Sep 18, 2012 no reservations are needed to hike the north coast trail. This was, and is, the land of the huuayaht, ditidaht, and pacheedaht tribes. When cancelling a reservation 21 days or more prior to the departure date, the west coast trail overnight use fee and the ferry fees are fully refundable. Home forums campfire posttrip reports tips for the west coast trail. The park is assisted in wct operations through a partnership with quuas west coast trail group. The west coast trail is a multiday day beach and forest hike on vancouver island, canada. Your guide to the west coast trail in british columbia happiest. Hiking the west coast trail as with any worldclass trek can be a time of intense pleasure or exhausting agony. Jul 19, 2017 hiking the west coast trail 5 days, 4 nights and 77kms of difficult terrain through the trees, dodging roots, slugging through the mud, up and down ladders, across cable cars, through the difficult sand and over the rocks the west coast trail certainly challenged me. Starting in hokitika, this ride takes in several of the trails biggest highlights starting with west coast scenic waterways which runs boat cruises and kayak trips on mahinapua creek a real treat for naturelovers. West coast trail hiking vancouver island guided adventure.
West coast trail preparation how to prepare for the hike. Everything you need to know before you hike the west coast trail in british columbia. One step at a time by robert bannon is one of the best nonfiction book ive ever read. We west coast trailed in august and it was incredible. Solitude can be difficult to find on holiday weekends, so try to plan your hike during weekdays, or the less crowded springfall months. Because really, the west coast trail is not easy to get to, to sign up for, to prepare forits just generally kind of a tough nut. If you to decide to go hike the west coast trail then you can download my free guide with itineraries for 6, 7 and 8 days. The west coast trail hiking season is confined to just five months due to the dangerously stormy weather during the winter months. Cape scott provincial park and the recently completed north coast trail. The noncampers guide to hiking the west coast trail if you are also like me and will never camp again, borrow as much as you can from friends, keep an eye on craigslist, and watch for sales at mec and atmosphere and rei for my american readers because hiking the. From selfguided packaged tours, bike hire and luggage transfers, to shuttles and accommodation, we have everything you need to plan and book an incredible cycling holiday on the coast. Pacific rim national park reserve of canada west coast trail preparation guide.
Choose and book a national trail break or be inspired by our suggested itineraries. It is part of the triple crown of longdistance trails, which includes the appalachian trail and continental divide trail. World north america pacific nw canada west coast trail the best hike in the world is the west coast trail. It was great to get the tougher stuff done first, so that we could really kick back and enjoy. From selfguided packaged tours, bike hire and luggage transfers, to shuttles and accommodation, we have everything you need to plan and book.
An updated and comprehensive trail guide leadem, tim on. In the winter the days are short, tides are high and heavy rain and strong winds are frequent. West coast wilderness trail new zealand cycle trail. A west coast trail guided tour is one of the best hikes in bc. The pct, as its commonly called by hikers, runs continuously from the border of mexico up through california sierra nevada. Situated at the midpoint of the world famous hiking trail in pacific rim national park, west coast trail comfort camping offers ecofriendly rustic luxury to hikers in need of a nights rest, as well as outdoor adventurers visiting via nitinaht lake. Our west coast trail guide was borne out of our experiences with helping people on the trail.
In the hostile weather months the west coast trail is closed due to prolonged periods of heavy rain, strong winds, high tides, large waves and short days. Welcome to the second instalment of my west coast trail blog series. It is a bit like what i imagine the wct to have been like maybe twenty or thirty years ago. An updated and comprehensive trail guide paperback may 5, 2015 by tim leadem author. The west coast trail is a breathtakingly beautiful 47 mile 75 km backpacking route on the southwest coast of vancouver island, bc. The west coast trail wct is an iconic backcountry, multiday backpacking trail that is a bucket list challenge for many hikers. Reese witherspoons wild movie, featuring the pacific.
Each year, thousands of backpackers and nature lovers head to the northern limits of vancouver island, bound for the jewel of the region. The west coast wilderness trail is divided up into four roughly equal sections between greymouth the west coasts big smoke and small old gold town of ross. The story of west coast trail begins as an ancient path used for trade and travel by the first nations. For general west coast trail guide likewhat and where is it, check out the west coast trail guide. But you must book both van shuttle san josef andor water taxi shushartie in advance. In 2014 a new access point was opened, nitinat narrows. May, 2020 west coast trail has the reputation of being on of the most excutiating treks in north america, rewarding you with stunning backdrops in a cultural and historical landscape. The third unit of the pacific rim national park, the west coast trail, includes the section of coast southeast of barkley sound between the villages of bamfield and port renfrew.
The west coast trail closes to the public october 1st to april 30th. To get a good price you need a number of hikers taking that transport at the same time. It ventures deep into a scenic reserve via the historyrich mananui tramline, before. Our west coast trail guided hike along vancouver islands rugged west coast, originated as a lifesaving trail to assist shipwrecked mariners to safety at the turn of the last century.
A 50foot long ladder, which was then followed by another 50foot long ladder, and then like 4 more. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of shipwrecked survivors along the coast, part of the treacherous graveyard of the pacific. In 1992 a small group of people founded the powell river parks and wilderness society paws and started building hiking trails that linked the remaining stands of old growth forests in the regions. Explore magazine vancouver island west one of the last places where a wild land still meets a wild ocean bertie gregory, national geographic wildlife filmmaker. West coast trail day 1 pachena bay to darling river campsite. Exploring washingtons wild olympic coast by david hooper and. In this post i will focus on the logistics and the west coast trail preparation. What you need to know to hike the west coast trail hike. South west coast path custom itinerary national trail. When you start hiking the west coast trail, and you leave pachena bay, you immediately hit a ladder. Solitude can be difficult to find on holiday weekends, so try to plan your hike during.
For general west coast trail guide likewhat and where is. Go with a positive mental attitude and youll have a great time. Cape scott and the north coast trail is the first comprehensive guidebook about one of vancouver islands most iconic destinations. We describe it here in that northtosouth direction, but note that its equally enjoyable ridden in either direction. The 2018 west coast trail season will end on september 15th. From lost to found on the pacific crest trail is a 2012 memoir by american author cheryl strayed, describing her 1,100mile hike on the pacific crest trail in 1995 as a journey of selfdiscovery. If you are hiking vancouver island, find your bliss on a guided hiking adventure in canadas premiere wilderness areas.
Bannon took me with him as his friend, gordy, and he prepare and then make the famous 47 mile long wilderness trail on victory island in canada. The west coast trail is open to hikers from may 1 to september 30 each year. Lost coast trailnorth mattole black sands beach 24. The west coast trail is really popular so you may not be able to book your first choice of start location. Hikers can view sea lions, tidepools and spectacular spring wildflowers. Welcome to the website for the cape scott and the north coast trail. The west coast trail is a 5 to 7 day backpacking route that winds through temperate rainforests along beaches.
Fullpage maps, essential trail information, vivid photographs and a heck of a lot more. West coast trail guided hike sea to sky wilderness. This 25,640 hectare strip contains the 75 kilometre 46 mile historic west coast trail. Includes info on reservations, weather, difficulty, cost. We did an 8day, south to north route, just the two of us husband and i. It is an experience that can bring even the most experienced hikers to their knees. The noncampers guide to hiking the west coast trail if you are also like me and will never camp again, borrow as much as you can from friends, keep an eye on craigslist, and watch for sales at mec and atmosphere and rei for my american readers because hiking the trail can get pretty expensive, awfully quickly. Here you will find out more about the book, as well as some basic background information about the park. Viewing 21 posts 1 through 21 of 21 total forums are supported by our merchant partners disclosure rei coupons zpacks hyperlite patagonia arcteryx rbtr drop backcountry. All hikers now require a wct overnight user fee and a valid national park entry pass. The trail was originally called the dominion lifesaving trail because it was built in 1907 as a way to rescue shipwreck survivors along the coast. The victoria, british columbia resident was about to embark on a run along the famous west coast trail.
Hiking the west coast trail 5 days, 4 nights and 77kms of difficult terrain through the trees, dodging roots, slugging through the mud, up and down ladders, across cable cars, through the difficult sand and over the rocks the west coast trail certainly challenged me. Aug 28, 2019 the west coast trail is really popular so you may not be able to book your first choice of start location. Linking with our partner, wilderness trail shuttle, we deliver a full range of west coast wilderness trail cycling services year round. Find out about the trail and use the interactive map to explore accommodation, services and attractions on the route. The noncampers guide to hiking the west coast trail. West coast trail victoria capital regional district 2020. The transamerica trail can be navigated using either a combination of maps and rollcharts or gps tracks. The north coast trail is the west coast trails wilder, less developed cousin. From lost to found on the pacific crest trail wikipedia.
The complete guide to hike the west coast trail canada stingy. Read facts about the trail and watch the trail video. The trail is unsafe to hike the remainder of the year due to heavy storms. The management and operation of the west coast trail is the responsibility of pacific rim national park reserve, a component of canadas national park system. The sunshine coast trail is a 180kilometre back country hiking experience that stretches from sarah point in desolation sound to saltery bay. The west coast trail, which traverses 50 miles of gorgeous northwest canadian coastline, has been dubbed the graveyard of the pacific, having claimed 60 ships since 1854. Reese witherspoons wild movie, featuring the pacific crest. The west coast trail, originally called the dominion lifesaving trail, is a 75 km 47 mi backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of vancouver island in british columbia, canada. Each year, thousands of trekkers tackle the 75km west coast trail between bamfield and port renfrew on vancouver island. Of these trekkers, hundreds come from other countries. The pacific crest trail is one of the nations best known longdistance national scenic trails. The trail season is open between may 1 and september 30th. At the end, you will be able to decide if you want to go the trail on your own, fully prepared, or take a guided tour from a company that sets it all up for you.
Learn more about how to make a reservation to hike the west coast trail in pacific rim national park reserve. West coast trail victoria capital regional district. Tim leadem, whos hiked it many times, shows readers how to make the most of this demanding trail. This stretch of coast became known as the graveyard of the pacific for the many shipping disasters that occurred during fierce coastal storms. The flip side but while its scary to think that as many as one in 100 hikers never finish, the flip side to that coin is that 99 do. West coast trail victoria capital regional district all. My first and biggest surprise came in the form of heavy rain, commented cecil. Maps of the west coast trail map of campsites on the west coast trail location map of the west coast trail. The paths of the east coast trail take you past towering cliffs and headlands, sea stacks, deep fjords, and a natural wavedriven geyser called the spout. Its a hard one but a great one, i did it and was known as the girl scouts with my group as we were a group of 6 girls, i also got to meet the author of blisters and bliss on the trail.
As ship traffic increased in the late 1800s, so did the number of shipwrecks off the treacherous west coast of vancouver island. The west coast trail provides the chance to see the rugged west coast from a different perspective. The west coast trail bus picks up and drops off passengers at victoria, sooke, port renfrew, gordon river, mesachie lake, honeymoon bay. West coast wilderness trail cycle journeys selfguided. West coast wilderness trail cycle journeys selfguided trips. Those who are well prepared physically, mentally, and equipmentwise, come away with tales of grit. I wanted to do it because i heard it was awesome and i have a guilt complex about hiking all over the world but never doing the one mega trek in my own back yard. Rollcharts include easytouse stepbystep navigation for clockwise travel, while maps provide additional details including a birdseye view of the trail and information about stops along the way like dining, lodging, vehicle maintenance, and more. Registration for the 2018 west coast trail season opens on january 8 2018 at 8am pst. The rugged west coast of vancouver island offers some of the most spectacular and storied hiking in the pacific northwest. Exiting or entering via nitinat make shorter wct adventures possible. The difference is usually in the amount of care taken in preparing for the trip. Instead of 60 hiking permits day, were now allowed up to 75 day.
Home to the worldfamous west coast trail, once a lifeline for marooned sailors and still among the most breathtaking yet demanding hikes on the continent, the islands western shores also feature lesserknown coastal trails for all abilities. This 25,640 hectare strip contains the 75 kilometre 46 mile historic west coast trail constructed for the rescue of shipwrecked mariners. Hike of a lifetime pacific rim national park reserve. Lost coast trail north mattole black sands beach 24. The east coast trail unites genuine wilderness hiking with richly historic communities from topsail beach, to cape st. If you are planning on hiking the west coast trail, consider a warm up on another bc hike, the nootka island trail as well. As of 2018, all overnight west coast trail spots are reservable. It would be impossible to keep a book like this 100% current but anyone preparing to hike the west coast trail needs to be aware of changes. The west coast trail, pacific rim national park reserve, parks canada logo hikers enjoying the trail narrator the west coast trail is a multiday backcountry hike along the west shoreline of vancouver island. The pct, as its commonly called by hikers, runs continuously from the border of mexico up through california sierra nevada, then onward to oregon and washington and the. West coast trail pro guide prepare for your west coast.
948 1645 1239 303 1478 984 819 1451 542 379 1619 1398 1608 572 1368 1659 298 190 1413 1540 1620 1280 1683 90 760 1459 1350 1561 1180 876 658 807 419 169 912 1456 1099