Trip Overview
About the Trip
Calling all foodies and avid hikers! Join this one-of-a-kind co-branded backpacking trip with Olympic Hiking Co. and Outdoor Eats on a special culinary-focused guided backpacking trip along the Olympic Wilderness Coast. Learn how to elevate your backcountry meals during real-time cooking workshops led by Chef Corso, while hiking 16 miles from Shi Shi Beach to Ozette on a 3 day, 2 night guided backpacking trip. Our Olympic Hiking Co. guide will overview the fundamentals of how to safely backpack along the Olympic Wilderness Coast including how to read the topographic maps, plan around the daily tide charts, and navigate through tide critical areas. Sounds like a fun and tasty combo to us!
Trip Details
Date: June 9-11, 2023
Price: $1,300 per hiker
50% deposit due upon booking
Remaining balance due 30 days prior
Route: Shi Shi to Ozette | 16 miles
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous due to challenging rugged coastal terrain and gear weight.
Group Size: Up to 10 hikers
Destination Gallery
Trip Summary
Itinerary Description
Day 1: Following a breakfast buffet by Chef Corso, group introductions, and a brief orientation, our team will facilitate a 2-hour gear packing session to load up your 30-40 lb backpack that will become your new best friend. Once we’re packed up and ready, our group will be shuttled 2 hours from Port Angeles to the Shi Shi Beach trailhead starting at the northernmost section of the Olympic Wilderness Coast. The first 2 miles of the trail is through a dense forest and can be a bit muddy. After that point, we will reach the ONP boundary and enjoy a 2.3 miles of sandy beach along Shi Shi to reach our first night of camp at Point of the Arches. At camp, Chef Corso will lead our group through a hands-on backcountry dinner workshop and we’ll enjoy one of the best sunset locations on the Olympic Peninsula.
Day 2: Our group will wake up to the sound of crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. Soon after, Chef Corso will lead a backcountry breakfast session, giving our group the necessary fuel to tackle the most challenging section of our hike. Our backcountry guide will overview the fundamentals of how to backpack safely along the Olympic Wilderness Coast, read coastal topographic maps, plan around the daily tide charts, and navigate through tide critical areas. The first 5.8 miles will be a series of ups, downs, rugged rock hopping, forested by-pass routes, and some sandy beach walking until reaching the Ozette River. Our group will ford the river together during low tide, reward ourselves with a picnic lunch, and then finish the final 2.3 miles of coastal trekking. Chef Corso will lead us in our final backcountry dinner and the group will enjoy a sunset at Cape Alava, the westernmost point of the contiguous USA.
Day 3: After a final backcountry breakfast, our group will re-enter the forest and make a final 3.4 mile exit hike along Ozette’s beautiful boardwalk trails. We’ll celebrate finishing this backcountry adventure with a pop-up lunch at the Ozette Trailhead and reflect on our favorite meals and hiking memories. We’ll hop in for a 2 hour van shuttle back to Port Angeles, do a backpack “explosion” to return rented gear, and conclude the trip back where it all began at the OHC tour office.
Itinerary Outline
Beginning/Ending Location: Olympic Hiking Co. 115 E Railroad Ave, Suite #110, Port Angeles, WA 98362
Day 1
7:00 AM: Breakfast & gear packing session at OHC tour office
9:30 AM: Shuttle from Port Angeles to Shi Shi Trailhead
11:30 AM: Arrival at trailhead and begin hike
Hike: Shi Shi Trailhead to Point of the Arches (4.3 miles)
Highlights: Campsite and sunset at Point of the Arches
Day 2
Hike: Point of the Arches to Cape Alava (8.1 miles)
Highlights: Rugged coastal trekking, Ozette River crossing
Day 3
Hike: Cape Alava to Ozette Trailhead (3.4 miles)
Highlights: Forested hike along Ozette boardwalks
11:00 AM: Exit hike, final pop-up lunch by Chef Corso
12:00 PM: Shuttle departure from Ozette
2:00 PM: Return to OHC tour office for gear offload
3:00 PM: Farewell and trip complete!
Note: Permit locations subject to change based on ONP availability
Meet Chef Corso, Founder of Outdoor Eats
Chef Corso is your culinary guide to the outdoors and he’s here to put you on the path to amazing meals where ever your adventure takes you. During his early backpacking trips, he noticed that most camp food was a little lacking… either freeze-dried, heavily salted or out of a bag; and you can only eat granola bars, jerky and trail mix for so long.
He knew there could be something better…
So he started testing recipes with the hiker and camper in mind. Easy to pack up, easy to shop for, mindful of pack weight and volume and amazingly tasty at camp.
From the Pacific Northwest, he’s also a classically trained chef trained in Italy and California with over 20+ years of restaurant and food development experience. But he’s chosen to take his knife to a mountain ridge rather than a fancy fine dining restaurant.
New Skills and Learning Opportunities
Backpacking & Navigation
Backpacking 101: load the pack, set up camp, and learn the gear
Read the topographic maps for the Olympic Coast
Plan around the daily tide charts
Identify and navigate through tide critical areas
Camp Kitchen & Cooking
How to plan and pack up a meal plan
Shopping/provisioning tips and tricks
Hands on cooking at all meals
Easy clean up options