By Bret Wirta-The Incidental Explorer
Distance: 3 miles – Time out: two hours
Degree of Difficulty: 1
Pet Friendly: partially
November 22nd 2011.
The Dungeness Spit is the longest natural spit in the United States. It’s a protected strip of sand, grass and driftwood that is part of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. I was intent on visiting the New Dungeness Lighthouse on the tip of the Dungeness Spit, but last night a storm lashed the area and another was headed our way that afternoon. I had reservations for a land and sea tour that was to leave the John Wayne Marina and take me to the tip of the spit but the captain had to cancel the tour.
Instead of giving up I called my hiking friend, Garry Huff and he agreed to walk the five miles with me to the New Dungeness Lighthouse. Gary is a retired executive who spends many of his days climbing the peaks of the Olympics. He wrote about 43 different day climbs in Peaks in the Olympics Ranked from Easiest to Most Difficult. Someday I hope to follow Gary’s footsteps and hike all forty-three peaks too.