COASST Surveys
With the exception of a few months, our COASST surveys have continued despite the impact of Covid-19. Certainly, it changed quite a few aspects of how we conduct our surveys. Not the least was establishing our basecamp out of La Push with provided us with a quick 10-minute drive to our trailhead.
The pandemic has had other effects on the COASST program as well. From online training sessions to over-crowded backcountry venues. In the 3 years we’ve been surveying our beach, we’ve never had more than a dozen hikers on our beach And this was during the summer months. This year we had more than 55 hikers on the beach during one of our surveys.
Support
Our mission is a labor of love, but it does come with overhead. If you’d like to support our efforts we’d certainly appreciate it. Currently, we’re actively participating in the following field research:
- COASST Beached Bird Surveys
- Wild and Scenic River Project
Thank you.
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Looking down on our campground from atop Tower Rock. It's a straight 2000' straight drop from here.
Driving up to Mosquito Meadows I noticed a dark shadow and gap just off the forest road. This small but picturesque waterfall on Pinto Creek was the reward for pulling off to investigate.
We had spent the afternoon looking up at 2000’ Tower Rock from our camp. We decided to hike to the summit for sunset. Here’s the view from up top.
Heading out to Gifford Pinchot National Forest to explore a few new areas.
After a week of sitting on the shoreline waiting for the weather on Augustine Island and her volcano, we finally had our chance to paddle over to the mainland. Fortune smiled at us that day!
A kayaker making his way across Coldwater Lake with the crater of Mt. St. Helens in the background.
On May 16, 1898, the North Head Lighthouse was put into service as the primary navigation aid at the mouth of the Columbia River and still stands as a sentinel overlooking this treacherous body of water, the confluence between the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean.
This root was near our campsite. I was intrigued because it looks like an entire forest wrapped around it.
Mt. St. Helens seen from Windy Ridge.
Cispus River with Tower Rock in the background. Our camp was locate on the banks of the river.
River bank of the Cispus River inside the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Headed back to Mt. St. Helens for the weekend. Hoping to visit some of our favorite places as well as discover new ones.
Buck Creek is one of the many waterways that feed the Suiattle River. We spotted this view during our last Wild and Scenic Rivers fieldwork.
During our recent Wild and Scenic River Survey we had the opportunity to do a bit of exploring. Here's Buck Creek which drains into the Suiattle River.
Theresa taking a sample for the Wild and Scenic Rivers project with Adventure Scientist. We'll be heading out to the Suiattle River this weekend for another round of data.
Looking out over Crescent Bay from Tongue Point. We recently experienced the lowest tides in a decade here in Washington.
La Push
We tried a variety of different spots to base out of with different degrees of success. So when we heard that the Quileute Oceanside Resort had reopened to the public including their campground we were anxious to resume our relationship with this special place.
One of the most conspicuous changes was the new large building under construction high on the hill overlooking the rest of La Push. Apparently, this is to be the new school. Not only will it be out of any tsunami danger but from what we could see, it looks like it will be rather nicely laid out.
The rest of the community looked very much the same and we certainly enjoyed saying hello to familiar staff. The only real disappointment was the neighbors who decided to throw a birthday party for forty from a site designed to hold four. They seemed to be confused between tailgating and camping. The resort did what they could to keep them in check but it was a losing proposition.
It’s nice to see more people enjoying the outdoors. Hopefully, as more and more come to appreciate the benefits and beauty they’ll also want to protect and preserve it as well. Can’t let a few bad apples derail the mission.
