{"id":412,"date":"2020-03-13T23:33:24","date_gmt":"2020-03-13T20:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/100steps.info\/?p=412"},"modified":"2020-03-13T23:33:24","modified_gmt":"2020-03-13T20:33:24","slug":"cape-blanco-state-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thisamericandream.com\/cape-blanco-state-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Cape Blanco State Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As we approached the road to the lighthouse, my husband perked up. \u201cR\/C gliders!\u201d he exclaimed, eyes bigger and even brighter than normal. He has flown these remote control motorless aeronautical man toys off and on over the past 15 years, and the allure of the sport has not yet subsided. The folks at this location were no amateurs. It was what the locals called a \u201cmild\u201d day at Cape Blanco State Park, with winds around 30 mph. The more \u201cdocile\u201d flyers (comparatively!) launched and maneuvered their craft, with up to three-meter wingspans, off the north-facing cliff, spinning, spiraling and barrel rolling through the air currents. But it was the high-speed boomerang circles (we later learned was called dynamic soaring) off the south side of the bluff that really got Scott revved. Using the ridge wind and the dead space in between, much like pelicans or other wave-skirting seabirds, speeds of up to 500 mph can be achieved by doing a series of climbs and dives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Cape Blanco State Park is a common R\/C glider location, it turns out we had encountered a special Southern Oregon Slopeiens event, Slopefest 2012, with several dozen R\/C pilots flying and camping nearby. So the skies at the cape were unusually busy. I suspect the much more moderate and out-of-date craft in our garage will be dusted off soon after our return from this trip!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gliders were just a bonus though. The draw of the location is, of course, the lighthouse. Touted as the oldest and most western lighthouse of Oregon, the smooth white tower hosts a Fresnel lens at it summit and is a great destination for a walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love lighthouses?
Check out the\u00a0Oregon Coast Lighthouse Roundup<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visitor center<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

75 Steps<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The first stop is the visitor center. It can be reached in about 75 steps from the nearest parking spaces. If necessary and available, a handicapped parking pass can get you within 10 paces (but then, we\u2019re trying to keep moving right?). The center has both a museum portion and a store portion, both modest in proportion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cape Blanco Lighthouse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

125 Steps<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a small fee you can tour the lighthouse, guided by an educated volunteer. Due to my slow pace and no desire to visit the tower, my husband and I traversed the grassy slope on our own. There are three VERY STEEP steps to reach the lower building attached to the tower. We peeked in at the tour group seated on the benches that skirt the open entry room, then left discreetly and headed around the back (west side) of the lighthouse where we enjoyed views of choppy azure seas littered with Oregon Islands and a long stretch of coastline arcing north. The grass was spongy and difficult to traverse back there, and the headwinds on our visit of mild gusts were enough to nearly enough to blow me over. (I would not recommend attempting this back area on a more gusty day.) When you\u2019ve had your fill of this piece of Oregon history, the picnic table at the bottom of the slope next to the visitor center is a nice rest stop before returning to your vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n