Project: HIKING THE WEST COAST TRAIL

Start Up

Objective: Complete West Coast Trail Karla and Keltie drinking beverages: Karla says, “The West Coast Trail is on my bucket list”. Keltie replies, “OK – we are doing it this summer”.Next Steps: Keltie put a reminder in our calendars so we could reserve a spot on

the trail. Started thinking we should probably do some training and we’ll

need to buy some stuff.

Planning

Scope

Budget

Risk

Schedule

Approvals

Communication Plan

Finish Trail without major injury

Ensured Credit Cards had room…

Packed stellar medical kit

7 days to complete, three day contingency. Plus, time to drive to Port Renfrew. Drop car at end of trail, and time to drive back home.

Karla’s family agreed to the plan

Told Chris, if we aren’t off the trail in 10 days, start to worry

Keltie sent an e-mail to her mom with instructions: “What to do if I die”.

Planning Joined Running Room walking/running

group Started seeing Ryan Emmons for knee

and shoulder issues http://www.cadencesportstherapy.com/

Put feelers out to borrow equipment Bought Blisters and Bliss Guide to trail Individual Training:

Keltie, boot camp, hiking around city with backpack

Karla, hiking around city and on vacation in Manitoba

Planned Dry Run – testing cycle

BackpackBpack rain coverSynthetic Sleeping bag/comp. sackSleeping padHiking bootsGatersHeadlampSporkMugWater bottles x 2Stove Stove fuelPot

Flip flops/sandalsPants/Shorts (quick dry)Long underwear top/bottomToque / buffGlovesSocks 3 pair2 quick dry t-shirtsSweaterQuick dry towelHatLip chapRain jacketKnifeHiking poles

Deck of cardsStuff sacksDuct tapeMole skinSunscreenBug sprayLight tarp TentFirst aid kitFoodWater tr. tabsRope (15m)CameraGarbage bags

LighterFire starting tablets (6)Bear sprayBiodegradable soapHand sanitizerToothbrush and PasteToilet PaperDeodorantBlisters and BlissSpare batteries Matches

Packing List

Food ListBreakfast (7): Natural High Raspberry Granola with

Milk Backpacker’s Pantry Organic

Blueberry Walnut Oat and Quinoa Backpacker’s Pantry Organic Apple

Cinnamon Oats and Quinoa Lunch (7) Large package pepperettes Cliff bars (2 per person per day) Peanut Butter Honey packets Beef Jerky (2 large packages) Trail Mix **We meant to bring pita or tortilla but

couldn’t get any in Port Renfrew

Supper (7) Backpacker’s Pantry Chicken

Vindaloo Natural High Beef Stroganoff with

Wild Rice AlpineAire Wild Tyme Turkey Natural High Vegetable Curry and

Rice Homemade mix of quinoa, dried

veggies and mushrooms (2 bags) Beverages Mocha mix (coffee, dehydrated

milk and hot chocolate) 1 drink per person today

Drink crystals (we didn’t use this much once using filtered water)

Fun Fact: Keltie’s pack – 45 pounds, Karla’s 37.

Dry Run: Tombstone Kananaskis

Fun fact – Ross and Lucas first back country trip. Had a great meal of Cutthroat trout caught by the boys.

ExecutionKick-off and prep activities: Left Calgary Friday, August 8 evening.

Stayed overnight in Golden A friend of Keltie’s offered a place to

stay in Vancouver Saturday night. Lovely place in Olympic Village.

Sunday: brunch in Van, took Ferry to the Island, drove to Port Renfrew.

Booked a Bunkie for two nights. Monday, drove the car to the head of

the trail on Sunday (google maps –grrr) and took the shuttle back to Port Renfrew.

Day 1: Orientation Key Concepts:

Stare at Cougars (advisory was in effect – we heard about Cougars sighted by campers coming off the trail as we were going on)

Stare down a wolf

DON’T stare at the bears

They didn’t mention Deer….

If you get hurt, expect 24 waiting time to be recovered. (Bring a pen –you get a piece of paper to fill out and send along with the next person on the trail to notify someone to rescue you).

Keep the trail clean – take out what you bring in

Lots of other stuff that I don’t remember…

And at long last – the trail…The area had just finished a stretch of sunny skies. Rain welcomed us as the ferry took us over to the trail head. We started out with our raincoats on but very quickly shed them due to heat. Muggy day, rain didn’t get through the canopy for the most part.

Lots of uphill climbing. And then a good decent into the campground. Relatively hard but we were in good spirits.

Roots and Mud, Mud and RootsKeltie fell and trapped her hands underneath her and her backpack weighing her down.

You had to be there but I believe her words were. “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”. I wanted to laugh but was unsure if she was OK.

She was fine.

In hindsight, I would have taken a picture if I would have known she wasn’t hurt.

Thrasher Campsite

Thrasher campsite was nearly full when we got there but we found a good spot. We had met a couple from Carstairs (Kirstie/ Tom) and shared a fire with them the first night.

View of the campsite on the way out in the morning

Day 2: Traversing Owen Point You have an option here – go on the beach if you want to see

Owen Point (they warn you it will be tough), or go through trees. We picked the beach.

You need to know the tide tables so you can travel safely. 1.5 km of craziness This was a tough day. Keltie’s most challenging Mine is coming…

Step Carefully…

Fun fact: this wasn’t fun

This is us after the hard part. Picture on right is the easy stuff… yeah right.

Owen Point

Surge Channel Scare I almost fell into a surge channel. There was no way to cross over it, so

we were going up into the trees and around on a path with a rope.

It happened very fast. I think I was reaching for the rope and my feet slipped out from under me.

I believe my backpack was heavy enough that it prevented me from sliding in.

I still can’t even think about what would have happened to me if I would have fallen in – severe injury would be best case.

Camper campsite

Met up with Tom and Kirstie at the site. We had a fire started when they arrived. They were eating army rations – very heavy!

Keltie and I (especially me) were feeling sick this night. Later discovered that it was due to water purification tablets.

Day 3 – aka ladder day After reading Blisters and Bliss, I was prepared to

have a day of lots of ladders – this was it. For the record, every day was ladder day – this

was just the worst of them. I actually had a moment where I thought I

could not do it. The most mentally challenging day.

Ladders and Suspension Bridge This was the place that I

found the very hardest on the whole trail.

Very long steep ladder over a bald faces cliff. Then a ladder so that you were essentially doing a push up the whole way down with all the weight of your backpack pushing you directly into the ladder.

Suspension bridge was actually a relief – even with my fear of heights.

Long steep ladders up the other side.

View From Bridge

Don’t forget to look up.

Walbren Campsite

Our fire was popular this night. There was not a lot of firewood – people came to warm up, socialize, cook food, dry clothes, etc.

One of the most interesting people was a retired pastor who went back to school to become a high school math teacher…

Lots of people from Germany

Fun Fact: Noticeable percentage of people that do the trail are from Calgary!

Day 4 - Scenes from the beach

Chez Monique – Food! Beer! When the blue tent tops of

Chez Monique came into view, Keltie was off like a shot. I was literally left in the dust. Beer was calling.

Happy people

Caution: Killer Deer

The Importance of Fire Cribbs Campsite – wet

firewood and very little of it.

Fun family has amazing fire starters.

Friendships solidified here over bannock and bartering.

Amazing race: Germans, French, Chinese, the Couple, the Guys, the Girls (us), the Swiss…

Appreciating the beauty

Day 5 – 16 Km day – long, long day

Fun Fact: the trail is 75 km – as the crow flies… The amount you actually walk, climb, etc… is a lot more.

New terrain – A different world –Boardwalks, boardwalks, boardwalks

Crab Shack!

8 more km – after beer…

Tsusiat Falls Campsite Sad to say – we did

not see the falls… My favourite

campsite

Day 6 – We are tiredWe got up late. Even started the fire up again.

So tired when we saw the ladders out, that we did not even go around the corner to the falls.

This day a combo of inland and beach.

Fun on the beachAny reason for a break…

At the crab shack, the fun family split up –Tony and Chris took a boat out through Nitnat Narrows. We became honorary members.

Did I mention we were tired? Slow moving this day and enjoyed any reason to be silly and take breaks.

Cable Car There were 4 of

these on the trail. This was the only one we took. No choice – not Keltie’s favorite activity.

Were glad to be travelling with others to help get us across.

Last Camp SiteMoving slower each day, we were the last to reach the campsite.

This site was a gem overlooked by the other campers. Second favourite site.

Fog cleared for us and Whales came by!

Only time that we are pretty sure wildlife other than mice came very close to the tents at night.

Day 7 – Last Day!!!!Blisters and Bliss says that we took the hard to easy route. We aren’t convinced that there are any easy parts other than the very end of the last day…

More roots, mud, ladders…

I was truly hurting by the end of this day –very sore left foot. I was moving slowest of the group for the last 4km.

Last Day continuedThe anticipation of getting to the end was so great – just look at our faces!!!

Finish Line

Fun fact: Keltie played Eye of the Tiger on her cell phone as we crossed the finish line

Close out… Kelvin and Mark missed their shuttle back to Sydney so got a ride

with us. (An adventure in itself – a story for another day). We attended Mark’s brother’s 70th birthday party that evening. (No

we didn’t get to shower or try to be presentable)… Met a large number of their family members – only consolation Mark and Kelvin didn’t get to shower either and we got to see Tony and Chris again.

A part of the trail I hadn’t expected was the relationships formed with people that you saw everyday and shared the same experiences with.

Already have plans to visit Mark and his wife in Invermere so we can see each other again and I can introduce them to my family.

The French couple lives in Revelstoke – we hope to go hiking with them in the future.

Lessons Learned We packed very well considering our knowledge of the area. The

only changes I would make for future: Bring water filter – not tabs Bring more socks Bring an extra pair of shorts / pants. Don’t bring oatmeal for every breakfast….

Having a car at the end of the trail – invaluable (especially if you have cold beer in the trunk)

Hiking poles and Gaters – very important – not sure how people do it without.

A day at the spa with massage and mineral pools – a very good idea.