Fritz Nordengren

Documentary Storyteller and Photojournalist

Dave Whitson’s Final Sprint to the Pacific Ocean

Dave Whitson pauses at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The rain cover over his backpack is dry, a remnant from earlier in the day. This beach on Cape Meares is the end of his coast-to-coast hike.

I wrote a similar paragraph 3 years ago. This story is a sequel and a conclusion to his cross country walk that began February 25, 2020.

In 2020, Whitson had both a plan and the time away from work to walk coast to coast in a little more than 5 months. COVID and the unpredictable nature of shutdowns interrupted his plans, and Whitson paused his walk in Cincinnati.

A break in his busy schedule as a teacher and writer allowed him to return to Cincinnati, Ohio, and continue his coast-to-coast hike on June 29, 2024. he followed the American Discovery Trail through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and part of Nebraska before turning north to follow the Oregon Trail.

Whitson reached his home in Portland, Oregon after 111 days walking from his Cincinnati restart. All that remained was the final 2 two-day sprint to the ocean from Forest Grove to Cape Meares.

In early October, Whitson learned part of his final Oregon route was washed out. So he changed his final ending point from Manzanita to Cape Meares. His new route would take him along the North Trask River Trail.