Vent: My map reading fail on the Lost Coast Trail turned a 3 hour hike into a 7 hour ordeal

I was trying to find the side trail to the Punta Gorda lighthouse. The map showed a clear junction, but I missed it and kept going along the main beach. I ended up walking almost 2 extra miles before I realized my mistake. The backtracking through that deep sand was brutal. Anyone else have a simple navigation error that totally wrecked your timeline?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese_perry61mo ago

What's the big deal about sticking to a timeline anyway? Getting lost is just part of the real hiking experience. Those extra miles and deep sand probably gave you a better workout and a more memorable story than if you'd just followed the map perfectly. Sometimes the wrong turn shows you things you would have missed. A rigid schedule seems like the opposite of why people go out there.

juliaa251mo ago

My buddy got that "real experience" once, @reese_perry6, and spent a cold night under a rock ledge waiting for sunrise.