climbing up over some small hills and then down to the beach. Black Tail Deer abound on the berm above the beach and will allow you to get very close for photography. From the trailhead at the beach we walked south to Wedding Rocks where the petroglyphs are, and then returned via the same trail. An option would be to complete the whole loop, going south to Sand Point and then back to the park. Our distance was about 8.5 miles, the loop is only about 9.
Along the boardwalk to Cape
Alava
According to the Park Service:
"You
will find dozens of Indian petroglyphs at Wedding Rocks, ask for the
interpretive handout at the ranger station before departing. The northern point
of this 9 mile triangular trail is Cape Alava, with a rocky shore and reefs to
explore at low tide. Cape Alava is also the site of an ancient Makah village
partially buried in a mud slide over 500 years ago. Artifacts recovered from
this site can be viewed at the Makah Museum in Neah Bay. The site is now closed
and marked with a small sign. Be sure to check a tide table to time your beach
walk with an outgoing tide, and carry the 10 hiking essentials - and lots of
film as seals, deer, eagles and perhaps osprey, otters and whales may be there,
rain or shine! Hiking north along the beach to Cape Alava will (usually) keep
the ocean breeze at your back. The cedar plank walkway can be slick - soft-soled
athletic shoes are often preferred over vibram boots".
The weather held up all day. Saturday evening we moved out of the bus stop and were able to cook and socialize back at the camp.
Sunday: Great day! Mild, light breezes, and partly clear skies. We launched our boats at the ranger station and paddled south to Erickson Bay to eat a little lunch and check out the boat-in campground. Very nice sand beach with lots of little trails running into the woods where there are plenty of tent sites. Absolutely no facilities. With a four hour drive back to Seattle in front of us we opted to eat a little lunch and then head back. A really nice little paddle. CAUTION: I haven't seen it, but the Ranger says that 3-4 foot waves can form on that lake in windy conditions.
Lake Ozette from the Olympic
National Park campground
Potential Paddles on Lake Ozette:
1. Paddle
the entire lakeshore: 19 NM.
2. South end from Swan Bay Boat Ramp. 11.5 NM. Travel south to
the end of the lake and then return on the west side to Shafers' Point and cross
back to Swan Bay.
3. North end from the Ranger station at the campground. 7 NM.
Travel south to Erickson Bay for exploration and lunch. Then cross to the
east side and return.
Tides/Currents:
If you're going to do the hike down to the beach check the tides at La Push. You'll want to pick a day when it's low tide when you get down there...or maybe a little later. That should make your beach hike completely safe and fun.
There are no currents in the lake but the Ranger has told me that the lake is capable of generating 3-4 foot wind waves in bad weather.
Charts:
REI North Olympic Coast, Washington (includes entire lake, mileages
etc.)
Directions to Launch Site: From I-5 at Highway 16 it’s 189 miles (4 hours) to Ozette. Take highway 16 to highway 3 (at Bremerton), then take hwy 3 until you reach 104. Take 104 over to the Olympic Peninsula where you’ll get on Hwy 101. Take Hwy 101 to Port Angeles and follow it through town. When 101 turns left (towards Forks) follow it out of Port Angeles and a couple of miles down the road you'll come to the Hwy 112 turn to the right which is well marked for Neah Bay. It's about 40 miles to Seiku from the turn but it's two lane, and kinda slow. Just after you go through Seiku you'll see the well marked turn to the left to Ozette. Then 21 more miles to the park.
An alternative route is to avoid Hwy 112 with all its twists and turns. Coming out of Port Angeles just stay on Hwy 101, past Crescent Lake, and then turn right on Hwy 113. Take 113 over to 112 and you'll be in Clallam Bay, just short of Seiku and the turn to Ozette. The road's a little wider and straighter. Not shorter...just easier driving.
Camping: Camping is available at either Olympic National Park (Ozette) or at the Lost Resort which is just inside the park boundaries.
Olympic National Park
(Ozette) Open All Year
Ozette campground is located at the northern tip of Ozette lake approximately
three miles from the Pacific coast. It has 15 sites and is at an elevation of 40
feet. Ozette campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis. No park
campgrounds have hookups, showers, or laundry. Accessible restrooms located
nearby. $10 each night (payable at the drop box where you turn into the
campground). May be closed during periods of heavy rain due to flooding.
For More Information on this campground
please call (360) 565-3130
NOTE: When we were there, the bathrooms WERE open, and the rangers
were in the station during the day.
The Lost Resort
The resort is located just inside the park boundary on your left. Nice
camp store with a lot of necessities (stove fuel, food, stuff) including beer
and ice. Really nice place to have so close by. They are in the
process of building dozens of camp sites so, if Ozette is full, go by the Lost
Resort. They have firewood but ours was green and presented quite a
challenge. Also see:
http://www.northolympic.com/lostresort/lakeoz.html
or call 1-800-950-2899.
Facilities:
