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February 1, 2007
 
Lost Coast Trilogy Part Three
Sinkyone State Park
by BENNETT BARTHELEMY
If you really desire to
fall of the map, head down to Sinkyone State Park. It has an
almost mythical quality to it, starting with the drive in. From
the north, narrow paved roads give way to one lane of dirt a
few miles from the rustic visitor's center at Needle Rock. The
muddy strip hugs precipitous drops, leaving you thankful for
the fog that obscures the abyss below. Remember Johnny Depp in
the Legend of Sleepy Hollow? It wouldn't be a stretch to say
that portions of that gothically-dark landscape could easily
be transposed here when the fog is drifting.
One day, instead of driving the roads, I will connect
the strip on foot that ties together the northern Lost Coast
at Black Sands Beach to the southern Lost Coast at Needle Rock.
If anyone out there has done this shoot me an e-mail, I would
love to hear about it.
One day, too, I will connect it all. I can't think
of a much better week -- covering 50 miles on foot, all the way
from the mouth of the Mattole to Usal campground at the terminus
of Sinkyone State Park. But for a two-day adventure it is hard
to beat the 17 miles that roll up and down the Coast Range peaks,
in mirrored but more static representation of the swells offshore.
The greatest similarity between the northern and
southern Lost Coast sections is in the name only. The northern
25 miles offer minutes off the sand, while hiking the lower 17
the opposite is true. On the Coastal Trail through the Sinkyone,
sand and salt water coalesce as distant visions, viewed from
1,000-foot bluffs between swirls of fog. Only a few times does
the trail come near the surf at wave level, and these are at
creeks that have split the bluffs. Map reading can get dizzying
while following the trail as it bisects the near tangle of topographical
lines. Knees and calves are put to the test, making trekking
poles a seriously wise investment.
The history here is fascinating. A railroad and
even a high-wire chute was used to deliver Doug fir and redwood
timber out of the rugged hills to offshore schooners in the late
1800s. Then, in the 1980s, environmental activists worked to
save Sally Bell Grove from the axe, as it was still being logged
then. Thanks to their efforts, today there are still rare patches
of old growth nestled within the park.
Just last year, HR 233 granted much of Sinkyone
State Park designation as a federally recognized and protected
Wilderness. Years of hard work have gone into erasing old logging
roads and restoring the watersheds. With so much yearly rain,
the area has rebounded well -- some invasive pampas grass and
a few concrete footings and old fence posts was about all the
lingering impacts I have seen.
 In
contrast with the monotone fog that is fairly ubiquitous, the
rest of the landscape is rich with color. Elevation gain and
contour allows for some incredible diversity. Chaparral regions
merge with thick Doug fir and redwood forest, sycamores line
riparian areas and with each of these habitats are multitudes
of flowering plants, birds and larger critters with sharp teeth
and horns. Being a bit of a closet botanist, I found myself last
trip staring three feet in front of me the first few miles, trying
to figure out the flowers and plants. Stricken with tunnel vision,
it wasn't until I was within spitting distance of a huge bull
elk that I saw him. Luckily, a friendly Doug fir offered its
branches as a vertical escape route.
Rut season, heading into fall, is a tense time
for elk, as harems are being built and males fight each other
for dominance. Territory issues mean that you may find yourself
wishing you could fly to get clear of a charging elk. Your chances
to return unscathed improve greatly if you bring a hiking partner
that can't run quite as fast as you.
A bear canister is always easier than trying to
hang food, and they are rentable at the local BLM office -- well
worth the slim investment for a good night's sleep. I have not
seen bear on this section, although there are warning signs posted
-- a good thing, because the elk have always been plentiful and
are exciting enough.
Just east of the State Park is the Sinkyone InterTribal
Park. It's not yet open to the public, but plans are in the works
to connect trails to it from the west. The InterTribal Park is
owned and administered by a consortium of local native tribes
and exists to help promote North Coast Native education by providing
a link to history and culture in a natural environment. Hunting,
ceremonies and restoration projects have provided not only a
bridge to sustain aspects of culture, but jobs for many local
natives. In a few years, when the trails are connected, the general
public will gain some access and opportunities to learn about
native culture as well.
It is exciting for me, after a day or two hiking,
to gain insight about the realities of native peoples and others
that live or made their living off a wild and rugged land. Local
author Ray Raphael has a great book about the region -- An
Everyday History of Somewhere -- that really brings home
what was happening and what it took to survive out here. From
harvesters of tan oak bark to loggers, it allows a very personal
glimpse into the lives of many of the individuals and what they
had to endure to survive. This vicarious historical adventuring
helps me put into perspective my "fears" about the
unknown when I bed down for the night and hear a thrashing in
the brush.
Humans have done a great job surviving for thousands
of years with the slimmest of essentials. It amazes me how quickly
we can transition to an existence with the vast majority of our
time spent inside our permanent homes and cars. But what is equally
amazing is how comfortable it feels to shed the concrete and
asphalt yoke after just a couple of days outside.
Email Bennett Barthelemy at bennettbarthelem@hotmail.com,
or write in care of the Journal at 145 G St., Suite A, Arcata,
95521.
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