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

Day Six - Boardwalks, Bears and Blessings

We left at 8 o'clock as per usual and started the day with ladders immediately and into the forest. It was a relatively easy day,  we hiked about 13 kilometers. We hiked in the forest, walked on lots of boardwalks, a lot of stunning views, and definitely foggy this morning which made for some beautiful forest pictures. 

We've arrived at camp and it is another oceanfront spot with a beautiful view. Still quite foggy. It's been overcast all day which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I've gone for a bit of a walk on our beach. I am very restless, always. I can't seem to settle. Can't sit still. Must keep moving. Maybe it's from lacking a comfortable place to sit. My tailbone just can't rest on a hard log and my back really only stops hurting when I'm upright.

This is bear beach and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see any because I do maybe not up close and personal, maybe not in my face with claws but I would like to see some more wildlife. I have seen many Eagles. I have seen many whales playing and rolling offshore today and I have seen herons. We have seen bear poop and wolf prints. Apparently the group today heard two baby wolves barking but I did not. I was busy at the back of the line just having fun with Jess and talking shit. I would be lying if I said I wasn't ready for this to be over because I am. I am very, very sore. My knees hurt, my back hurts and my quads hurt mostly from the beach walking today. There was a lot of sand, deep, deep sand and some walking on the shelf.

Very challenging when you're already sore and tired. I guess the best part is that it was foggy and not too hot. It's actually quite cold right now and I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt with a fleece sweater and a fleece vest and a winter hat. My knees are wrapped in compression sleeves and I'm wearing socks and sandals so you can imagine how sexy that looks. The tide is definitely coming in and its trying to reach my feet.

Tonight's dinner was the best yet. Jumbalaya with salami and it was fantastic... and what did we see during our meal?? Not one but two bears!!! A medium sized black bear checking out the beach (where I had been strolling earlier) and a massive black bear on the other side of the creek we crossed earlier to get to camp. We also saw many whales playing and a sea otter family playing on a rock just offshore.
To close out the night we were also blessed with the gift of chocolate.
I have become so efficient in the daily rituals of organizing my belongings, and packing up as a result every morning, has been a breeze.

It's cold in my little tent world but I feel safe and cozy and eager to hit the trail in the morning. It was a great day for wild life and that makes me smile a super, giant smile. My Dad is very much on my mind and I know he would be proud to see the joy this wild and natural place brings me. He would love this place... and he is with me in spirit.

Day Five - Wine and Waterfalls

Today was simply Wow. We started on a sea shelf covered in barnacles.  The same bastard barnacles that had me agonizing in bed last night. I had to put polysporin on my feet last night to stop the burning and to be able to fall asleep. It felt like I walked over shattered glass.
Regardless, today was amazing. Only a few ladders in the morning. We walked the beach for awhile then the forest again. Then the beach again. We saw fresh wolf tracks in the sand (from a big ass wolf with huge paws) and otter tracks. 

Then back into the forest for a very pleasant walk excitedly arriving at the Crab Shack. There was great anticipation for this little gem on First Nations land. The only little spot to get food and snacks and alcohol. It's a pretty big deal when you've been living in the woods for days. 

We spent a good 2 hours here drinking and waiting to be served. It was very, very busy and the wait was long but nobody was in a rush. There was no place we would rather have been but there. Boots were off, the sun was shining and we were all smiles. Everyone had either fish or crab with a loaded baked potato.  Some of the gang secretly bought beers to go. A couple of us bought wine to go... and chips and chocolate. We chatted with hippie Doug who gave us each a flower to eat upon arrival and let us watch him filet a fresh salmon. We also chatted with Carl, a First Nations resident and the owner of the very busy and successful crab shack who posed for pictures with us and even twerked for us. No idea where that came from but it made for lots of laughter.

After a nice glow and bellies were beyond full, Carl gave us a boat ride with his chocolate lab (I miss my Jakeyboy) to the other side of the bay to continue the trail.
It's tough to hike with a full belly. Chris was a little nervous leading us after we indulged a little and used his sing song voice to keep us in line. Luckily he didn't have to break out the Dad tone. We mostly behaved. The climb up was sobering.

 We climbed and climbed through the forest trail  where we saw our first pile of bear poop. Papa Bear had no shortage of berries. So do bears shit in the woods? Yes. Yes they do. Right on the trail.

More beach hiking then more forest hiking, then more beach hiking then camp... a total of 18 long kms. The last km I truly thought I was going to collapse from pure muscle exhaustion. Andrea and I, both bringing up the rear, agreed to call it a day if the camp we saw ahead wasn't ours. Luckily it was. A long but gorgeous day.

On the beach we were welcomed by a glorious waterfall (Tsusiat Falls) which I did not hesitate to swim in. Pretty much immediately upon arrival. I stood under the blasting cold water for as long as I could stand it... it took my breath away. I was still wearing my hiking clothes. A shower and laundry all in one. While drying up in the sun, I opened my desperately needed box of cab sauv while the rest of the gang drank their beers by the falls. Good thing I stayed back at camp because the wind kicked up and one of our bigger tents, that wasn't pegged down, decided to take a tumble towards unsuspecting campers. I ran after it yelling "heads up!!" then caught it and secured it back in its place. Kind of made me giggle and wonder how the hell did I just manage to run?? Must be the wine. A magical elixir. After setting up the rest of our tents and hanging our wet clothes, we were served a delicious veggie chili and I finished my wine by the fire with some tunes. We watched another beautiful sunset before heading off to bed. 

As I layed there after an incredible day all I could think was I am so done. So very, very done. How can something be so devastatingly beautiful and so painful at the same time?? Thank God for the sounds of waterfalls and ocean waves to calm my spirit. Despite my aches and pains (and there are so many) I do feel truly blessed and fortunate to be here seeing this magical, hidden world beyond the reaches of our imaginations. A very special place indeed... and one I am so happy to share with you. But why does everything have to hurt? Lol.

The wine helped make things right in my world again.

Day Four - beaches, barnacles and bruises

Today was by far the best day yet and probably the easiest. We left ahead of schedule at 0740 and right from the start was the cable cars. 

My favourite part of being by the sea, aside from the sound of the waves, is the fog. The sky has been blue all day and the sun is warming me now, as I sit and take in the day.

After the cable car we went straight into ladders. 

Then 2 hours in the bog to avoid wading through a potentially dangerous river with the water levels so high. There were some new boardwalks recently installed in this section so it was fairly pain and mud free. It was so beautiful in the morning light. The green of the moss and ferns just glowing and the giant trees letting just enough light through to create beams of Gods light. 

It kind of looked like I was dropped into a scene from Jurassic Park and I almost expected a raptor to stick his head out from behind the lush ferns and have me as a snack.

I confess without a group and guides to follow I wouldn't get very far. I would be stopping at every giant tree and every overlook and every ladder. Not just to rest but to take it all in and try to capture it with my camera in all its glory.
The group ahead keeps moving forward and so must I.  I have bruises in places that I an unable to recall exactly how they came to be but if you can imagine the amount of sticky outy things we have avoided or the bitch slap branches we have barely missed perhaps you can also imagine how many we have been stabbed with, smacked with or fallen on. I'm wearing the knee bruises like badges of honour.

We made it to the beach for another couple of hours, first powering through heavy sinking sand then finding a rock shelf to walk on.... with some trepidation. Everything on the west coast trail is slippery... the rocks, the roots, the moss, the mud and the logs. The fog was thick along the coast and made for some exciting photographic moments for me. 

Snack time was beside a beautiful waterfall. I was loving the level ground and the lighting and more than anything the scenery. Thick cedar and spruce forest, driftwood on the sand, waves rolling in and a beautiful blue sky only slightly masked by the everchanging fog. There was a decent river to cross and we all agreed to barefoot it across. The water was ice cold so within seconds the little stones didn't hurt anymore, nor did the blisters or the hotspots. At it's deepest it was maybe knee high but still better to keep the boots dry.

After more beach walking, we went into the forest again briefly to climb a few ladders up to the lighthouse.

It was there we had a hummus lunch party and enjoyed the view. We had our usual banter, some  giggles, compared battle scars and talked about our blisters and soakers. Always checking the status of each other's wounds and "are your boots dry yet"?

After lunch it was a few more ladders and another slippery forest jaunt back to the beach. Not so far to go today. I would love to tell you what time we arrived at camp but quite honestly I don't even know what day of the week it is let alone the time. However it must have been quite early in the afternoon because we set up tents quickly and had time to nap and swim and still there was time to relax while dinner was cooking.

I took a power nap in the hot sand and took some pictures.

At our camp, Chris spotted a whale just offshore. Sitting here on a random buoy I found on the sand, I stared out at the water until I too spotted him. First I saw the blowhole spray, then I saw the body roll. We tracked it all the way to sea lion rock where there are hundreds perched there barking at who knows what. After much wildlife viewing dinner was served. A lovely dinner, pasta alfredo with broccoli. Some time spent  by the fire with tea until my favourite time, watching the sunset.

 Now I lay in my cozy tent and listen to the sea lions chatter or sing or grumble or whatever it is they are doing when the belch into the night... sounds like a frat house belching contest.
I walked on barnacles today, barefoot on the sea wall, to photograph the sun going down...stupid decision...my feet are itchy and burning and tingling. How will I sleep? Another pointless observation.. it's been 4 days since I washed my hair and it's so gross, it no longer moves. 4 days of sponge bathing in ice cold creek water and I don't feel as bad as I expected I would. Brushing our teeth every morning and night as per usual keeps a level of humanity among us.
An incredibly beautiful, scenic day today and a long one ahead for tomorrow...our longest day yet at 18kms.

Day Three - ladders and mud and the mighty fire

I am sitting by a fast river rapid rushing out to sea.  The sun is setting before me and I have a massive beach to myself. I am going to watch the sun go down before I head back to camp. It's a clear night thank God and I'm hoping for stars and a moon. My belly is full and my body is exhausted. My feet are sore. No, beyond sore. Even walking on the pebble beach is excruciating... but I endure the pain for the photo of the day.

Last night was the most rain I have ever seen fall hard and for hours straight. It stopped in the early morning hours but was replaced by wind. I think I managed a few hours sleep after that. Up at 0530 again to pack up gear and force down some oatmeal. Mocha Coffee to warm the belly and we were ready to go. It was cool and damp but the 45 min vertical climb warmed us up quickly. It's tough starting out the day with straight cardio and legs but it was nothing compared to what we faced the rest of the day. We spent hours upon hours in the bog. Navigating every step with care on to roots, logs, rocks or moss...anything to avoid the dreaded soaker.

This is not just any mud, this is the mud that comes after 40mm of steady rain. The Canadian rainforest after a very heavy rain and we had some spills. We were dirty and muddy and sweaty and for most of the day the group stayed upbeat by playing games or singing or just telling funny stories... there were alot of giggles and photos too.
There were also many many ladders. Not baby ladders but ladders that went on forever. Down was not so bad but going up with tired, shaky legs was hard.

We crossed super slippery logs, some over heights that a fall would warrant rescue and some we crossed because they were there. We stopped for snack at an overlook above the ocean. We ate lunch on a creek bed of stones... cream of potato and veggie soup.

We took a cable cross over the river as the rain had brought the levels up too high to cross by foot. Then some more crazy ladders and a boardwalk through marsh... kind of resembled the everglades.

The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Then back into the woods for more frogger. The bogs took a toll on everyone. Even our guides Chris and Jess got soakers. Many of us fell or took a wrong step into ankle deep mud. We were poked by branches, scraped from hugging trees and bruised from a number of near wipe outs.

At one point in the day Chris, Jan and Cindy were well ahead then Andrea and I, followed by the rest with much space between us. We weren't talking and it was quiet. Then we heard it. A deep growl kind of sound and I knew right away it was a bear. It was 6 feet to my left. A deep, low grunty grumble which I translated to get the f@$k out of my living room! Andrea and I both heard it and yelled back to the others to sing and be loud. So we sang a little Harry Belafonte "day oh" and kept moving. Andrea and I were both stunned by it and kept talking about it... although we didn't see him we distinctively heard him.. just couldn't believe it was so close.

As the day went on and the mud and roots were endless...alot of us lost our mojo and just wanted it to be done. We crossed a suspension bridge, more fn ladders and more bogs until we finally arrived at our site. Another river bed.

Beautiful views , a beautiful beach and a great place to spend the night.
We set up our camp, swam in the cold creek... anything to feel remotely clean. We ate black beans and rice with corn tortillas and made a big fire.

The fire became a memorable place. It was here that we all attempted to dry wet clothes and boots for the next day... and here we learned how quickly boot laces catch fire haha. We laughed alot and slept well after a very, very long and difficult day.