| Cape Scott Provincial Park is relatively flat, with a | | | | indicating how high the eagle population is in this |
| good trail system. Hiking trails within the park lead | | | | area. |
| off to the Cape Scott Light Station, Hansen's | | | | After the upland trail on the first leg come creek |
| Lagoon, and to a several outstanding beaches. The | | | | crossings and beach travel. The creek crossings can |
| addition in 2008 of the North Coast Trail has opened | | | | be challenging because of swift water. At the end |
| up a number of other spectacular beaches, shoreline | | | | of the day, it is often too time consuming to take |
| features, and upland ecosystems that are hardly | | | | off boots and wade across the rivers, but doing so |
| seen anywhere else in the world. Getting through | | | | helps prevent the problems of wet feet and wet |
| this new trail is difficult, however, adding a new | | | | boots. There are two challenges to beach travel. |
| challenging hike to British Columbia's coastal hiking | | | | The first beach travel problem is the speed and |
| network. | | | | effort to walk on a beach. Some of the beaches |
| Several features make the trail difficult and the travel | | | | are sandy, some are cobblestone. With either type, |
| relatively slow. Much of the trail is fraught with | | | | the footing is somewhat soft and the travel can slow |
| condition dependent spots, each spot depending on | | | | down a bit. It is very tiring to walk on the beach, |
| whether it is raining, or whether the tide is in or out. | | | | but psychologically it is great. You can see how far |
| And of course, transportation to and from the trail | | | | you are travelling and tell you are making progress. |
| has its challenges, as well. | | | | Cobblestones can be quite difficult, especially on |
| If you are starting from the east end of the trail, at | | | | sloped beaches. Many of the middle beaches on the |
| Shushartie Bay, you will need to be taken in by | | | | North Coast Trail are cobblestone. The way |
| water taxi from Port Hardy. This can be a bit | | | | between Cape Sutil and Shuttleworth Bight has a |
| pricey, and currently runs at about $110 per person | | | | large section of cobblestone beaches, and it is called |
| for 3 people. The price goes down for more | | | | the Sutil Scramble. |
| people, but expect about $100 each. The way out | | | | The next obstacle has to do with the tides. The |
| is another matter. The Cape Scott Water Taxi and | | | | tides complicate two things. Some spots are |
| Marine Services has combined with the North Coast | | | | impassable at high tides, so timing is important. This |
| Trail Shuttle to provide transportation both in and | | | | means that you need to have the tide tables with |
| out, trailhead to trailhead. This makes it easier to | | | | you and be able to interpret them. Some places |
| plan a complete hike through all of Cape Scott Park | | | | have upland work arounds to pass these tide |
| now. | | | | dependent spots, some do not. A good section of |
| The first leg of the hike out of Shushartie Bay heads | | | | the Sutil Scramble is walking over pocket beaches |
| immediately up. So the first struggle is uphill, pulling | | | | and getting around the headlands between them. |
| up with a rope to get onto a plateau. The climb | | | | Some walk arounds take steep, rope scramble |
| from there is pretty steady up to a larger plateau | | | | courses up and over narrow divides, then back down |
| with coastal bog terrain. This area is quite | | | | on ropes again. Low tide walks around the |
| remarkable. There is one section of the West | | | | headlands speed things up considerably. |
| Coast Trail that is particularly similar, but not a lot of | | | | Intermediate tides mean judging whether climbing the |
| it. A fair section of the bog is protected by | | | | rocks at the edge of the headlands will be faster and |
| boardwalk. The boardwalks are new, so they are | | | | safer than taking the walk-around trail. The really |
| level and good, but that does not prevent them | | | | amazing part of this area, particularly on the Sutil |
| from being extremely slippery when wet. The hiking | | | | Scramble, it the intimate look at sea stacks, sea |
| pace must slow down on the boardwalk to prevent | | | | caves, and tide pools while moving around the |
| slips and falls. This is not a bad thing. So much of | | | | headlands. |
| the bog is small in size, including the trees. A slower | | | | Parts of the forest trails are old settler routes and |
| pace means more attention goes to the scenery and | | | | have been lined underneath with logs, creating a |
| appreciating the incredible diversity of life there. The | | | | corduroy effect. The corduroy can be slippery and |
| upland bog shows up throughout most of the rest of | | | | in places where it is completely rotten, big mud holes |
| the hike from time to time, but the first day is full of | | | | dot the trail. Generally, straight through the mud |
| it. | | | | hole is the best way, but sometimes one has a |
| The upland trails contain some deadfall trees that | | | | deeper meaning to it, i.e., you are going to sink to |
| have to be climbed over or through, but also vast | | | | your knees. The history here is fascinating and a |
| arrays of root systems that have to be negotiated. | | | | good study beforehand or with a guide along can |
| These root systems provide some footing | | | | help you appreciate the challenges that the early |
| opportunities, but are also usually slippery. Climbing | | | | settlers had in trying to carve out homesteads in this |
| up and over some of these systems can be | | | | wild place. |
| strenuous and slow. Careful foot placement and a | | | | At the end of the day, after 7 to 9 kilometers of |
| properly adjusted backpack are absolute essentials | | | | travel, you really feel like you have been |
| for travelling over these obstacles. The benefits are | | | | somewhere. It is not exactly bushwacking, but not |
| travelling through sections of old growth cedar, | | | | far from it. The ruggedness of the trail is |
| hemlock, and sitka spruce. The trees are | | | | exhausting; the beauty of the scenery is exhilarating; |
| magnificent and the birdsong coming from them is | | | | and the abundance of life is awe-inspiring here on this |
| like a serenade. Many aeries are atop tall trees, | | | | boundary of land and ocean. |