Hiking the West Coast Trail Part 2 (What to pack and what to expect)

Now that you have booked your trip, it’s time to start getting your equipment together. (For information or booking the trip, getting to and from the WCT, and other general information, please see my previous blog post dated 7 January 2019.

What to expect on the WCT:

Weather:

As explained in the weather section of the previous blog post (Hiking the West Coast Trail – Part 1), you need to be prepared for various types of weather – from warm sunny days, to rainy days, and foggy days. For suggestions on what to bring for clothing, please see the Suggestions and Recommendations section below.

Terrain:

You will encounter all kinds of terrain on the WCT, including:

Gordon River Trail Head
  • mud (and giant mud swamps)
  • logs (to cross and duck under)
  • boardwalks (some new and in great shape, others falling apart)
  • many ladders
  • beach (sand, rocks, shale)
  • dirt trail
  • Note: The most difficult terrain (lots of mud, logs, obstacles, etc is on the south end of the trail – basically day 1 and 2 if starting at Gordon River. The terrain gets a little easier after that – BUT that does not mean that you will not encounter swamps and logs – just less of them as you head north. As well, the amount of mud will be dependent on the weather and the amount or rain received.
An example of the swamps we encountered
Trying to figure out how to navigate the muddy roots
After leaving Thrasher Cove on Day 2 – taking the “beach” route to Owen Point before the tide comes in
One of several cable car crossings
More mud…
Suspension bridge at Logan Creek
Day 7 – leaving Darling River

Outhouses:

The outhouses on the WCT are composting toilets in pretty good shape. They contain wood chips which you throw in the toilet after you go – keeps the smell away.  Be sure to bring your own toilet paper with you. I always pack a roll in a Ziplock bag. Be careful not to forget your toilet paper in an outhouse, as somebody may claim it. A friend of mine likes to bring the little Kleenex packets.

Bear bins:

All campsites have metal bins for storage of food overnight. You are required to put your food in these bins to keep various critters away from the tents.  That said, one camping area had a broken or missing bear bin last time I hiked the trail and there wasn’t enough space for everyone. We had to hang our food up in a tree. I recommend bringing a dry bag and some rope in case you need to hang your food.

Campsites:

All camping areas are located on beaches, which is quite lovely.  Important point: Make sure you set up your tent above the high tide line (this obvious as it is the line made by driftwood).  If you go below that point you may find yourself quite wet in the morning.  At some of the campsites you have to climb a lot of ladders to get to and from the trail.

Campfires:

You can make campfires using the driftwood (though it is sometimes rather wet if it has been raining).  I recommend bringing a few fire starters (or cotton balls smothered in Vaseline) as those will help get those fires going if the wood is too damp.  Make sure you bring lots of matches as well (preferably water proof).

Communications and cell phone reception:

Do not count on any cell phone reception while on the West Coast Trail. Some people are able to get some reception in certain places, but it’s rare. When you do your orientation, the Parks Canada Conservation Officer gives a small form to fill out if you get injured and need help to get off the trail. They tell you to fill it out, give it to another hiker, and have them deliver it to the next lighthouse or trailhead.  Having a satellite communication device such as the Garmin Inreach might give you peace of mind.

Wildlife:

There is a lot of wildlife to see while hiking the WCT from sea stars and anemones to  sea lions, blue birds, black bears and more.  You will be briefed on any recent bear or cougar sightings during your orientation. Of the 3 times I have hiked the west coast trail, I saw a bear on the trail twice.  The last time, he kind of hung out but was exactly where we needed to go, so we hung back and made noise (talking, singing) and the bear eventually wandered away.  A Parks Canada Conservation Officer told us of a person who left their backpack unattended while she set up her tent – and turned around to see a bear rummaging through her pack. He found her trail mix and took off with it. I also once had trail mix stolen by a blue bird, when I left it sitting on a log.  So bottom line – be aware of your surroundings, make sure your food goes in the bin when you’re not eating, and carry bear spray.

Read moreHiking the West Coast Trail Part 2 (What to pack and what to expect)

Hiking the West Coast Trail – Part 1 (the How to’s)

Overview:

The West Coast Trail is a beautiful 75 km long trail along the coast of west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and runs between Port Renfrew and Bamfield. It offers a variety of terrain, including many wooden ladders (some very tall, some missing rungs), bridges, slippery boardwalks, logs, sand, and mud galore (gaiters highly recommended). While the elevation gain is never more than 230m, the difficulty lies in the mental challenge of carrying your pack through the obstacle course of fallen logs (under a log, over a log), mud (many of the mud puddles would be more accurately described as swamps), rocky terrain, sand, etc.  However, the views are amazing, there are plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife (eagles, sea lions, bears, whales), and the sense of accomplishment at the end is worth every slip and fall in the mud.

The West Coast Trail is open between 1 May and 30 September. It is closed the rest of the year due to heavy rain and unsafe conditions.

Just your friendly neighborhood black bear

Weather:

Although the weather between May and September is mild, it is variable. That is to say you may encounter rain, sun, or fog.  You should assume that it may rain a couple of days during your trip and as such prepare accordingly. For example, the following items are a good idea: a couple of shirts, extra socks and underwear, rain jacket, and have your sleeping bag in a dry bag (and possibly your tent as well). The first time I did the hike (in the month of May) it rained for the first 3 days before the sun came out, then was quite warm for the remainder 3-4 days.  The second time, end of July was mostly sunny the whole time. The third time (early August) alternated between rain, sun, and heavy fog (including one day such heavy fog that we were all wet). On sunny days, the temperatures can vary between 18 and 25 degrees C.  As it is mostly humid, even when raining you can feel like you’re sweating.  I generally wore quick-dry hiking pants that unzipped into shorts (and most of time just wore the shorts), gaiters for the mud, short sleeved quick dry shirt (and had a light rain jacket and light merino wool long sleeved shirt ready at the top of my pack).

Reservations:

To make a reservation, visit https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/activ/activ6a/iii. Reservations for the West Coast Trail start in early January and spots fill up quickly (registration for this year will open Monday, January 7th 2019). There is a maximum number of people that can enter the trail each day.  Make sure you have your intended start date in mind (and have a couple of alternate dates in case those days are full) when you go to register.  Also, note that you can start the trail on the north end or south end OR you can also enter the trail half way at Nitinaht Narrows.  This trail head is accessible by water from Nitinaht Village.  From there you can go south or north. This is an option for people who prefer to only hike half the trail.  My personal preference is to hike the trail south to north (Gordon River to Bamfield) as I prefer to get the muddier and more uneven terrain over with first.

The registration cost is $127.50 per person for the overnight user permit, $20.00 for the Gordon River ferry, and $20.00 for the Nitinat Narrows ferry.  There is also a $24.50 reservation fee. If you are starting at Nitinat Narrows, the cost of the water taxi to get from the village to the trail at Nitinat Narrows is $62.50.  If you cancel your trip more than 21 days prior to your start gate, you get your money back except for the reservation fee which is non-refundable and a small cancellation fee ($11.00 for online booking and $13.50 for telephone booking). For additional information about registration, visit the Parks Canada website: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/activ/activ6a/iii

Read moreHiking the West Coast Trail – Part 1 (the How to’s)

In the footsteps of the prospectors – The Chilkoot Trail Hike

Overview:

The Chilkoot Trail is a 53km long hiking trail that runs from Skagway, Alaska to Bennett Lake, British Columbia, crossing the Canadian/American border at the peak of the Chilkoot Pass. In general, the trail is not overly difficult for an experienced hiker. I would go so far as to say that the first two days and last two days are easy to moderate hiking.  Day 3, however, is challenging due to the large elevation gain, the climb up the boulders, the subsequent descent, and the length of the track that day.  That said, when my friend and I did the trail, there was a diverse group of hikers hiking with us. Among them was a 75-year- old man (who had done the trail 6 times previously), and a family with 5 and 8-year-old girls (that had their gear and pack system down pat).  The hike is very doable if you are well prepared.

Read moreIn the footsteps of the prospectors – The Chilkoot Trail Hike