Lost Coast Trail

Stream crossings are a non-issue this weekend. All five gauges in the region are running at or below median — the highest reading is Alameda Creek at 118% and trending slightly up, but nothing in the zone that causes problems on the Lost Coast. You're well under the 150% threshold where crossings get serious. The King City gauge is showing 0 cfs, which reflects how dry the coastal drainages are running right now. Wade anything you encounter with confidence.

Weather is as good as the Lost Coast gets in late April. Highs of 54–56°F, lows around 40°F, mostly sunny all three days with precipitation chances in the low single digits. Winds are light NW at 1–10 mph throughout — enough to keep marine layer at bay without beating you up on the exposed beach sections. No rain, no fog concerns worth flagging. The NW flow is classic for this time of year and keeps smoke from any inland fires out of the picture (and there are none within 50 miles anyway).

Snowpack data comes from SNOTEL stations that are not representative of the Lost Coast — Annie Springs at 6,000 ft and McNeil Canyon at 1,300 ft are inland stations nowhere near your route. Ignore the 37-inch figure in context of trail conditions; the Lost Coast Trail sits at sea level and carries no snow. Those numbers have zero bearing on your trip.

You've got 13 hours 41 minutes of daylight with sunset at 8:06 PM, so mileage is not a limiter. If you're starting at the Mattole end today, you've got plenty of afternoon light to make Punta Gorda or beyond before dark. Tide planning matters more than daylight on this route — check the NOAA tide table for Punta Gorda and King Range before you leave. The impassable headland sections require low tide windows, and that's the one scheduling factor that will shape your daily mileage more than anything in this briefing.