Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

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Sean Thomas
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Joined: February 25th, 2012, 11:33 pm

Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by Sean Thomas » May 20th, 2014, 10:57 pm

I've been really enjoying some time spent exploring new spots on the Oregon Coast and a couple in the Coast Range in the last few months. Many of the trips were at low tide and offered an amazing look into the "world between tides" and so many of the outstanding life forms that call the Intertidal zone home.


Starting in the north in more familiar territory, Jojo and I set off early for the coast last Saturday to hike around Ecola Point at low tide. We started near Les Shirley Park and headed north around Chapman Point to Crescent Beach and the base of Ecola Point. Looking out to the ocean and the bustling Sea Lion Rocks(bustling with birds that is) in one of the most scenic stretches of the coast I've ever seen:


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Beginning with the birds, there were lots of Brown Pelicans(i think) doing their business on the rocks. And I mean doing their business, the rocks are literally stained with poop. These birds are a real treat to watch:


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Pigeon Guillemots enjoying life on the rocks:


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Can you spot the nesting Cormorant that has already spotted you, or I guess me in this case(ok so i cheated and put an arrow)


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Lets take a closer look:


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Speaking of closer looks, the "house of ashes" was still standing. Apparently the old Terrible Tilly, first lit up in the winter of 1881, can house at least a half a million urns full of ashes:


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But on to the real reason you clicked the TR, the alien like creatures that inhabit the intertidal :D Starting off with this Black Leather Chiton:


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I think this one is a Mossy Chiton:


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There always has to be one(or two or a gillion) barnacles around to steal the show. Here is the odd looking Gooseneck Barnacle:


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Steroidal Ochre Sea Star:


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Much bigger than this guy, who was about the size of a quarter :)


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There were even monsters lurking in the deep. This 20 armed Sunflower Star was the first I've ever seen:


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Later that day we headed over to a gate off 101 for a hike up to Angora Peak. The Peak is over 2,600 feet high and boasts awesome views of the Nehalem River Valley as well as the neighboring Onion Peak. The logging road used to access Arch Cape Mill Road goes through a section of Oswald State Park, meaning some of the old giants that used to tower above the forest floor in so much of the coast range are still standing. A little off trail meets a lot of big trees, like this old Western Red Cedar:


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The flower show on Angora is pretty spectacular right now. I think this is some sort of Penstemon? Whatever it is it's blooming all over the place up there!


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The Pollinators were hard at work:


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Phlox was blooming nicely:


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And Paintbrush too:


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The top doesn't have the best views of the ocean due to tree cover on the west side of the summit, but the views of the Nehalem and a neighboring rocky high point to the southeast make it worth all the effort:


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Looking north to West Onion and Onion Peak:


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Closer look at the rugged Onion Peak:


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We spent a few hours up top and made our way down watching the sunset through the clouds as we reached the car just before dark.


Now, jumping back in time a few weeks and going south along the coast takes us to Cape Lookout State Park. For this trip, we parked at the TH for the hike out to the cape but hiked down to the beach south of there instead. The trail leads through a nice forest of Sitka Spruce for about 2.3 miles and was very nicely graded. Too nicely graded for most folks apparently as there are huge(and numerous) cuts in the switchbacks to get down to the beach faster :roll: ok do I sound like a crochety old man yet? :D :lol: Typical post card beach stuff right off the bat :)


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Dungeness Crab Shell in the waves:


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There were Purple Shore Crabs everywhere:


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After rounding a large rock and spooking a raccoon into a wave I spotted one of the crabs in what looked to be an unpleasant predicament:


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There were more odd creatures too, I think these are tide pool sculpins:


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Tired of the coast yet? :D I hope not! But in case you are we will travel much further south along the coast to the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area and take a quick peek into the forest. Well, a peek at one tree in particular. This massive Sitka Spruce just a miles hike from the Scenic Area Visitor Center is thought to be over 500 years old. Can you spot my head on the bottom left of this giant coastal behemoth? I have finally found something on this planet that my large melon head cannot obscure :D


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Visiting this 500 year old + giant on my 25th b-day made me realize im not that old after all :lol: :roll:


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On our way down that direction we stopped near Seal Rock, Boiler Bay, the old Yachats Light House and a few other scenic spots earlier in the day. More anemones near Seal Rock:


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Boiler Bay from a pullout north of the popular viewing area:


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Zoom :D


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And the reason the bay is called Boiler Bay, the old engine Boiler from a shipwreck of the J. Marhoffer that wrecked in 1910 is visible from this spot:


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Later that day we took a short hike to the Spouting Horn and Thors Well:


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We got lucky but it seems best to time it the opposite way you normally would in terms of beach visits. Meaning show up when the tide is coming in so you can see the waves slam into the rocks :)


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Sea Coast Angelica was also blooming nicely along the paved path:


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We stayed north of Yachats that night where there were ghosts of old sailors in the little motel we stayed in:


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The next morning we grabbed some free bananas and muffins from the motel and headed out for another hike. Last but certainly not least was a 6 mile loop through the scenic area, which sits just north of the Cummins Creek Wilderness in the Suislaw National Forest. There were lots more big spruce trees to admire:


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Jojo had never seen a shark before so we made a quick trip to the Oregon Coast Aquarium on our way out where I was eaten by a shark before the long drive home:


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Karl Helser
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Re: Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by Karl Helser » May 21st, 2014, 4:44 am

Well done Sean...

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Sean Thomas
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Joined: February 25th, 2012, 11:33 pm

Re: Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by Sean Thomas » May 21st, 2014, 7:13 am

Thanks, Karl!


Forgot to add this pic of a Blue-handed Hermit Crab, they were crawling around everywhere:


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bobcat
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Re: Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by bobcat » May 21st, 2014, 11:07 am

Enjoyed the report. Great pictures, commentary, and coastal IDs! I've got to get up Angora Peak sometime . . .

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sprengers4jc
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Re: Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by sprengers4jc » May 21st, 2014, 1:42 pm

I love it! Thanks so much for the laughs and for the awesome photos. The coast is such a neat area. Thanks for sharing your travels with us :).
'We travel not to escape life but for life to not escape us.'
-Unknown

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vibramhead
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Re: Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by vibramhead » May 21st, 2014, 5:28 pm

Sean:

What a great TR! You really are a fine photographer, and I really appreciate that you actually identify all the flora and fauna you see. And happy 25th birthday!
Time spent hiking will not be deducted from your life.

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mcds
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Re: Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by mcds » May 24th, 2014, 12:28 pm

Nicely done combo-TR Sean. Like others have posted, excellent photos, and excellent selection and sequence.

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Peder
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Re: Wonders of Coastal Oregon: Yachats to Seaside and more

Post by Peder » May 25th, 2014, 2:43 am

Great TR Sean and great photos! Belated B-day wishes.
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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