West Coast Trail


	Our camp at the trail head

On a cold winter afternoon I agreed to hike the West Coast Trail with my grandson Justin. What the heck summer was a long way off. Besides who ever remembers theses things. Well it seems Justin does.
We drove from Medicine Hat to Vancouver Island found our way to Bamfield and camped at the trail head on July 3 2009.
I'm thinking losing a bit of weight and getting in shape might have been a good idea.
But tomorrow morning we start the hike.
The West Coast Trail is located in Pacific Rim National Parks system on the west coast of British Colombia and is 77 kilometers from one end to the other. Many kilometers of hills mountains creeks etc.
We had decided to start at the south end near Bamfield BC.
Shortly after our start we reached our first ladder but not the last. We made about 15 kilometers the first day and made camp on the beach as most of our campsites turn out to be.


First Ladder	Justin on the trail	Another Ladder	Justin on Bridge


Dale Resting	The trail is not all good	Lighthouse	Lunch Stop	First Camp Site


Day 2 Breakfast Stop	Pancakes on the Way	Old Shipwreck	The Trail	The Trail

We got up early each morning and walked a couple of hours then stopped for breakfast.
This way we got our distance walked and got into camp early.


Justin	The first Cable Car	Others coming across	Justin at Cable Car	Along the trail


Justin	Second Camp Site	Tsusuit Falls	Tsusuit Falls	Ladders to start the morning

We didn't climb the ladders this morning, we walked along the beach instead. Past the Hole in the rock and past the shipwreck where some old gillnetter lost his boat on the beach.


Our tracks in the sand	Hole in rock	Shipwreck	Justin at Nitnat Narrows	Dale

At Nitnat a boat took us across the narrows. The Sockeye were running so the made us a very nice meal of fried Sockeye Salmon.


Dock and Restaurant	Back on the trail	The trail is very broken in spots.	Trail	Bridge


Trail	Trail very muddy in places	Rocky Beach	Getting fire started	Third Campsite

A lot of rain the last couple of days. We are wet all the time now. The water runs down our backs and into our boots. Trail is very muddy in places.
We only have a few kilometers to go to Moniqu's Cafe where we plan to stop for breakfast.
We have to go a little way along the beach then climb the ladders to Carmanah Point Light then down the ladders to the beach and about a kilometer or two we will be there.


Carmanah Point Light	Sealion Rock	Moniqu's Cafe	Justin at Moniqu's Cafe	Moniqu's Cafe


The rocky shore	Another cable car	Justin soaking wet	Forth Campsite	Drying cloths in the rain??

Rain all day today everything is wet. But we did get a fire going. When it's this wet you get a lot of company around a fire.


Dale	Straddle the log over a swamp	Stopped at this little island for breakfast	Long suspension bridge	Fifth Camp

Rain all day again today. If we thought we were wet yesterday we had no idea. Now every thing is wet even inside our pack sacks. No longer do we have thoughts of getting to camp and getting dry socks. The trail is muddy now and the mud is inside our boots we feel it's grit as we walk along. Now we dream of getting to camp and getting clean wet socks. A lot of ups and downs along the trail and many roots and tangles to get through. But all fun.
We couldn't take many pictures because it rained so much and our cameras were getting very wet.


Muddy Trail	Mud and roots	Roots	Nice Spot	Justin on trail

We had less rain today so are now having thoughts of dry things, but not yet of dry socks. That will have to wait.


Sixth Campsite	No rain	Relax in camp	The trail	The trail today

We had only 4 kilometers to go for the last day, but very rough going. Over ups and downs and may roots and stuff to climb over.
The four kilometers took me a little over 4 hours. I think Justin made it in a bit more than 2 hours.


At the trails end	Our transportation across the Gordon River	first cafe	Camp in sunshine	There is a shower in this campground


Dale	Justin in Port Renfrew	Dinning at Port Fenfrew Hotel	Dale	The bus to Bamfield

After a short rest waiting for the boat to transport us across the Gordon River and a four kilometer walk into Port Renfrew. We stopped at the first cafe we found and had a store bought hamburger then found a camp ground had a shower and dried our cloths.
Then walked into town to the Port Renfrew hotel for supper.
The next morning we caught the bus back to Bamfield