HIKE THE WEST COAST TRAIL
As a challenge well, it helps to be in shape. We met some people who weren’t in shape and they were struggling
George Robinson of Victoria, seasoned hiker
The last time I hiked Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail, we laughed all the way from Port Renfrew to Pachena Bay. Four healthy veteran trekkers, primed for a well-olanned quest. We were the season’s first and met fewer than a dozen hikers over five rainless days in early May
Everyday was a sweat, up and down ravines, across creeks in cable cars, ankel deep in sand under the heavy weight of full packs. We were dive-bombed by territorial hummingbirds, awed by breaching whales, humbled by the purity of the rainforest, thankful for past conservation victories that allowed us to hike this trail.
“Some people say there are thin spots in the world where you can see the scene and you almost feel the unseen. The West Coast Trail, in a lot of spots, is just like that, observes Victoria hiker George Robinson. “You’re looking at the scene and for sure, it’s real but it’s so beautiful it almost doesn’t seem real.”
As much a journey for the soul as for the body, the West Coast Trail is inconic amonth the world’s outdoor adventures. It’s no exaggeration to say these pristine seascapes rival the most staggering wild scenery on Earth. And there’s only one way to get there. hoof it.
Hiking permits are required and reservations are recommended June 15 to Sept 15
Info (250-387-1642 or 800-435-5622 to reserve www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/index_E.asp
Don’t Miss
Taking a shower under Tsusiat Falls midway along the trail
Eating at Chez Monique seasonal outdoor cafe at Carmanah Beach
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