SideStix Journal
By Kerith, October 27th, 2009
Sarah, Kerith, Josh Abi & Kelly hiked the West Coast Trail on August 26th, 2009. Sarah used the pre-production version of the SideStix Sports Crutches together with carbide cleated hiking tips and the sand / mud tips.
The West Coast Trail (WCT) is a coastal wilderness component of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. It has the reputation of being one of the most grueling treks in North America. It is isolated, strenuous, physically challenging and potentially hazardous. It is also extremely rewarding due to the spectacular scenery and unique setting.
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By Kerith, September 05th, 2009
Well the trip certainly started off with bang… We just thought it was another rock hitting the bottom of the truck as we sped down 80Km of logging roads… however it turned out to be a rear tire blow-out (Rob – you were right, new tires would have been a good idea!). We changed the tire and soon after, we arrived in Bamfield.
After a speedy unpacking, I left Sarah, Josh, Abi & Kelly and set off for the 150Km logging road excursion to Port Renfrew. I was going to sleep there in the truck and take the bus back in the morning. It was the most economical way to get the 5 of us to-and-from the trail.
The journey was (thankfully) uneventful. I was very cognoscente of the fact that I didn’t have a spare tire, however at 10:40pm I arrived – “shaken, but not stirred”. I made a nest in the back of the truck, and crashed…(softly!)
The next morning after a breakfast that would have fed FIVE champions,. I boarded the West Coast Trail Express, and for the next 4 hours, revisited my old friends – ‘The Potholes’ – that I had grown so fond of the previous night!
The bus arrived at the trail head in good time for the Pre-Trek Briefing and as I came up to the Parks Building, there was “Team SideStix” ready to go. (The beaming smile that lit up Sarah’s face for a brief moment even outdid the sun! She hadn’t actually known that I’d made it there & back, because there was no cell reception in Port Renfrew!)
By Kerith, September 05th, 2009
West Coast Trail Map - Day 1.
Day One really started at the 1pm Parks Canada briefing.
The briefing was informative and brief! Many thanks to Dawn for keeping it short, because she had informed us that if we got to the point at the edge of Pachena Beach by 2pm, we could avoid the first set of ladders… Why do something today that we can put off till tomorrow!! There were going to MORE than enough ladders to contend with!
Team SideStix!
So, after a quick picture, we were off and running…and I MEAN running, because the tide was rushing in and waves were licking at the rocks. Within minutes it would be impassable.
Of course when disaster strikes, it chooses the most inopportune moment…and as Sarah took the first step on the rock shelf, her left SideStix made an ugly “click”…the tip sole had unscrewed, come off and was gone! In the dash to start, we hadn’t had time to thread-lock the feet! There was no time to hesitate, so with the beautifully machined aluminum ball – from the exposed ball-joint, grinding on barnacles, we scrambled around the point.
Putting on the new tip.
That was a sobering moment; however we stopped just before the beach exit to re-shoe the SideStix, check packs & boots and generally re-group after our somewhat inauspicious beginning. Then, with new (thread-locked) feet in place we left the beach to enter the cathedral-like solemnity of the moss draped rain-forest.
It’s hard to think up enough superlatives when describing the West Coast Trail (WCT). It’s an incredible mixture of challenges and rewards. The challenges of the terrain, the packs, aching muscles (and in some cases, aging bodies!) yet the rewards make it all worthwhile. The forest, the beaches, the waves – like freight trains bearing down on the battered shore. (The WCT was originally built as a life-saving trail, to give the survivors of ship wrecks a way out of the wilderness.)
At Km-9 we were treated to the visual and auditory feast of a huge conglomeration of sea lions barking 7 duelling and cavorting on a sandstone ledge at the foot of the cliffs that the WCT traversed.
A 'heave' of sea lions.
At Km-12 we came back on to the beach. Although we were feeling tired, and could have stopped at the camp site there, we decided to push on to Km-14, Darling Creek. The reason was to make the following day less arduous, however we only got to our destination at 7:30pm meaning that we set up camp at dusk and cooked in the dark… Not optimal!
Supper time at Darling River.
All in all it was an excellent first day, spirits were high and other than the first calamity, the SideStix were flawless, and Sarah was more sure-footed than ever before.
By Kerith, September 05th, 2009
West Coast Trail Map - Day 2.
A lovely morning sun greeted us and we languished in its warming rays. Speed was definitely not on the agenda and breaking camp took till 10am!
Sleepy Heads...
From Darling River, we had about 3Km of beach before we had to re-enter the forest at Tsocowis Creek. (Valencia Bluffs (about 1 Km further,) is impassable via the beach.)
On the beach again...
We had quickly learned that though the forest was beautiful, it’s many challenges of mud, logs, ladders and booby-trap board walks made slow going for Sarah.
Leaving the beach...
Sarah scales the heights...
Booby-trap board walks...
At Km-19, we passed a derelict Steam Donkey – used by loggers many years before, to haul away the old-growth giants that used to inhabit Vancouver Island’s West Coast.
Derelict Steam Donkey...
At Km-20 (Trestle Creek) we re-joined the beach – or more accurately the sandstone flats.
Sarah on the Sandstone Flats...
We made great progress, with the only hindrance being our exploration of the myriad tidal pools.
Up to this point Sarah had been using her carbide-cleated hiking tips. The articulating ball & socket meant the sole could retain good contact with the uneven surfaces that she walked on. Sticky mud proved arduous because tremendous suction would build up as she hauled them out, however wet wood and slippery rock were easily handled.
Sand shoes!
As we approached Klanawa river, the sandstone gave way to sand and so Sarah attached the sand-shoe tips. The difference was amazing, and instead of sinking several inches on every step, she floated on top of the sand and was able to set a pace that I found difficult to keep up with!
At Klanawa we left the beach and crossed the river via cable car. It was a fun experience and Abi did it twice – just because.
Cable Car over the Klanawa River...
Klanawa River to Tsusiat Falls comprised 2 Kms of cliff-edge trails & board walks. The views were magnificent, and the advancing fog added a surreal glow to the stark landscape.
Many ladders to Tsusiat Camp Site...
As we approached the long ladder climb down to the beach at Tsusiat Falls, the mud claimed one of Sarah’s hiking-tip soles. We stopped to attach a new tip, however the double effort of navigating the mud and pulling the SideStix out of the mud was extremely fatiguing.
Sunset at Tsusiat Camp Site...
The day ended with a nice (re-hydrated) meal, hot-chocolate and a beautiful sunset. We had experienced just about every terrain that the WCT had to offer… and we were still smiling!
By Kerith, September 05th, 2009
West Coast Trail Map - Day 3.
Cool temperatures, cloud & fog, combined with the prospect of the longest day of the trail, helped speed us through the process of breaking camp. Not as fast as we’d hoped though, and it was 8am when we headed off on the beach to Tsusiat Point.
Mist & Waves at Tsusiat Point.
The beach sand was freshly ‘groomed’ and made for a swift passage, however as we approached the first headland, we were welcomed with an awful stench!
Dead Sea Lion.
We hurried up-wind, only to be greeted by another decomposing carcase – this time it was a tiny though perfectly-formed shark!
Examining more dead stuff...
The waves were crashing over Tsusiat Point, and swirling through the tunnel that was our intended route! We observed the rhythm of the waves for a while and then Kelly & Abi scooted through, clambering onto a rock shelf, to avoid getting soaked. While they watched the wave action from one side and I from the other, Sarah whipped through the tunnel and up on to the ledge. Then we paused for photos!
Sarah at Tsusiat Point.
The trail returned to the forest at Km-29. We soon entered an Indian Reserve and were able to appreciate some old-growth forest, for the first time on the trail.
We stopped at a creek spilling from Tsuquadra Lake, and filled our water bottles with the filter-pump.
Abi fills her water bottle.
The trail took us high along the shoreline cliffs, and though grey, the views were nonetheless dramatic.
We arrived at the Nitinat narrows, and for some unknown reason had to wait for 40 minutes for the ferry.
Giffin & Frances - first in line for the ferry.
Giffin & Frances and Tarek & Lisa (2 couples we became friends with) were also waiting for the ferry. We clambered aboard and to our amazement; the ride was over – almost before it began. 30 seconds is probably an over exaggeration for the duration of the ride!
The dock where the ferry landed was home to a crab / salmon shack and since food was a prime motivator on this trip, we bought 3 salmon plates and 5 beers ($105). The food was for the kids, however Sarah & I sampled a little before heading off on the trail ahead of the kids.
Salmon - Nitinat style!
The trail continued in the forest, serving up its usual variety of roots, mud and rotting board-walks.
Sarah navigates the roots.
Finally things became easier when we crossed the Cheewhat River suspension bridge, and then were able to get back on to the beach.
Sarah on the Cheewhat River Bridge
We pushed ahead, knowing that we would have to leave the beach for a brief while, to get around the impassable Dare Point, however for some strange reason we couldn’t get to the beach access noted on the map at Km-38. The waves were washing up onto the headland rocks and although turning back was not a pleasant thing to do, it was certainly the wisest course of action.
Having now added a couple of Kms to what was already going to be a 17Km day, we trudged on. The distance was taking a toll on Sarah’s hip, and despite MUCH resistance, I insisted on taking her pack for the last 4Kms.
Piggy Back Back-Pack.
We arrived at the Cribs Creek campsite at 8pm and thankfully the kids had set up camp and started a fire going. Supper & bed happened in very short order. We were all glad to have that gruelling day behind us.
By Kerith, September 05th, 2009
West Coast Trail Map - Day 4
We left Cribs Creek in the customary fog. The tide table and map information indicated that we would have to use the forest trail, so we bush-whacked on a path less than 30ft from the beach. The salal bushes crowded us ever closer, grabbing at Sarah’s Stix and making progress painfully slow.
Overgrown Trail.
After a kilometre we had had enough and scrambled through to the beach, where a wide open expanse welcomed us!
Once again the tidal pools kept us entertained. We watched duelling hermit crabs and played tug-of-war with sea anemones.
Tidal Pool Anemone.
The sea-worn sculptures were amazing.
Sarah in a Sandstone Sculpture.
We had to leave the beach at Carmanah Point, and ascended the ladders & staircases to the lighthouse.
Carmanah Lighthouse.
After walking around and admiring the facility, (including the beach-rock labyrinth) we headed back to the trail… and were greeted by the only 4-legged wild-life we saw on the whole hike… Bambi!
Bambi!
It was a short hike back down to the beach, and there a few hundred metres away was the highlight of the day… “Chez Monique”… a Beach Burger Shack!
Chez Monique.
This little island of culinary paradise is on First Nations land, however the owners were away for a while and the stand was being run by some (German?) volunteers. Their pay was food and a place to pitch their tent, however they seemed content and they made FABULOUS burgers.
We sat with our German & Edmontonian friends and had a feast!
Friends around a table.
Yum & Yum!
Satiated, we buckled on our packs, (easy on the waist strap!) and moved out into the fog.
At Km-46 Sarah, Abi & I forded Carmanah Creek. Josh & Kelly decided to use the cable car – just because.
As we approached Bonilla Point we waded through a sea of sea gulls, which Abi took great delight in stirring up!
Abi dances with gulls.
At the Point, the kids did some blister maintenance.
Blister Maintenance.
We spent the rest of the afternoon meandering the remaining 5Kms to Walbran Creek, which was our destination for the day.
We found an excellent tent-site in a natural amphitheatre of logs, and used our tarp for the first time – to keep off some of the fog-dew.
Camp Walbran!
Firemaking, washing, cooking and socialising brought to a close, this wonderful day.
Marshmallows around the campfire.
Walbran Creek Sunset.
By Kerith, September 05th, 2009
West Coast Trail Map - Day 5.
Walbran Creek to Camper Bay was an ‘inside day’ (the forest – that is). Ladders, logs, ladders, mud, ladders, roots, oh, and did I say ladders?!
By now we had discovered that the SideStix sand-feet were also excellent mud & root feet. The hardened steel central pin could find purchase in the most awkward places, and the 4” basket prevented the Stix from disappearing into the mud. Because of this they became the feet-of-choice.
Sarah negotiates more roots.
...and logs...
After an hour we stopped to add carbide cleats to Sarah’s hiking boot.
Adding carbide cleats.
There was a beautiful suspension bridge over Logan Creek, with ladder access, to & from!
On the ladder to Logan Creek Suspension Bridge.
Logan Creek Suspension Bridge.
Leaving Logan Creek.
Stairs of a different nature!
We stopped for lunch at the top of the Cullite Creek ravine. There were over 200 rungs down to the creek, where we would have to take a cable car across – followed by 200 or so rungs to get up the other bank!
I took advantage of the break, to repair one of the sand / mud shoes. The repeated grinding on sharp rock had caused the deck fabric to tear and the centre spindle had punched through. Sarah still had great grip on wood, however in mud the Stix would just disappear. I relocated the centre spindle towards the edge of the basket, where some fresh material would give the tip a new ‘lease of life’.
Ready to go again.
The Logan Creek, down-across-up trip was fairly slow, however we have found the ladders to be far less arduous than the mud, roots & logs.
The bridge at Sandstone Creek had been washed out, however because of the lack of rain this summer, the rope was fairly redundant.
Battling the torrents...
We continued on boardwalks and through mud-holes, gaining about 100M (330ft) before descending rapidly to Camper Bay.
Another mud-hole!
This camp site was cold and wind-swept. The kids had set up camp and gone swimming, however they were having a hard time getting warm again.
Camper Bay Camping...
We had supper round a communal camp fire and then called it a day.
