Photographic Adventure on the Oregon Coast: Cascade Head and Cape Kiwanda

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When Alan arranged a one-on-one photography workshop with landscape photographer, Marc Adamus, he told him, “take us off the beaten path.” Marc took the comments seriously.

Marc uses a 5.4-mile hike on the Nature Conservancy’s property at Cascade Head near Lincoln City to get acquainted with us. Although it’s Alan’s workshop, Marc graciously agrees that I can tag along.

While Alan and Marc discuss photography, Marc judges our fitness level. When the hike begins on a downhill slope, I make a mental note that the uphill return will be a killer.

The trail is shaded by new and old growth forest. We walk on a path cushioned by evergreen needles until it is necessary to negotiate mud puddles or large tree trunks that have fallen across the path. Marc points out an elk track in the mud.

All is well until I fall off of the trail. I put my walking stick down to climb over a huge tree trunk and then walk off without it. Rushing back to retrieve the stick, I step off the trail’s edge. Both feet sink through the trail’s soft earth and I’m now clinging to the trunk with the trail at chest level. Although I don’t remember my feet dangling in the air, my imagination says it must have been steep. Alan assures me that is not the case.

Marc and Alan rush to pull me back onto the trail. I stand up, brush off the dirt and continue the hike. The path winds along a crest of land, skirting a cove. The distant sound of waves crashing against rocks competes with the bark of sea lions.

The trail ends at a headland where we walk between shoulder-high grasses that sway in a slight breeze. The air smells grassy-sweet in the hot afternoon. A few leftover summer wildflowers still bloom yellow and pink. The sun shimmers on the sea looking like a thousand diamonds sprinkled across the blue Pacific cove. Once again we hear the sea lions but cannot see them.

The return hike takes us back into the woods and eventually up the last steep portion of the trail. The day is unusually hot for Oregon and by the time we reach the car, every item of clothing that we are wearing is wet with sweat.

Next up, a drive to Cape Kiwanda for a sunset shoot. We park in the lot and walk along the beach until we reach a large sand dune. The walk up the dune takes us to the beginnings of sandstone cliffs. Ducking around a fence, the path leads along slick rock and I’m not sure that I want to continue. Alan holds my hand as we climb down a path that takes us to large rocks in a secluded cove.

A sea lion bobs his head, peaking above the water to watch Alan and Marc set up equipment and wait for the golden-pink light of sunset. I wait with my camera too. As sunset approaches, the tide pounds the cliffs giving lots of opportunity for the photographers to catch wave action combined with the sandstone’s reflection of the sun’s last rays.

We climb back up the rocks in the dusk, scamper down the sand dune and reach the Brew Pub that sits near the beach in time for diner. Marc says that tomorrow’s sunrise shoot is a difficult hike. I’ll sleep-in, thank you.

To read about arranging a one-on-one photo workshop, visit this page at my blog about baby boomer travel, My Itchy Travel Feet .

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Comments

[Iemke]

great pictures, as usual!
The photography lesson seems to have made your pictures even better. I am having fun following your adventures. Iemke