Kevin's Travel Blog

West Coast Trail Journal Index
Part of the Pacific Northwest Trip Journal
Previous entry: Victoria, Canada

Journal entry for August 12, 2010.
Approximate distance hiked: 8.7 miles, 14 km.

With great anticipation, I woke up at 5:20am to catch the 6:15am bus that would take me from Victoria to the West Coast Trail Pachena Bay trail head. I tried to make as little noise as possible to not wake up my other hostel roommates. I took one last shower, knowing that I was not going to be taking another one for a long while. While checking out of the hostel at the front of desk, I see two sisters getting ready to leave too. As expected, they were also doing the WCT, but unlike me, they were going northbound, from Gordon River to Pachena Bay.

Weather forecasts predicted a whole week of sunny days with almost zero chance of rain. It looked like I had gotten very lucky.

For a moment I thought I was going to be late to the bus stop, but I ended up making it there 10 minutes early. There were already about 20 people there. They all looked happy and excited.

West Coast Trail Express

Once on the bus, I sat next to Kristin, who along with two friends, was doing the northbound hike. The drive to Gordon River takes about 2 hours and it’s pretty smooth. About 70% of the people got off the bus there. I said goodbye to the 3 girls and we estimated to run into each other on day 3 or 4 of our hikes. From there to the northern trail head is another 2 hours, but the terrain becomes much rougher. Many sections are not paved and it’s only wide enough for one vehicle at the time. When huge logging trucks came from the opposite direction, our bus had to move over to allow them to pass. We arrived at Pachena Bay at 12:35pm.

During the 40 minute orientation, they told us which restrooms on the trail were out of commission, how to identify animal tracks, which areas had no water, etc. They gave me a waterproof map and and tide table, and taught me how to use it. On my way out of the Information Center, I met an older lady who had just finished the hike, she was very happy but a little delirious because of how exhausted she was.

Backpack, hiking pokes and hat

West Coast Trail - Day 1 Map

At exactly 2:12pm, I started my West Coast Trail adventure. Right away, I saw signs warning about tsunamis.

Pachena Bay trail head

Tsunami warning

Being only about 30 miles away from the location where I did the Shi Shi Beach Hike, the landscape is almost identical: green moist forest and sharp cliffs. The first section was very easy on excellent boardwalks. Shortly after the start, I see the first set of the famous WCT ladders. I was very excited to try my hands on them.

Wooden boardwalks

West Coast Trail

Two kilometers down, 73 to go

Slugs

Despite the dry weather, some sections were still very muddy from previous rainfall. Since I was wearing non-waterproof trail runners, I tried to go around the mud.

West Coast Trail

After hiking inland for a while with no views of the ocean, I finally got a first peek of it in an area with lots of sea lions.

West Coast Trail

Sea lions

Sea lions

At km 10 I reach the Pachena Lighthouse. The fog was heavy so visibility was very low.

Pachena Lighthouse

Pachena Lighthouse

Pachena Lighthouse

Pachena Lighthouse

The first campsite is at Michigan Creek at km 12, I got there a bit before 6pm. There were already about 7 tents set up there.

Michigan Creek campsite

I decided to go to the next campsite which was 2 km further down. On the way there, I run into at least 20 hikers going the opposite way, they were all finishing the hike the following day and were going to camp at Michigan Creek that night. I run into two young American guys and we chatted for a bit. They turned out to be the only Americans I met on the trail.

I arrived at Darling River campsite around 6:15pm. There was no one around. It is very close to a creek (i.e. fresh water) and there was plenty of firewood around. Nick and Lorna, two young Canadians who rode the same bus that morning, got there a little bit later. They were followed by a group of 6 hikers who were also on the bus.

There is a bear locker by the campsite and an ultra deluxe compost toilet.

Bear locker

Amazing compost toilet

Because of my repeated failures in starting fires in the past (latest incident was on the Shi Shi Beach Hike), I spent a little time on google a few days before trying to learn how to do it property. I was able to start one right away. I stayed by the fire until around 10pm before retiring to my tent.

Day 1 was in the books. It had been a easy and pleasant start.

Darling River campsite

Next Entry: Day 2 – Darling River to Tsusiat Falls
West Coast Trail Journal Index
Part of the Pacific Northwest Trip Journal