California's Lost Coast, 2004
Let's take a trip in the WayBack machine! 17 years ago.
This map is crap ... appears that the trail is currently closed indefinitely. Turns out this road is in worse shape now than it was when I explored it and Google was sending unknowing tourists down this road when 101 was blocked. I hear there are closed gates on it now.
(click for awful Google map)
On the fence about posting this one because, while the experience was exhilarating, the map I have here and the photos I caught leave a lot out. But what the heck, it was an adventure that bears sharing. The map is not correct ... Google will not let me select the route I actually took. So just ignore that blue line to the right that follows 101, I did not go that way. I continued following Usal Road past the the last point marked on the left and the point marked Briceland Road. I have a paper map that shows it ... paper maps are best maps.
I took a bit of a camping tour of California in 2004. One of the places I visited that I always wanted to explore was the "Lost Coast" of California. Having grown up in that part of the world, it will always hold a special draw for me.
I had spent the previous night in Van Damme State Park, a gorgeous little campground on California's Mendocino coast, just south of the town of Mendocino.
Headed out early in the morning on Highway 1, north past Fort Bragg until just after the road takes a sharp turn inland toward Leggett. On the north side of the highway is the entrance to Usal Road.
I went prepared with extra fuel and had all of my survival gear ... it was a camping expedition, you know. The route was to take Usal Road across Timber Ridge and
[Jacka $$] Ridge up the intersection with Briceland Road at a spot known as Four Corners (marked on the map as Briceland Road). From there continue north on Chemise Mountain Road up to Shelter Cove; or turn west and head down to the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park.
The clouds were low and thick along the ridgeline as I headed out so the scenery was limited by that. But the road was in good shape, the trees were thick, and I was having a great time exploring in my 2-year-old WJ. She didn't even have a name yet. Not long into the drive, I found this little bridge that I thought was cool.
My plan was to head up to Sinkyone and camp there. I drove on a bit more and found Usal Beach, but I did not know it then. Being young-ish and dumb-ish and inexperienced, I thought I was already at Sinkyone which was weird because I had not traveled far, and it was not what I expected. But it was a neat place, the scenery WAS beautiful, and the clouds were clearing off so I stopped and had lunch.
Here, I did a really poor job of cropping together a panoramic view of the beach. To the right is the beginning of the coastline known as "The Lost Coast". The mountains drop steeply down into the ocean all along it's length. There was actually another explorer there with his dog, hope I did not bug him too much.
After that, the road got more interesting. I discovered that the exterior cargo rack absolutely ruined my departure angle. I banged it on several rocks and ruts. I had to think twice about where I tried to drive. In all it was not too bad ... I was happy to have the extra fuel as insurance, but the cans were leaking pieces of garbage (angrily returned them, thanks CARB), but I have not taken the rack on an offroad adventure since. It is still in my garage, I may never use it again, but at least it kept the fuel cans back where they would not damage my paint while they leaked.
I did take a pic of Bella on the road, and another poorly stitched panorama. That's the Lost Coast down there.
Continuing on, the road continued to stretch on-and-on-and-on ... It was isolated, there was nobody to be seen anywhere. It got a little creepy. Thinking that the beach back there was Sinkyone, well I should have reached Shelter Cove by now, but on and on I went. Am I lost? Nah ... Eventually I found Four Corners and realized I was NOT lost. I should have stuck to the plan and went camping at Sinkyone, but the hours of mild anxiety wondering if I was lost had taken their toll and I decided to continue on. BIG MISTAKE because I have not been back since ...
I blew past to Shelter Cove and continued on through the King Range mountains, which was another mistake ... that road was even more creepy, hot, and desolate, with missing person's posters stapled to trees along the road. Knowing that I was deep into the Emerald Triangle and that there were likely illegal operations going on all around me, this did not lower my anxiety. Then I DID take a wrong turn and get a little lost on Saddle Mountain Road and hit a dead end. Feeling like I was skating too close to the edge of a Deliverance film, I skedaddled back the way I came and finally dropped out of the mountains in Honeydew and made my way back to civilization.
Would love to get back up there and explore, there are lots of trails out there that sound like fun.