Post WCT Summary - Hiking the West Coast Trail

Was the scenery and wildlife more beautiful than I could ever describe? Yes. Without a doubt.
Was I in awe of trees so tall that the tops disappeared into the fog? Hell ya.
Was this the spirit cleansing adventure I anticipated? No. But mud detoxifies right? Did I become one with nature? Only if you count the times my ass hit the ground or when I was stabbed by sticky outy things or branch slapped.  Was this the craziest, most incredibly empowering thing Ive ever done? Yes. Absolutely.
Would I do it again? Not likely. Well my mind says maybe... my angry body says hell no woman. No chance ever.
Was it a fabulous once in a lifetime, unforgettable experience?
100% Yes.

BCA Tours -

I can't say enough about this company. It is such a well run, highly organized operation. Permits and transportation handled for you. Support and equipment, if necessary are all made available. The food was outstanding. All food home made, dehydrated and super delicious, healthy, filling snacks, all dietary needs accomodated and even desserts well planned. Coffee, a morning fave and necessity and afternoon tea, a delight. I was never hungry after a meal although it all tasted so good I could have had more.

The Guides -

 Lead guide Chris aka Bossy bitch and Kitchen bitch. A very brave man entering the woods with 9 wild women. His big smile led the way. Chris quickly became one of us. Team player for sure. Safety always came first and he gained all of our trust. Informative but also fun. Always engaged with the group and took our ribbing with a smile. Chris's tips of the day were a hit. His jokes were a hit and miss however haha. Best water boiler. Absolute best last day speech... and despite what he tells you, we were definitely his favourite group ever. Oh ya bud.

Assistant guide Jess - brilliant bitch. The fire whisperer. Bringing up the rear. 25 years of pure gold. Experienced. Knowledgeable. Patient. Tolerant and Master of all bad ass backpacking bitches. Jess is one of the reasons I made it to the end. She encouraged me to hike the WCT my way and at my pace. She understood my need to take it all in. She understood my need to breathe in every beautiful moment. Like minded and nature loving. She helped me find my foot placement when I couldn't.  She pushed my ass up and over logs or the giant step ups when my little legs failed me. She had a hand out for me whenever I needed it. She listened to my stories, laughed at my jokes and shared her stories with me. She deserves great things in life and I know she will make it happen for herself. Friends for life.

The Food -

Breakfast-
Granola with dried fruit. Breakfast of champions.
Snacks -
homemade granola crack bars, trail mix and dehydrated bananas and apples with cinnamon mmmm
Lunches-
Cheese. Salami. Crackers.
Soup and crackers. Hummus and pita. And more hummus haha
Dinners -
pasta, sun dried tomatoes and dehydrated tomato sauce
Sweet potato and chick pea curry
Alfredo pasta with broccoli
Mexican black beans and rice with corn torts
Veggie chili
Salami Jumbalaya with dried peppers (my personal fave)

The Trail -

Handy tips - wedge your feet in the rocks to avoid slipping. Green and brown rocks are slippery. Grey rocks are not. Seaweed is slippery... always. Barnacles are your friends. Grippy but not good on bare feet or hands. On the rocks, look for ridges, the spine, walk on that. Wet wood is slippery. Wet roots are slippery. Mud is slippery. ASSUME EVERYTHING IS SLIPPERY. Walk on the edges. Sometimes moss is hollow. Use your poles to find foot placement and for depth perception. Don't fear the mud. Don't fear the water. Don't fear the ladders, 3 points of contact always. Don't fear the rocks. Have NO fear. Fear will consume you. Be smart. Be safe.  Stay positive. ALWAYS. Must have a strong mental game. Treat your water and always collect it upstream... nobody wants beaver fever.

Challenges -

The rain. The humidity. The bogs. The ladders with missing rungs. A heavy pack. Faulty equipment. Wet boots. Blisters. Wounds. Sticky outy things lol. Bitch slap branches. Crossing logs. Cable cars without help. Finding a site at Thrashers Cove. Deep, wet sand. Bouldering and racing the tides. Swinging around massive trees using branches and roots like a  primate. Broken boardwalks. Giant steps. River crossings.

The Wildlife-

Eagles every day. Herons. Shit bombers. Sandpipers. Anenomes. Starfish. Urchins. Crabs. Mice. Slugs. Voles. Grey Whales. Sea lions. Seals. Sea otters. Wolves (saw tracks and heard pups).  Bears (saw two, heard one from too fn close, poop on the trail). Cougars (elusive but there) No Mosquitos!! Well the few I saw were lethargic anyway. Nothing like the vicious Ontario skeeters...

The Camps -

6 kms to Thrashers Cove. Limited space. Watch that high tide line. Bouldering for 2 hours or insane climb out.
8 kms to Campers Bay. Creek cross in or cable car. Stayed dry in the 10 year rain. 40mms. Tough climb out.
9 kms to Walbran - lots of great sites. Swim in the creek. Cable car out..
11 kms to Cribs Creek - beautiful beach and sunset. Great whale watching and the sounds of sea lions.
17 kms to Tsusiat Falls - definitely swim in the falls. Fantastic beach. Long walk to the loo (maybe it just felt long)
13 kms to Michigan Creek- Bear town. Awesome whale watching. Amazing sunsets.
All camps have an elevated compost toilet accessible by ladder (because there aren't enough on the trail) and every loo comes with a view.
12 kms to Pachena Bay Trailhead- finish via the beach if you can - didn't camp here. (drive to hotel in Victoria)

Equipment -

MSR Single tent is big enough for one. Less is more. Thermarest Questar HD Nikwax hydrophobic down sleeping bag - LOVED IT. Never cold. Osprey Backpack 65L big enough, line it with a black garbage bag and at night put your pack and boots inside said garbage bag to stay dry under the fly...pole strap broke for 2 of us on the Osprey.. Poles- one is enough but necessary, very helpful. Gaiters an absolute MUST. Waterproof boots a MUST. Clothes - Keep it light. Keep it dry. YOU WILL SMELL lol. My luxury item?? Clean gitch for everyday and enough socks. Nothing ever dries. Seriously. Rinse and wear doesn't work. Your clothes will still be damp and you will stink regardless. My regrets... wish I had packed an extra t-shirt and short shorts for camp. As for river shoes... save the weight, go barefoot when crossing and just pack light flipflops for camp. KEEN RIVER SHOES SUCK... heavy and like wearing sandpaper socks.

Hygiene -

Don't run out of toilet paper. It is not supplied. Sponge bathing is necessary. Wipes are the way to go but must be carried out with all your garbage. Swamp-crotch is an unofficial thing. A clean beaver is a happy beaver haha. Brush your teeth often, makes you feel human. Use foot glide to avoid blisters... I have banged up knees and bruises everywhere but NO BLISTERS.

Laundry-

If you wash (no soap) your clothes in the river they won't smell much better and they will not dry. Hot rocks and logs are useful in the sun. So are poles and tent lines. Extra shoelaces make good clothes lines as well. If you use a fire to dry your clothes keep in mind you will smell like a burnt hotdog for the rest of the week. Mind your laces (they catch fire quickly) and socks brown up like marshmallows. Debatable but damp clothes inside the bottom of your sleeping bag will by dried (by body heat) come morning. I put my next day clothes down there so I could change into warm clothes when I woke up each day.

The Hikers -

- Cindy BC, keener, independent, strong , leader, quiet but spunky

- Jan BC, keener, wise, doesn't swear, team player, kind, adventurer

- Jenn AB, independent, super fit, hungry, entertaining, marches to the beat of her own drum, one of a kind gem

-Andrea ON, supermom, warrior, strong, kind and honest, genuine.

- Kim ON, super bad ass, sarcastic and witty, strong, smart and funny. Caring and encouraging. A quiet leader

-Heather ON, sweet soul, tenderheart, cheeky, funny and genuine. A Warrior with the best giggle. Very supportive. A ray of sunshine.

-Adele ON,  saucy and fun, clever, witty, an absolute delight and very encouraging. Best parent talk ever. Full of love

-Me ON, aka Little legs. Saucy. Swears alot. Back of the bus. Everything is a photo op. Enthusiastic. Still smiling. Still sore haha

I have the utmost respect for all of these women who left their families to tackle one of the hardest trails imaginable. It was done with laughter, encouragement and friendship. They are wild warriors. Bad ass bitches. All different. All amazing.

In closing, would I recommend this tour group? Absolutely. Would I recommend this trail? Only to a select few. It may have been one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen but was by far the most physically and mentally challenging adventures I have ever been a part of. Do not take it lightly. I would like to take a moment to thank my guides and my hiking group for a memorable and extraordinary experience. I would not and could not have sucessfully done it without you all.
Your humour, your words of encouragement and your friendship were the fuel that kept me going. The vagina monologues will have me laughing for years to come. I'm looking forward to sharing a new trail with you in the future not to mention sharing wine and more laughter. You all have my gratitude, my respect and my friendship for always. xx