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Found a shorter route on the Lost Coast after 3 tries
I kept getting stuck at the tide sections near Sea Lion Gulch until I started going an hour before low tide instead of at it. The sand was way firmer and I shaved off 2 miles of scrambling over rocks. Anyone else found better timing on coastal hikes?
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daniel8571mo ago
yeah I learned that the hard way on a hike in Big Sur. showed up right at low tide thinking I was smart and ended up postholing through wet sand for an hour.
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logan2051mo ago
Man, that's the kind of lesson that sticks with you forever... I've noticed it's the same with a lot of things in life. Everyone rushes to be exactly on time for something, thinking that's the smart move, but the real sweet spot is a little before or after. Like showing up to a restaurant right when it opens, you get the cold food and the staff still yawning. A little patience, like that hour before low tide, changes the whole experience from a struggle to smooth sailing.
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sam171mo ago
Wait does going an hour before low tide actually help that much? I've been doing the exact same thing as @daniel857, showing up right at low tide and sinking into wet sand like a dummy. Last time I did this near Shelter Cove I lost a shoe to the mud, had to hop around on one foot like an idiot for ten minutes while my buddy laughed at me. The sand firmness difference makes total sense now that I think about it, the tide's still pulling out so the beach hasn't had time to dry yet. Gonna try your trick next time and save myself the extra two miles of misery.
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