Wildcat Camp Shakedown

Last Wednesday my buddy Zack and I headed down to the Point Reyes National Park to hike and camp a few nights on the beach. We left Sacramento around 7:30 am and pulled into the Bear Valley Center around 9:30. We intended to start at the Bear Valley Center and hike 8 miles to Coast Camp for a night, then hike 9 miles to Wildcat Camp for a night, and then a quick 6 miles back to the truck on Friday. Just over 20 miles in three days, nothing major, but at least something. Now I am calling this a 'shakedown' for my PCT hike, even though it wasn't a true shakedown. I am still waiting on a few pieces of important gear, but as far as the weight I will be carrying, and what I will mostly have in my pack when I start the PCT, this was a pretty close.

When we got to Bear Valley Center, they informed us the access road into Coast Camp is flooded and the trucks can not get in to service the trash, so they are not allowing any overnight camping there. This gave us the option of staying at Wildcat camp for 2 nights. So we hiked nearly 9 miles in, set up camp, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. The next morning we got up and set out for a day hike working along the lakes overlooking the ocean on the Coastal Trail. We made our way down towards Palomarin beach and ended up taking the trail to the top of Alamere falls. Alamere falls is actually a 'tidefall' which is a waterfall that empties directly into the ocean. At the top of the falls, there are 3 mini falls that lead down into the main fall. Around the side, someone has affixed a rope to help you lower yourself down the ocean cliff on to the beach, for an easy mile long stroll up the coast back to Wildcat camp.