Chad & Graig A backpacking story

Story submitted by Chad Kauppi

Graig was one of my favorite people to go backpacking with as he always had a surprise up his sleeve. I vividly remember driving up from Portland with Jeffrey Heyamoto in 2018 to meet Graig by Lake Ozette on the northwest coast of Washington for a beach cleanup backpacking trip. Graig arrived earlier than us and had a grill going on the tailgate of his truck when we rolled up. While other people were busying themselves getting ready for a hike, Graig told us to chill, grab a beer, and have some food. We hung out for a good hour just eating, drinking, and watching people head out on the trail to the ocean. All the while, I was secretly growing a little concerned that we might not find a campsite when we finally arrived at the coast, but Graig was undeterred and not the least bit worried. When I finally asked him why, he simply replied, “Just wear your swimsuit and be ready your flip flops and poles."

We began our trek from the parking lot at Lake Ozette Triangle Coastal Trailhead and walked westward toward the open ocean. No less than a ¼ mile in and we were already walking on wooden raised platform trails over marshy inlands and through towering coastal pines. When we arrived at the coast near Sand Point, Graig instructed us to turn south and walk along the beach for another couple of miles. As we were walking south, the tide was rising, and we noticed other hikers who had left before us huddling up along cliff bands. I asked Graig why they were just sitting there, not walking, and Graig deadpans to me, “They weren't prepared.” I shrugged as I had no idea what he meant; that is, until I walked to the end of the beach and there was nowhere left to go.

At this point, Graig told us to put on our flip flops, don our headlamps, and get our poles ready because we are crossing around the point through the ocean. Jeff and I looked at each other in a “are we really doing this” sort of way, but before we could catch Graig’s eye, he was already walking into the ocean. We started in his direction, but not before I scanned the beach and got some concerned looks from people on the shore. Graig motioned us to follow, and we abided with glee.

Walking through the ocean in flip flops with a headlamp, poles, and a backpack on is no easy feat, but very well worth it. When we reached the other side of the point, there wasn't a single soul in sight. We had the entirety of Yellow Beach to ourselves that evening and into the next morning, until the tide had subsided enough for the other hikers to venture south towards us.  

There are other memorable moments from that hike (making crab pots from old fishing nets, packing out random debris we found on the beach, bonfires into the night hours), but the gem here is that Graig was always willing to go a little further than most to find serenity and beauty in this world. He loved being outdoors, but he also enjoyed sharing that passion with his family and friends. Our jaunt into the sea to find a deserted beach perfectly encapsulates who Graig was; an always-exploring, outdoor adventurer, with secrets he would share as long as you were willing to follow him down the trail.