The case for Perpetua motion

By Dave Powell

For the TODAY

I have been thinking again. I actually do it more than once a year; and it is always a cause for concern. This time I’m taking a break on a bench at the parking lot near the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center just south of Yachats.

I am still reacting to the complaint that the Oregon Coast Trail has too much road and too much beach. The 425 miles of the Oregon Coast Trail includes very little forest trail. All told, only about 70 miles is forested, so I am going to add some in Cape Perpetua with a Dave’s Detour. After Cape Perpetua and the short Hobbit and Heceta Lighthouse Trails, there are no woodland trails for nearly 150 miles until Humbug Mountain.

I often hike at Cape Perpetua. In August 2016, I devoted three days to the trails before treating myself to the hiking hoodie available in the Visitor Center.

Of course, there are the easy detours: the short detour at the top of Amanda’s Trail (11) and St. Perpetua Trail (5) that leads to the Civilian Conservation Corps shelter overlooking the ocean. Built is 1933, this sturdy stone shelter offers a good view of the ocean to spot whales.

I have used the Cape Perpetua brochure to number the trails. Copies are available at the Visitor Center and it makes it easier to find and hike the dozen trails there.

There is the detour of going from the Visitor Center to Thor’s Well and the Spouting Horn via Capt. Cook Trail (1), and backtracking to the Oregon Coast Trail (7). This is where a good tidal guide helps: pick a high tide, especially if there are also larger waves.

Another short detour is coming down St. Perpetua Trail (5) to hike the Giant Spruce Trail (4). The Giant Spruce stands 185 feet tall, with a trunk 15 feet in diameter. Its top was damaged by the Columbus Day storm of 1962 when winds in excess of 160 mph blew off the uppermost 35 feet of the tree. Today, I spot three elk coming down for their morning drink from Cape Creek. The tree is big enough that kids can climb into it, and laughing, giggling or joyful squeals break up the quiet of hiking.

These three detours add about two and a quarter miles of travel.

But I am looking forward to a much longer detour. The goal is to go to the Visitor Center parking lot, take the Discovery Loop Trail (9), continue further east on the Cook’s Ridge and Gwynn Creek Loop Trail (8) after the morning helping with the marine debris survey at Cape Cove beach. This should be a good five-mile detour through some old-growth forest, giving an opportunity to see the change from the damper coastal area to the drier inland forest section.

The power is out at the Visitor Center. I guess I can’t buy any books. Then I progress up the Discovery Loop (9) and can’t even get to the loop. Just after the second bench several trees have fallen across the trail. I get to report another trail needs to be closed. I am really beginning to feel jinxed! Fortunately, by the time this is published, the trail should be re-opened. I finally decide to just hike the Oregon Coast Trail (7) and do some out-and-back on the southern part of Gwynn Creek Trail (8).

But, as I said, there are 12 trails at Cape Perpetua. I have hiked them all. So, get outside and enjoy.