West Coast Trail 1996 Vancouver Island Canada

West Coast trail
Mike Stevens makes notes later in italic
Tom Stevens auther of original journal

Wednesday, July 30th, 1997

Carla dropped us off at the Louisville airport. After that our first day of travel got off to a rocky start. Our plane flight to Cincinnati was cancelled-some sort of electrical problem. We ended up getting routed through Atlanta and on to Seattle, but too late for our ferry reservation from Seattle to Victoria. Mike got on the phone and rescheduled our ferry and bus connections and cancelled our Victoria hotel while I wait in line for new airline connections.

On the plane to Seattle from Atlanta, we sat nest to a Col. Carl Hicks, USA retired. He had hiked the West Coast Trail about 15 years back. He was a ranger at the time and headed up a group of about 100 troops. He is now a VP for a company that manufactures environmentally friendly solvents. He invited Mike and I to dinner on conclusion of our trip-as it turned out we did not have a chance to take him up on the offer when we returned. I got his card and would like to keep in touch.

We arrived in Seattle early in the evening. Originally we were to have taken the ferry to Victoria Weds evening, but Mike had rebooked us on the 8 am ferry Thursday Morning. Since we needed to be on the ferry to Victoria early the nect day, we took a bus into Seattle and stayed at the Inn at Queen Anne, in a small efficiency. Iut was old but clean and within a 15 minute walk of pier 69 where our ferry would depart.

We ate dinner at Dukes, a restaurant a few blocks away from the Inn at Queen Ann’s We both had a large bowl of the best clam chaower I can remember eating. We had hot bread and split and entrée of grilled salmon with blueberry chutney.

Thursday, July 31

We were up early and walked to Seattle Clipper terminal at pier 69 arriving at about 725 am. The clipper left right on time at 8 am. The Clipper was passenger only, modern and fast. I spent quite a lot of time on deck enjoying the clear but cold weather and the view of Seattle and the Candadian islands. Mike wrote a letter to Mary and read and spent some time on the deck as well.

We arrived in Victoria after 1100. Victroia is a very scenic and friendly. There are many intesting buildings and beautiful gardens. Ther were hanging baskets of flowers along the streets. Everything was well maintained and very clean.

Mike called mom to see if the letter had come from U of K. Mike had expected to hear whether he was accepted in the physical therapy program there. It is very competitive to get in-although Mike’s grades were good , he was obviously concerned. No word so we promised to call again tomorrow just before we started on the trail.
I remember laying on very well maintained lawn. Dad I believe had started the call that honestly I was not sure I wanted to make. It had been a full summer, I just returned from a trip with Mary traveling for an entire month together. My mind was still somewhat enjoying North American culture again. I had spent the summer in anticipation¼.. . I had spent my collage carrier thus far in preperation to apply to PT school. I was entering into my senior year in collage, no where close to any bachalier degree. All my class work was spent fulfilling requirements to apply for physical therapy school. At that point I had no other real professional desires. I had been working for minimal wage during weekends throughout collage as a PT tech (unlincsed, semicut throught grunt work job). So much time¼. so much energy. The clock was ticking and I would have to face the answer, not today so it seemed. I had taken a gamble, less then 1/6 get accepted.

For weeks I had reoccurring dreams. Both of which had steamed from fairly bad movies. I believe these were a reflection of the slection process in entering into PT school. At my place of employment as a PT tech, they were many other techs attempting to enter into the same program. The dreams would start either at work or some other random place. Then with out warning a T-rex would crash through the roof and start to devour my coeworkers. That dream begain after seeing Jurastic park II. These occurred almost nightly for almost a month.

It took effort to concentrate, effort to appreciate my surroundings.

Mike and I ate lunch near the information center. Mike had a crab melt sandwich and a super rich chocolate pie desert. We wandered around town for a little. I bought some post cards and sent one to Carla and to work. Mike lay done in the garden of the Empress hotel and read a book. I wandered downtown and took some pictures.

We caught a bus at the downtown terminal at 2 p.m. to Port Rendro (the bus was a little late). Actullay the bus turned out to be a van. There were 4 others on the van, also going to hike the trail. There was a man and his son (about 17?) from Calgary and a German girl who had come to Canada just to hike the trail, and a middle aged woman from Vancouver who was meeting her sister from Vancouver. All four would be hike the trail at the same time as we would-but we spread out over the next several days. On the bus trail, the bus stopped for a short break. Mike was still hungry so we got ice cream cones. The van arrived at Port Renfro at about 430.

When we registered at the trail head, we thought that we whould have to hike back in to the town of Port Renfro to get camp stove fuel (can’t bring that on an airplane). The trail head was several KMs from the twon. Luckily, another hiker had left on bottle of fuel with ranger. And the man and his son from Calgary had some left over fuel after filling their containers. So we didn’t need to go into Port Renfro at all.

This trip is like the Yellowstone trip is interesting for me. I have always admired my dad for knowing what is ahead , for being prepaired. I have always thought of him as a planner, not the type to wing it. He has let me plan this trip, I am the one with more backpacking experience. Here we wing it. Get our fuel by purely chance He is the type who knows the answers, I am used to him being in charge. ( that is the role for a dad right) We were both surpired not to find a supply store close to the trail head. It was interesting to see him have the “I don’t know we’ll see what happens” attitude.
We registered with the ranger and got an orientation which include a video and walk through of the trail made by the ranger. We then walked down onto the beach about ½ mile and set up camp for the night. We were on Indain land, and one of the locals came by to collect $8 canadian for4 the ningh. Tom found a piece of drift wook and was trying to cut it to make a walking stick. After some effort Mike informed him that the was he was using might be a little dull since he had used ti to cut bathromm tiles back at this apartment. Thanks Mike. Mike wrote Mary a post card. We both wrote Bill. We waw a boakd eagle circling over towards Port Renfro. Weather was beautiful. We ate our first trail food and turned in.

The stove was new, think I got sand in the fuel cable. I spent to entire trip trying to figure out that damm stove. I dreampt about t-rex that night.

Day 1 Saturday, 1 August ( clear all day)

We got up early because we need to be at he point near the ranger cabin to catch a ferry across the river to the trail. Mike had problem with the new camp stove so we didn’t have oatmeal. We settled for a breakfast bar instead.

Probolly better anyway, can’t stand oatmeal. That was the last trip I packed oatmeal.

A little after 7 am we walked up to the phone near the ranger cabin an called mom.

This is a phone booth next to a brown river flowing to the sea. The sand is harder to walk on then the firm dirt. I prefer the dirt. This is supposed to be a hard trail that we are about to attempt. Dad dialed the call talked for a short while then handed me the phone. The hardest part of that trip was picking up that phone. I stood there stairing down the barrels of reality. We were pressed for time, I believe the fairy had arrived this was the last of chance on this trip for a phone. Mom had met the mail at the post office when it opened. The letter had arrived. I did not breath. Mom opened the mail, I waited¼.. She quickly read the opening formalities. I breathed. Waves of joy swept over me. I was euphoric, I doupt I had many comprehensible thoughts the rest of the next couple of days. My gamble of over three years of school had paid off. I now had job security, reasonable pay at a profession that I thought I enjoyed. Life seemed so spelled out. Everything should be easy from here. (all sounds sort of silly writing about it now, I really thought every thing would be smooth sailing from there.) The Pacific ocean lay before me, it was morning the trial was about to begin. I felt strong. My well used external framepack rested lightly apone my shoulders. A new trail was about to begin.
GREAT NEWS. Mike had been accepted. For the next several days, Mike seemed to be in a cloud with occasional babbling about being accepted. This was a very important event for him and Dad was glad to be there to share it with him.

We got packed up and hiked to the point at about 825 a.m when Mike discovered that he didn’t have the postcards he had written for Bill and Mary. He ran back and was able to find them. Luckily the ferry was a few minutes late.

Our first decision was whether to start the trail at Thresher Cove (saving a distanvce of about 6 KM and 4 hours) or to start the trail at the very beginning at Gordon River. Most of the experienced campers took the ferry to Thersher Cove . Mike and I suffered the trail. This part of the trail is very rugged with lots of ladders and climbing up and down. This area was new growth compaireed to ther virgin forest-but the tree were full height. Along the way we saw an old donkey engin-basically a steam boiler that pulls cable. They used these to grag tress that had been cut down. The trail to Thresher Cove was all forest trail with an occasional view of the Posrt San Juan inlet through the trees. The guild book called this “a 4 hour walk into hell” - who am I to argue. Tom hit the Gatoraid frequently and we took a couple of rests. We met tow other groups on this part of the trail- Anne and Bob from near Toronto and a Canadian family (two boys-about 9 and 11). The older boy and the father had hiked the trail before.

We arrived at Thresher Cove at about noon. The next part of the trail we were going to hike along the coast, so we needle to wait for the tide to start going out before we hiked that segment. This gave us a bit longer to rest and have lunch. Tom pumped water from a stream. Mike again had trouble with the stove-Bob and Anne chatted with us and Bob gave Mike some pointers. He had the same type of stove and some the same problems. We finally ate some Raman noodles. At about 2 p.m. we set off for Own Point.
How frustrating, how many different camp stoves I have used but can’t figure this one out. To this day I still have problems with that damm thing.
Most o fthe trip to Own Point was hpping across large rocks or walking across large logs that had washed up on the shore-a balanceing act most of the way with heavy packs. Owen paoin is very scenic with a natural arch. We had to wade through the arch to get around the point. Tom carried both sets of boots while Mike took some pictures. Some of the rocks were very slippery-Tom slipped and Mike’s boots got wet (soaked) . For some reason, Tom’s boot stayed dry. On the trip to Own Point we often me tAnne and Bob rom Toronto and a group of 5 men who had been in in the same fraternity at Alberta. At Owen Point we saw sea lions in the water and on the rocks near by.

Once around the point, the pace was much easier. We were walking along the Juan de Fuca Strait. We were walking on rock for for a good part of the way , but with having to scramble over the driftwood logs. There were some surge channels that we crossed by walking across driftwood logs. Willie, one of the 5 fraternity brothers, took a spill trying to get over one the surge channels. Mike helped him up and he was OK.

After a few KMs we move to forest trail to awoid some th more dangerous surge cahnnels. The forest trail for the rest of the day and the next was very muddy and with many tangled toots. It was very important to watch your footing every step. We were also going up and dosne hills continuously. There were amy ladders lto go up and dwon ravines that were too steep to hike. There were sometimes shaky with a rotted rung here and there. In a lot of cases, the trail would og over a down tree log to san a small ravine. The tip tof the log was usually flattened, but with all the mud it is easy to see how people can get hurt by slipping over this part of the trail. There were alos boardwalks through some of the marshy ares, again with some planks that were broken or shaky.

We arrive at Camper Creek at about 730 or 800 pm. To get to the camp area, we crossed the creak by a hand pulled cable car. It was a tight fit for two of us in the car with our packs but it worked well enough. At the camp, Tom discaoved blisters on both big toes and a bruised big toe nail on the right foot. These caused by boots just a little too big., The next day he switched to two pairs of socks and moleskin and the condition of the feet improved, by the end of the trial he had no blisters.

We ate some packaged lasagna, washed up, pumped some water and truned in early. Total distance hiked day 1 was only 13 KMs but most of the hikers only hiked 8 KM since they started at Thresher Cove.



DAY 2- Saturday, 2 August (weather was misty rain in the morning-clear in the afternoon)
We had a slower next morning. We got up at about 8 am. Mike looked very comfortable and there seemed no reason to hurry. Day 2 would be all forest trail so the tide were not a factor. We had oatmeal for breakfast and set off at about 9 am. When the rain started, we dreagged out the back pack covers and rain gear. There was no wind and so it wasn’t unpleasant. After awhile, I took my rain gear off and just used the pack cover since I swear a lot and was damp anyway. There were lots and lots of ladders on day 2. Tom’s feet were tender, but O.K. We were into virgin forest by now. (since logged)

At about 1 pm, we stopped at Cullite Creek. In looking across the creek we could see about a 200 rung ladder that we would have to climb-so there seemed to be some incentive for a longer than normal rest. Tom baithed in a pool and washed his hair. Mike reas a book he had started on the plan and that he had been reading on the ferry. Tom ate some Ramen noodles, while Mike had the remaining lasagna. Both of us napped on a log for awhile. The camp area there was delightful, with fresh water and a nice beach.

After about 1 ½ hours we set off for Qalburn Creek. We creossed Culite Creek by cable car and climbed the 200 rung ladders to the top. After a short rest, we continued. We arrived at Walburn Creek at about 7 pm. Tom was dead-Mike just tired. After a short nap and wash in a cold pool, Tom came back to life. We had beef stew for dinner. Later Mike showed Tom some of his Kempo stretching exercises. Tom participated which probolly helped both of us with the aches and pain which for Tome were significant. Tome turned shortly after 9 pm Mike later. There probably about 30 person at the camp including most of the people metioned so far.

Total distance hike day 2 was 19 KMs
That night there was no moon. I stayed up reading using the fire for light. I remember the ocean and the fullness of the stary sky. What story would my time hold? I was at the end of one journey (the climb for acceptance into PT school) about to start a second climb. I still had an idea that life would platue, my major challenge was over, I had risen to the top and been accepted. Smooth sailing from here on.
Day 3 –Sunday, 3 August (weather clear)

Everyone said we needed to get up early so that we could beat the tides. Low tide was about 740am and there were some spots up the coast a way sthat we needed to hit at lower tides if we were to avoid th forest trails. By then we were ready for some beach hiking. We (and many othe rgroups ) were shooting to be out by 700 am. We left on time but some other “early starters” were still in ther sleeping bags. Tom waded the creek (only possible at low tide). Even with the sandals, it was very slippery and he came near to slipping a couple of times but he made it. Mike decided to use the cable car-unfortunately, he got in facing the wrong way and so had a difficult time pulling himself across once gravity had pulled him to the center of the creek. The beach sand was realively firm and at times we walked on the sandstone shelf or rocks. We saw aome tracks from the forest down to the ocean in tow locations. At the time, Tome thought they might be cougar-later on we decided they were river otter. We saw some whales on several occasions off the coast. They were too far out to identify whether they were humpback or gray. The gray is supposed to have spots on the tail.

Breakfast had bveen only some granola bars and so we were getting hungry when we saw what looked like a shack up a head of us just off the beach. As we come close, we swa a sign that said Chez Monique. I think this was on the Indain reservation between Vancouver Point and Bonilla Point. Chez Monique was a snack bar which which served hot breakfast, sandwiches and that had sodas, candy bars, cold beer and some supplies. Mike and I settle for a breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. It was a very hearty breakfast and welcome break. Tom had a diet coke before we left. There were a lot of hikers there from both directions. The cook (Monique?) said about 90% of the hikers stopped to buy something. One group we talked to while we ate included a physical education teacher from Victoria. She said that she takes her class (high school) on the trail each spring.

We continued on the coast until KM44, just before Carmanah Point light house when we switched back to the forest trail. After a short hike around the point, we saw the lighthouse and toured the grounds. Everything was very scenic, freshly painted with beautiful gardens. We understood that in the near future, these lighthouses will be automated so there will be no family living there. I suspect the gardens may not be as well tended in the future.