North Coast Trail – day 6

Sept 2012 trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★
Nel’s to San Josef Bay

Despite the werewolf attack of the previous night, I was reluctant to leave my ideal campsite in perfect weather.

(Moma wolf had swung by early morning, to make sure I wasn’t still angry.)

I left one of my partial stove fuel canisters for the next desperate hiking group. Beside it is a tent pole repair splint I’d found. Actually I found two over the week, leaving both at Nel’s for future emergencies.

Often I dislike and avoid pit toilets on hikes. But I have to admit those in Cape Scott Provincial Park are pretty good. Kept clean. Many with toilet paper.

To sidetrip to Hansen lagoon, we threw out packs up atop this sign. To deter wolves. 🙂

Unbelievable. Flat fields reclaimed from tidal flats look like prairies.

The sad history of failed Danish settlements here is fascinating. One of the highlights of my trip.

Here’s the abandoned settlement telegraph wire.

This final long day is much different. Tranquil. Change is as good as a rest.

On the longer established Cape Scott Trail, the walking is mostly easy.

This fallen tree on Fisherman’s River impressed. Though nearly horizontal, it is thriving.

There are banana slugs on this part of the island, but far fewer and smaller than on the WCT.

Eric Lake is BIG. And a bit of a surprise after all that coastal scenery.

The girls had leapfrogged me. I found them set-up in the sprawling Eric Lake campsite. Have you ever seen tent platforms this elaborate?

Typical for me, I pushed on to San Josef Bay to beach tent for the 6th night in a row. The weather was perfect.

It seemed I’d arrived San Josef at low enough tide to skirt the headland and reach the far side of the beach — the side with water.

Nope. I ended up doing the Spiderman traverse above crashing waves at dusk. … Kind of fun actually. At this point I knew I was going to survive the trip. 🙂

I had dinner with the only two other hikers on the beach. And enjoyed my last, wonderful sunset.