Rant: People keep skipping the first three miles of the Lost Coast Trail and it's a bad idea

I see a lot of trip reports where folks start at Mattole Beach and skip the initial beach section by using the Chemise Mountain Road. That first stretch has soft sand and can be slow, but it gets you used to the tides and the pack weight before you hit the real rocky sections. Missing it means you're less ready for the trickier parts near Sea Lion Gulch. Has anyone else found that starting point makes a big difference in how the rest of the hike feels?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaretk892mo ago

Wait, people skip that part on purpose? That's like training for a marathon but skipping the first mile.

the_robin1d ago

Sometimes skipping that soft sand keeps your legs fresh for the actual hard parts though... The real challenge comes later and you need all the energy you can save up for it.

henderson.kim2mo ago

Used to think that road was a smart shortcut until my legs were screaming on those first big rock sections. That soft sand at the start is a brutal but perfect warm up, you know? Now I feel like skipping it just sets you up for a harder time later.