West Coast Trail (WCT)
"One of the hardest trails in North America lies in front of you."
With these words the introduction video fort the West Coast Trail welcomes the hikers
who have to watch it in a ranger station.
Black bears, cougars, wells, ladders, cable cars and tables for the tides are being
explained by means of video and through staff so everyone knows what he gets involved in.
Who is not allured from hiking the West Coast Trail will be rewarded with breathtaking
landscape, observation from humpback whales to bald eagles and pleasant camp fire atmosphere
every night on the beaches of Vancouver Island.
The West Coast Trail was constructed 1890 as a searescue-trail. The West coast of Vancouver
Island was then considered to be the "Grave Yard of the Pacific" because many ships wrecked
in storms there. The few survivors who made it from the sinking ships to the coast could
so walk to the next village and did not have to stray miserably through the forest.
The trailīs difficulties lie in the sometimes pretty rainy weather (whereas we had very
stable weather), the roughness of the terrain and the fact that you have to carry food
for 5-7 days which is a little on the heavy side. Nevertheless you can hike the West Coast
Trail very comfortably if you pick light weight equipment and if you start on the easier
Northern side. So on the Southern part you will hike with less food in the pack over rough
and smooth.
In the last years the West Coast Trail has gained on popularity. The 75km are done after
one week and so there is still time to paint the town red in Vancouver Island or Vancouver
and British Columbia. A cool travel plan.
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