health & safety – Page 52

September 14, 2012September 18, 2012

North Coast Trail – day 3

Sept 2012 trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

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Sutil to Shuttleworth Bight

A short day planned, still I packed up early. Left my backpack with the kayakers. And headed out to explore Cape Sutil off-trail.

From high vantage I saw the girls finally arriving.

Sutil Cape is impressive. I got far enough to see this bird rock.

Bird life?

You spend a lot of time with seagulls. I did see a few distant bald eagles. And visited with a few ravens. But not as many as on other west coast hikes.

I was surprised to see two loons on the ocean at one Bay. I thought they were exclusively fresh water.

The flying highlight for me was the Steller’s Jay, Provincial bird of B.C.

There are entertaining to watch.

Walking is easiest on the rugged coasts of Vancouver Island at low tide.

Tidal pools on my trip were good, but not as good as I’d seen on the WCT or Juan de Fuca. Nor are there as many. The highlight for me was colourful starfish.

There are dozens of assistance ropes hung to assist on steep sections. But the ones everyone remembers best are these.

At times the grade ranges from 70 degrees to vertical. And they are LONG.

Straight UP. Straight DOWN. Straight UP. Straight DOWN.

This excellent video — shot by another group earlier this Summer — at 3min 8sec gives you a good idea of what the ropes are like. That’s the worst the trail throws up to challenge those afraid of heights.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (3min 8sec)

Ropes are mainly needed for descent. I tended to avoid them on the climbs. Roots are better and more stable.

Those folks were crazy to take dogs out there, by the way. 😦 A really bad idea with so much wildlife here. At least 2 dogs have fought with wolves this summer.

We were tremendously LUCKY with the WEATHER. Seven days, no real rain.
Coastal hiking is paradise when the sun is shining.

This helicopter fly-over Shuttleworth Bight gives you a good idea of the wonderful terrain.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That’s why I came to hike the North Coast Trail. 🙂

more photos

» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★

September 13, 2012September 15, 2012

running the West Coast Trail

My longtime friend Greg Kolodziejzyk:

I’ve always thought that a person needs to do one thing every year that scares the crap out of them. I’m very happy to have checked that item off my to do list for this year!

I just ran the West Coast Trail – solo.…

Helen and I arrived at the Gordon river by 5:45 am on Sunday morning, and I quietly slipped the cheap $29 inflatable dingy into the dead-calm Gordon river in pitch darkness by the light of the rental car head lights, and my triple A battery powered head lamp. …

… “What the hell am I doing here?” was the question I was asking myself as I started to struggle up the extremely technical trail at 6:15 am by the light of my little headlamp. It was so dark, and I could only see a few feet in front of me – and, it was TOUGH going! The first section is a 600 foot climb through roots, mud, fallen tress, jagged rocks, boulders, puddles – yikes! …

The west coast trail either runs inland through the forest, or along the beach, or both. By both, I mean either, as in the hiker or runner must choose. Sometimes a beach section is faster if the forest trail is muddy, or log strewn, or excessively hilly, or requires climbing up huge ravines by a system of numerous ladders …

… all of which are exhausting and time consuming. Sometimes the beach sections are difficult due to soft, unrunnable sand, sea weed covered slippery rock shelves, impassable headlands due to high tides, or just downright dangerous with evil surge channels that must be vaulted over. Each time I was faced with the forest or beach option, I had to weigh the pros and cons, dangers and advantages, then commit to my decision and go. …

Read the entire trip report on Adventures of Greg

He survived, in case you are wondering. Here celebrating — and recovering — next day.

Watch the 7min video of Greg’s run.

September 13, 2012September 18, 2012

North Coast Trail – day 2

Sept 2012 trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★
Skinner Nahwitti Stretch to Cape Sutil

New day. More MUD.

It IS possible to hike along the beach from Skinner Creek to Nahwitti River at low tide. (Start a couple of hours before low tide, if you can.)

Another day. Another BEAR.

Stumbling out of the trees at this beach — there was a bear. Studiously ignoring me.

I quietly scrambled atop this rocky outcropping. No bear could get up there.

I read my book. And then left a Summit Stone in a crack on top. 🙂

Many feel the Nahwitti Stretch is even more difficult than day 1 Shushartie Overland, but I liked it much better. There’s plenty of variety. Plenty of entertainment.

For example, the Nahwitti River Cable Car.

Now that’s FUN. I did not see any sign of spawning salmon, however. Perhaps it’s too early in the season.

FUN too are the longest stairs on the Trail — “Long Leg Hill”.

Hikers praise aloud those who built these, let me tell you. 🙂

The West Coast Trail has ladders. The NCT stairs. Many.

And ropes. … Have I mentioned the ropes, as yet?

So far as I saw, there’s only one truly impassable headland on the official North Coast Trail — at km 43.2.

Late, I arrived at high tide, and was obliged to lie down for a nap.

At some point later the girls arrived, needing to wait as well. They were more than mildly surprised when I popped up out-of-nowhere from my sleep.

As we found out the following day, the girls never actually made it to Sutil that night. Due to knee pain and failing light, they decided to wild camp in one of the pocket coves just short of Sutil, having to “hang” their food from bears, wolves and (perhaps) hyenas. 🙂

If the ladies had known in advance they were too late to get through, they could have stopped at Nahwitti River campsite.

The tent platforms on the NCT are fantastic. If it’s raining, you definitely try to set-up on these.

On arriving at the beautiful big beach at Sutil, I was astonished to find 3 kayaks and 4 kayakers, just dropped by the water taxi, starting a 2wk adventure. (I wished I’d come in with them to start hiking here.)

It was a birthday party. I felt obliged to finish off the leftovers from their heavy dinner. And to drink their heavy wine. And warm myself at their friendly fire.

As dusk fell we sipped wine, … and wondered whatever happened to the girls.

No search party was launched.

more photos

» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★

September 12, 2012September 18, 2012

North Coast Trail – day 1

Sept 2012 trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★

My cost = $256:
$90 – water taxi (6 people)
$75 – shuttle from San Josef (10 people)
$10 – map
$60 – trail fees (6 nights x $10)
… plus 12% tax

Shushartie to Skinner Creek

Sunday morning, Port Hardy. End of the World.

The N.W. corner of Vancouver Island is remote, even for Canada.

I was early arriving at the offices of the North Coast Trail Shuttle at Quarterdeck Marina, allowing time for one LAST restaurant breakfast.

It didn’t take long to load 6 hikers and gear. Departure shortly after 8am.

Skipper, George, filled us in on what to expect. It sounded much tougher than what I’d been thinking.

En route we saw our first bear of many.

On arriving Shushartie Bay, we spot a wolf.

That’s actually the first wolf I’ve ever seen in the wild.

Seas were calm and we stepped ashore easily.

Skipper, after unloading, maneuvered his boat to capture some unique footage. A moma bear with 3 cubs.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

She’s training them to hunt for small crabs. (VIDEO)

Moma finally “puts the run” to the wolf. (40sec)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I assume the wolf was hoping to nab one of the cubs.

Skipper’s spent a lot of time in these wilds, but he’d never seen anything like that before.

So here we are. Still clean and healthy.

3 young ladies from Calgary & Victoria. A couple from Germany who had done this same hike in 2011 — and returned in 2012 because they enjoyed it so much. And one hiking blogger, already out of line.

Most on this trail are from BC, Alberta and Germany. As we were.

We did the “standard” North Coast Trail — starting at km 58.1 and working backwards. … Yes — counter-intuitive for a Trail officially opened in only 2008.

Enjoy the view at km 57. That’s the last time you’ll see the Ocean for many hours.

Enthusiastic to get started, I was quickly depressed by MUD.

The only fun sections this day are new boardwalk, this being one of the best.

Plenty more construction material has been helicoptered in — with which to build more boardwalk. But I heard the budget had run out. Even with cash I’m not sure this stretch of trail will ever be worth hiking.

No sea views, a mud slog of 8.7km from Shushartie to Skinner Creek has little to commend itself. Avoid it if you can. It can take 9hrs or more for some groups!

… Yep. An hour / km. That’s dead slow.

That photo’s actually from the infamous South Coast Track in Tasmania. This hike rivals for infamy.

Another hiker, JT, calls this the “North Coast Swamp“.

The girls had rented a marine radio from North Coast Trail Shuttle. If they called for help, rescue costs $1000.

But what do you do if someone is injured far inland, hours from the sea?

😦

How can you avoid the day 1 mud slog, you ask?

Request the water taxi to drop you at Skinner. Or even Sutil, instead.

They can — IF sea conditions allow. The water taxi can make it to Shushartie almost every day, but not necessarily any further.

There was a bear on Skinner when we finally arrived — as there often is — our 6th bear of the day. But I was too tired even to notice.

Good night.

More photos.

» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★

August 30, 2012August 31, 2012

starting North Coast Trail Sunday

by site editor Rick McCharles

The North Coast Trail is a 43.1 km wilderness hiking trail in Cape Scott Provincial Park on northern Vancouver Island …

With essential sidetrips my distance will be at least 61km. …

The NCT is new, official grand opening held on May 10th, 2008.

Itinerary:

Bus Saturday to Port Hardy. I’ll stay at the North Coast Trail Backpacker’s Hostel.

Sunday morning 8am the North Coast Trail Shuttle water taxi departs for Shushartie Bay.

I’ll hike East to West.

Wild Coast Magazine has the best maps.

I’ll finish at Cape Scott Provincial Park, San Josef River trailhead. Returning to Port Hardy over 64km of logging roads by North Coast Trail Shuttle van.

… This is a very challenging route and is not recommended for inexperienced hikers. Many sections require hikers to climb over or along fallen trees, to cross through deep mud, and to use fixed ropes to climb up and over steep sections. It is not recommended for those with a fear of heights. …

… a wilderness area with minimal supplies or equipment of any kind. It is not regularly patrolled, so hikers should be completely self sufficient. …

Wish me luck. 🙂

August 27, 2012August 26, 2012

bear mauling death in Denali

A hiker in Alaska’s Denali National Park photographed a grizzly bear for at least eight minutes before the bear mauled and killed him in the first fatal attack in the park’s history, officials said Saturday.

Investigators have recovered the camera and looked at the photographs, which show the bear grazing and not acting aggressively before the Friday attack …

A state trooper shot and killed the male bear on Saturday.

The hiker was identified late Saturday as Richard White, 49, of San Diego. He was backpacking alone along the Toklat River on Friday afternoon when he came within 50 yards (50 metres) of the bear, far closer than the quarter-mile (0.4 kilometres) of separation required by park rules, officials said.

Calgary Herald

This is another bear in the same area 2008. … That photographer survived.

more details on National Parks Traveler

August 22, 2012

snorkeling off La Paz, Baja

After kayaking marvelous Isla Espiritu Santo off La Paz, Baja in 2006 … I created a website promoting the kayak/hiking adventure.

For fun.

This kid had an even better time than I did. 🙂

Check out Diego as he snorkels with amazing sea life at Espiritu Santo, an island in the Sea of Cortez. While diving or snorkeling there you can see whale sharks, mobula rays, groupers, snappers, turtles, sea lions and numerous species of fishes and crustaceans.

Many people are now calling for increased protections at Espiritu Santo from harmful fishing practices such as gill nets. In this short film, Diego shares his love for the sea life at Espiritu Santo and his desire to help protect it for future generations.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click through to islaespiritusanto.org if you’d be willing to support a campaign to ban gill nets around those rich reefs:

CONANP Letter in English

Dear. Mr Bermudez.

On behalf of present and future generations of Pacenos and visitors to Baja Sur, I am requesting the government ban use of gill nets on inshore reefs around Isla Espiritu Santo in the new management plan.

The plan documents a decline of fisheries, due in large part to the ongoing use of gill nets, yet allows those same gill nets to remain on inshore reefs around the island. In fact, this plan offers no substantive decrease in fishing effort, gear types used, nor areas fished and is not consistent with the plan’s vision to protect and restore the marine ecosystem.

As a result, this plan guarantees further fisheries degradation and will do further damage to the recreation and tourism economy of La Paz.

Thank you for protecting the ecological integrity of the marine environment around Isla Espiritu Santo with the sustainable use of the fisheries resource.

islaespiritusanto.org

August 16, 2012

no evidence bear attacks related to menstruation

Huckleberry Hiker:

Ever since the night of August 13, 1967, when two women were attacked and killed by grizzly bears in two separate incidents in Glacier National Park (which was later chronicled in Night of the Grizzlies), a myth has persisted that women may be more prone to bear attacks as a result of odors associated with menstruation.

However, according to a paper recently published by the National Park Service, “there is no statistical evidence that known bear attacks have been related to menstruation”. …

Myth Busted: Women are more prone to bear attacks due to menstruation odors

More detail on that research.