A Cape or Two

The difference between a headland and a cape is the difference in elevation to the surrounding area. A headland is an extenuation of the land around it, it just stops abruptly at a cliff over the sea. A cape, however, soars up like a mountain that appears to have been cut in half by the waves. Either way, they both end in high cliffs.

We hiked a few capes in northern Oregon and Washington State. Our first cape trail was listed as "easy to moderate", so we started off in our running shoes and sandals. Less than 50 meters down the trail we came to the mud. It was bad enough that we turned around and put on our serious hiking boots. Good thing. The 3 mile trail was as much mud as it was trail. It took the most time trying to pick a route through that would keep the water below our laces.

The trails generally start out low, in among the ferns and mossy trees. As it winds higher, the dropoffs get steeper so that you are looking more into the tops of trees growing up from the ravines. You can always tell when the cliffs of the cape are getting close from the sharpness of the wind. It is felt long before the break in the trees appear.

But the cliffs are never the end of the trail. Somehow they expect you to totter along the edge, looking down at the ocean waves some 500 feet or so below you. My biggest fear is clumsiness. I have this image of me tripping, right at an inappropriate time. And of course, being nervous just makes me more clumsy.

The end doesn't come until there are cliffs on both sides. At least the ocean "breeze" is not likely to blow you off the top, as it is coming straight at you from the sea. The end of the cape trail is always a spectacular view of ocean, sky, and rocks. And then we get to retrace our route through the mud.