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I was sure the 'water taxi shortcut' on the Olympic Coast was a gimmick, but it saved us a full day
On a 5-day trip from Rialto Beach to Oil City, everyone online said to take the water taxi across the Ozette River instead of the long inland hike. I thought it was a tourist trap for $40 per person. We did it anyway because our feet were already blistered by day three. The boat ride was 15 minutes and the guy running it knew all the tide tables, which we'd messed up. It cut out a brutal 8-mile detour and let us camp at a way better spot. Has anyone else used a similar shortcut that actually paid off?
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noah2487d agoMost Upvoted
Ever take the ferry across Lake Chelan to skip that awful road walk on the PCT? Same feeling. It felt like cheating until I saw the switchbacks from the boat. That ten bucks bought me an extra afternoon in Stehekin and a real meal. Sometimes the shortcut is just the smarter route.
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hall.charles7d ago
That "cheating" feeling is real, @noah248. My version was paying for a shuttle around a totally washed-out trail section, which felt lame until I saw the mud pits from the road. Smart shortcuts just mean you get to the good stuff faster.
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