Imagine getting to lend your croc to a 6-time Olympic medalist!

Dream moment on the West Coast Trail. And here I am still dreaming of completing the trail myself. I will one day!!

#Olympian #hiking #Canada #ClaraHughes #WestCoastTrail
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/clara-hughes-west-coast-trail-one-shoe-1.7620261

West Coast Trail – 7 days of Backpacking Bliss

https://www.flickr.com/photos/canadianveggie/54729718335/in/album-72177720328402100

7 days hiking along the rugged coast of Vancouver Island was an amazing experience. This was my first time hiking the West Coast Trail, and I was blown away by the stunning vistas, wildlife encounters, and unique experiences every day. It was physically challenging but still comfortable given the pace we were going and the amazing weather we were lucky to get.

Note: This is a long post. Jump to recipes, tips, or pictures.

Pre-Hike Preparation

I felt an unusual mix of prepared and unprepared for this hike. On one hand, we had done all the research, read the books, and planned everything in detail. We had a 7-tab spreadsheet that included our meal plan, calorie counts, and all of our gear weighed to a gram.

On the other hand, I was the only one in our group with any backcountry experience and all of it came 10 years ago with nothing as ambitious as a 7-day backpacking trip. It is repeatedly stressed that the West Coast Trail is not a beginner-friendly adventure, but here we were.

We were 4 geek dads who were in great shape (marathon runners and long distance cyclists), we had access to high-quality gear, and we were determined to push through whatever trials awaited us.

Day 1 – Gordon River to Thrasher Cove

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Day 1 started with an early morning drive from Victoria (with a breakfast stop at Shirley Delicious). We checked in at the Gordon River trailhead at 9:40 ready for orientation. The first setback came a few minutes later when our leader sheepishly admitted that not everyone in our group had watched the safety video. After watching the video of shame, we were an hour late starting our hike, which was frustrating but meant we got to tackle the ladders at the beginning on our own without having to wait for other groups.

The southern section of the trail is often considered the hardest. There was a lot of elevation gain, a few ladders, and a fair bit of mud from the rain a few days before (I was happy to have gaiters on). Since we were starting at the south end of the trail, we got to tackle the hard stuff first while our legs were fresh.

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A lot of the southbound hikers we met were pretty miserable and just looking to be done, after enduring two straight days of heavy rain. But we were in good spirits, with only sunshine in the forecast.

David had a few gear mishaps, including poles that kept collapsing and a backpack waist belt that wouldn’t hold any weight. The poles we fixed easily at camp, but his waist belt wasn’t fixed until we replaced the clasps on day 3. Not ideal, but he seemed to handle it ok. Although, he was complaining about the sand being “too lumpy” under his tent – so maybe he was irritated.

Day 2 – Thrasher Cove to Camper Bay

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Day 2 started early with a 6 am wake up to catch a favourable tide window at Owen Point. A few of the guys had trouble sleeping and woke up at 1 am convinced that high tide was going to swamp our tents. The waves were loud, but we were well above the high tide mark and I slept soundly with my ear plugs in.

I was surprised that everyone in our campground was up and moving around 5:30 am. After a quick oatmeal breakfast, we were one of the last groups to leave the campsite at 7:15 am.

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The first half of the hike was along a boulder strewn section that is responsible for a lot of the injuries along the West Coast Trial. We had to think a lot more about route finding so there wasn’t as much talking as we scrambled our way over rocks and deadwood.

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We got to Owen Point a few hours later and had lots of time to take pictures, explore the area, and eat a snack while the tide was still low.

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After that the hike shifted to walking along the shelf while avoiding surge channels. The dense fog made navigating harder, and we were nervous we would miss the access point back into the forest. Luckily, between GPS and the help of other hikers, we safely made it out of this section.

After traversing another muddy forest section, we arrived at camp relatively early (1 pm), ate a light lunch, and debated if we should press on or make camp as planned. It was a difficult decision, especially since we didn’t know how intense the next section was (it was labeled as ‘hard’), if we could even camp there (Parks Canada had warnings against using Cullite because of a washed out trail and a risk of flash floods), and what the ripple effects deviating from our plan would have on future days because of tide windows.

We ended up choosing our first benevolent dictator (more about that in the tips section below) who decreed we were staying. We relaxed and recharged for the next day.

Day 3 – Camper Bay to Walbran Creek

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We had a slow morning beginning with pancakes. It wasn’t a fuel efficient or quick backpacking breakfast, but it was a welcome change from oatmeal.

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Then we began the tiring journey through “ladder hell” – with 35 ups and downs. Thankfully, the most notorious section of ladders through Logan Creek was replaced by a fancy suspension bridge a few years ago, but it was still a tiring day. Even the easier boardwalk section was hard as we baked in the sun. This was the start of a 3 day heatwave that got temperatures up to 26 C, unusual weather for the West Coast.

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Needless to say, we were ready for a nice dip in the water when we arrived at Walbran Creek. Walbran is a gorgeous campsite. There is a lot of scrambling over logs to get anywhere, including the toilets, but there is a nice freshwater swimming area and crashing ocean waves. We were lucky to see our first humpback whales offshore blowing water.

I made burritos for dinner, which were excellent but dangerous. I managed to tip the pot over while stirring. While I was busy trying to save as much as possible without getting sand in the pot, I didn’t notice the hot liquid slowly burning away at my sock and foot. It melted a small hole and gave me a blister. Luckily, with all the blister packs we added to our first aid kit, it wasn’t aggravated by hiking.

Day 4 – Walbran Creek to Cribs Creek

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On Day 4, I got to be our group’s benevolent dictator. We kept hearing mixed things about our destination Cribs – a beautiful campsite but too many seagulls. So I decided to hike to Carmanah Point, have lunch, relax for a few hours, eat dinner, and then do an evening hike into Cribs.

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It was another hot day and it was nice not to be walking along the beach while the sun was at the apex. We spent the afternoon enjoying some shade and water at Carmanah. Jonathan read his book. Colin had a nap. And David invented a game with an old tennis ball he found – Carmanah Ball.

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After a linguine pesto dinner, we made the hike into Cribs. We were very tired by the time we arrived and it took a long time to hike up the creek to find the cleanest freshwater. The seagulls were numerous but they all left as the sun set.

Day 5 – Cribs Creek to Tsusiat Falls

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This was our biggest day. We hiked for 21 km and burned a lot of calories, but we did our best to replenish at the famous Crab Shack.

It took two hours to get our food, but we enjoyed the break from hiking and having someone else cook for us. The drinks were cold and the food was good (I had a pair of baked potatoes and tried a small bite of the crab) but the highlight was chatting with the Carl, Shelley, and their family about the business they run. Carl took the hikers who showed up early (around 9 am) out on the boat to help pull in the crab traps. Shelley gave us a lesson on eating crab and shared plenty of stories and knowledge, including her insistence that cold-water fish tastes better than warm-water fish.

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After our ferry crossing at Nitinaht, it was another 3 hours of hiking, including walking on soft sand that really sucked our energy. We were pushed up against the rocks as the rising tide slowly swallowed the beach we were walking on. By the time we arrived at camp we were sweaty, tired, and grateful for another opportunity to jump in the cold water. Tsusiat Falls has cascading waterfall that drops into a perfect pool for bathing in.

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After dinner, just as we were sitting down to play another board game (we probably brought too many with us), we saw humpback whales breaching off the shore. So cool.

This was the longest day of the trip, but also the most rewarding.

Day 6 – Tsusiat Falls to Michigan Creek

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Day 6 brought us the first cable car that wasn’t completely optional. Most of the creeks we crossed were only ankle deep, but the Klanawa River was a lot deeper. It was a nice change to give our upper bodies a workout, and we spent time pulling other people across before continuing on.

By this point we were getting to know the other hikers pretty well. This was our last night together, and there was more mingling and chatting between the 20 of us who all set off from Gordon Bay 6 days earlier. The strangers were now our trail family.

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In the evening, we saw a black bear and her cubs wandering up the beach. They stopped before reaching our campsite, but we heard from other hikers that some evenings they would just parade by while campers watched. I wasn’t too worried about the bears, but David had a hard time sleeping – every time he heard snoring he thought the bears were at his tent.

Day 7 – Michigan Creek to Pachena Bay

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While other groups got an early start to the day, we took our time knowing our ride out on the trail bus wasn’t until 1:30. We were lucky to see the mama bear one more time, as she and her cubs explored further up the beach.

The last 14 km were a breeze and the time flew by. Our packs were light, our legs were strong, and even though we started off as relative rookies, we felt like experienced pros by this point. The most interesting part of the last day was a quick side trail to see a large sea lion colony.

This section of trail was very easy. The only hard part was some optional ladders at the very end that our benevolent dictator decided to take (much to David’s disgust). It was still low tide, and we would have saved 20 minutes of hard hiking with an easy beach walk. But there’s no fun in that.

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Hiking Summary

Reflections and Lessons Learned

In the end, we had an amazing experience. We met interesting people and had some really fascinating conversations between the four of us – it’s amazing what 7 days without an internet connection will do.

We were extremely lucky with weather. We started the hike right after a big rain storm pummeled the coast, and ended our hike just as another was about to start. We also dodged a wildfire that closed the highway and destroyed the power lines to Bamfield. Our experience would have been a lot different if we had had started a day earlier or later.

I would love to go back and hike the trail again, but next time with my family. We saw a surprising number of kids on the trail, including an eight-year old with several stuffies dangling from the outside of her pack (I can’t imagine how that was negotiated with her parents). Next summer, I plan on taking Astrid on some easier backpacking trips in Manning Park to get her used to the idea of backcountry camping. Then maybe in a few years she’ll be ready for her own West Coast Trail adventure.

More photos in my 200 picture photo album on Flickr.

West Coast Trail Tips

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With only one trip under my belt in the most favourable of conditions, I’m hardly the best person to be offering tips, but here are things I would recommend if you’re planning a WCT adventure:

• Choose a benevolent dictator each day to make decisions like when to break camp, what route to take, where to eat lunch, which campsite to pitch your tent in, and what game to play in the evening.
• Before your trip, have a schedule of where you’re camping each night and a back-up plan (if you think you might be faster or slower) that makes sense with tides. It’s hard to change on the fly.
  • The standard campgrounds (Michigan, Tsusiat, Cribs, Walbran, Camper, Thrasher) are popular for a reason – they are the best at splitting up the hike as evenly as possible. Even though they were busy we never had an issue finding space.
• Be ruthless about pack weight:
  • Leave redundancies at home. You don’t need multiple water filters or stoves. If something breaks, other campers will be happy to help you out.
  • 100 g of fuel per person is enough even if you’re cooking inefficient meals
  • We would have been fine without tent pegs – there was always rocks to hold down the tent corners.
  • If you want a tarp, borrow or invest in a lightweight camping one.
• Pack just enough calories per day:
  • Portion out snacks for each day – I had around 1000 calories per day. Make sure you eat all of your daily snacks, otherwise you’re just hauling extra weight. (Tina gave me this tip before I left and it worked out perfectly.)
  • Make sure your dinners are filling enough for your group. The pre-packaged dinners have around 700 calories per day. For 4 guys with high metabolisms, we planned our dinner to have 900 calories each.
• Make friends with your trail family. You’ll likely be staying in the same campgrounds every night. So, say “hi” to everyone at orientation and slowly get to know them as you walk the trail together. Not only is it fun to meet new people, they might save you when you run out of fuel.
• Watch the safety video before arriving. And if someone in your party hasn’t watched it, don’t publicly admit that to the Parks Canada staff. If you do, you’ll have to spend an extra hour watching it after everyone else has started hiking.
• The necessity of some gear divides the hiking community, but here is my list in priority order:
  • poles are a must have
  • gaiters are great for mud and sand, either ankle or knee high
  • gloves were super handy for ladders and scrambling over boulders
  • hiking boots gave me ankle support, but trail runners are fine
  • sunglasses are only necessary if you’re headed southbound
• Adjust your pack for the weather. The forecast for Bamfield and Port Renfrew are accurate enough the day before you leave to make some last minute adjustments:
  • With no rain in the forecast, a lightweight poncho is adequate for unexpected weather. Leave behind the rain pants and extra clothes – these were the heaviest unused items in our packs.
  • If it’s going to be hot, make sure you have shorts and a bathing suit. Pack electrolytes.
• The bear bins are not garbage bins. Don’t leave your leftover food in them. I spent a lot of time cleaning up half eaten camping meals and carried out an extra 3 kg (nearly 7 lbs) of other people’s garbage. It’s not hard to spill the leftovers in the ocean and pack-out your plastic packaging.
• Have some entertainment for the campsites. With a 7-day itinerary, there’s a surprising amount of downtime, even after doing all the camp chores. Some good options are:
  • Yahtzee: 5 dice, a score sheet (look online), and a pencil only weighs 34 g.
  • Deck of cards: unlimited games that scale to any group size
  • Travel board game: something small. We had Deep Sea Adventure and Biblios (using the same Yahtzee dice)
  • Magazine or e-reader: Keep it light

The most helpful resources I used (written by real experts) were:

• Blisters and Bliss – the original guide to the West Coast Trail.
• Happiest Outdoors WCT Guide – my friend Taryn’s trail guide, includes a great packing list.
• West Coast Trail App – Full of great features, including the Crab Shack menu and tide windows for each segment.

Things I’ll Do Differently Next Time

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As a note to my future self, next time:

• Pack even lighter.
  • 2 games only
  • 1 stove (JetBoil or traditional)
  • 1 water filter (probably gravity fed)
• Make sure everyone’s gear is tested on a group shakedown trip before the main event.
• Dehydrate my own meals.

Backcountry Recipes

We didn’t buy any of the pre-packed backing meals for our West Coast Trail adventure. Instead we made our own meals using freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients from the grocery store. Here are the 3 recipes I made that turned out the best:

Backpacking Rice and Bean Burrito

• Servings: 4
• Cook Time: 5 min
• Print

Rice and bean burritos make for an easy backpacking dinner. Makes 8 burritos, 2 per hungry hiker.

Ingredients

• 220 g Black bean flakes
• 310 g Minute rice
• 25 g Coconut oil
• 50 g Freeze-dried corn
• 20 g Sundried tomatoes (dried, not in oil)
• 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp Chili powder
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Salt
• 50 g Crispy jalapeño pieces (optional)
• 8 wraps

Directions

Nutrition

Per Serving: 1050 calories; 305 g; 3.4 cal/g

Backpacking Lentil Soup

• Servings: 4
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 5 min
• Print

Soaking the lentils reduces the cooking time and fuel. Good for a day when you arrive at camp early.

Ingredients

• 300 g Red lentils
• 75 g Coucous
• 90 g Dried vegetables
• 38 g Freeze-dried corn
• 25 g Coconut milk powder
• 25 g Coconut oil
• 2 tbsp Broth powder
• 2 tsp Salt
• 100 g Rice crackers or dense seed bread

Directions

Nutrition

Per Serving: 787 calories; 190 g; 4.1 cal/g

Instant Oatmeal, PB & Jam Flavour

• Servings: 1
• Cook Time: 3 min
• Print

Oatmeal is a quick, filling backpacking breakfast that is easy to customize. Try different combinations of freeze-dried fruits for variety.

Ingredients

• 75 g Quick oats
• 20 g Peanut butter powder
• 15 g Brown sugar
• 10 g Oat milk powder
• 5 g Strawberry, freeze-dried
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Salt

Directions

Nutrition

Per Serving: 480 calories; 123 g; 3.9 cal/g

#backpacking #bc #PacificRimNationalPark #WestCoastTrail

Is hiking the West Coast Trail on your bucket list?

Wayne Aitken has traversed it more than 25 times! But not just for the love of the trip...

Wayne co-authored Blisters and Bliss, a guide chock-full of advice and humour for hiking the trail (and now in its 10th edition)!
https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/community/the-once-in-a-lifetime-challenge-of-vancouver-islands-west-coast-trail-7929196 #westcoasttrail