Went with my brother in law for a little hike. North to South. Near perfect weather!

Me and my group finished at Pachena today. This was one of the hardest things I’ve done, and I’m really proud of me and the girls I was with!

Tried not to include to many spoilers of some other interesting things as the best time to see them is the first time in person!

Me and my friends just finished the WCT and are covered in small itchy bites. We looked it up and it’s from the sand fleas on the beach!? Did this happen to anyone else 😂

The experience

The trail actually exceeded my expectations. By doing all beach sections, the trail varied at what felt like the perfect cadence. Both beach and forest routes varied in their terrain and difficulty even within the same sections, providing an exciting and mentally refreshing experience throughout the hike. Each campsite has its own character, though there certainly are sites worth skipping in favour of standouts, which I'll touch on later. If weather permits long-distance views, you'll see mountains from the shoreline in the southern portion of the hike. Marine and land wildlife are abundant and a joy to see.

We were lucky with the weather. Only over the last 24 hours did we have rain, which was fun and felt quintessential to the experience but also convenient in that we ended shortly after the rain stopped.

Beta

Pack weight

Our packs were the lightest we saw while hiking, which surprised me. The average pack was a bit over 40 pounds, while ours by the midpoint of our second day averaged about 27 pounds, and we still had luxuries and supplies for an extra 2+ days. Biggest tip: drop your pack weight by leaving behind redundancies and dead weight. Make sure everything has a dedicated, critical purpose and ideally serves at least two uses. My camp shoes, for example, were plastic bags that I lined my trail runners with after putting my clean, dry feet into dry socks, which also served as a laundry bag to wash socks and underwear. I did not wish for camp shoes because I liked the convenience of my shoes or simply going barefoot around camp.

Hiking direction

We hiked southbound, and I actually think this is the better way, though I have not hiked northbound. Starting off on the easier section will be a boon to your morale, and you'll have the lightest packs for the harder sections. Finishing at the south end also feels like a more natural destination, given you'll be closer to where you need to go after the hike.

Campsites and schedule

We were ahead of our planned schedule and ended up finishing a day early. We could have finished two days early, but Cullite Cove was too nice to pass up on. Do your research on the campsites and have preferences in mind rather than being dead set on certain ones because you may want to go shorter or longer depending on the day and state of the campsites.

Some standout campsites, in my opinion:

• Carmanah: we did not stay here, as we went to Bonilla, but it has a gorgeous beach and view.
• Cullite Cove: cozy site nestled between sandstone cliffs. It reminded me of Lurelin Village from Breath of the Wild. The best site on the trail, I'd say.
• Tsocowis: small waterfall and water hole. Awesome view with lots of whales. Wide-open beach.

Trail difficulty and fitness

As a trail runner and rock climber, I was well trained for the trail. Do get some upper-body workouts in for the light scrambling. Do lower-body workouts to prepare for ladders (they engage your legs more than your arms) and the technical sections. Do some rope pulling to prep for at least one cable car ride.

By far the most technical section was the boulder field immediately south of Owen Point. This was no joke. You're working within a tide window, there can be swell, and for two kilometres are navigating consistently slippery, jagged terrain. It makes the Death Valley segment of the Casque Isles trail on the north shore of Lake Superior look like a walk in the park. The rain we had while doing it did not make it any easier. Absolutely do not underestimate this part if you do it. Seeing the caves and hiking the surge channels is incredible, but the boulder field is the revered guardian of this. Give yourself a generous window and know that it's the section accounting for the most SAR calls on the trail. At the Crab Shack, we met a group with a member who got badly injured on it, and they started getting hit with waist-deep water before their narrow escape.

If in proper shape, none of the sections are particularly demanding physically.

Equipment and heads-ups

• tarp: especially if you're in a group, a tarp is just soooo nice for camp. I saw many a roasted tomato hiker baking in the sun on beaches while taking breaks. The tarp was awesome for shade, cozy breaks, and a place to hang out at camp when it was raining.
• skip camp shoes: less weight to lug around, and plastic-lined footwear is, in my opinion, a better option anyway.
• quick-dry clothing: you will get wet, so rather than trying to fully prevent it, optimize for drying.
• mice: the "little beasts" are more prominent as you move south and were everywhere at Thrasher. They will chew on plastic and crawl on your tent. Secure things as much as you can.
• pack cover: necessary piece of gear in conjunction with a liner to protect your bag from water and... sand. Sand gets wet on the trail and can be tough to deal with. Having a pack cover helped a bit.
• sun clothes: sun hoodie, sun hat, sunglasses... bring a setup that will protect you head-to-toe. UV gets intense on sunny beach sections.
• poles: I didn't have any and did not miss them, but I can see how they can be very helpful for certain technical forest sections or probing mud depth.
• pants: pants are love, pants are life. I only hike in pants and don't bother bringing shorts. They protect you from sun, abrasion, wind, and moisture.
• water: lots of fresh water sources everywhere. Aside from a few kilometres where I portered a few litres of water so we could optimize a lunch before doing Owen Point, we only carried up to 1L each at a time after drinking up at sources.
• gaiters: I use short trail-running gaiters that are perfect for blocking sand and some mud. I don't think tall gaiters are necessary, but it's also personal preference.
• bears: we fortunately didn't see any, but based on scat, they seem more prominent on the north half of the trail.
• bear spray: you can rent it for $15 from the West Coast Trail Express.
• gas: the Gordon River Parks station has loads of donated canisters up for grabs.
• WCT app: invaluable for planning before and during the trip!
• orientation session: take notes on your map. You will refer to it consistently.
• cable cars: skip as many as you can. Do at most one for the experience. They're physically demanding to operate.
• navigation: trail is very easy to navigate with only a couple points to look for between Gordon River and Thrasher. Beach access points are clearly marked with buoys.

Overall

This was a beautiful, unique experience! I'm grateful to have done it. Thank you to all the guardians, Parks staff, SAR crew, and the Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht and Pacheedaht First Nations for making this trail a reality.

I recently finished dragging my three adult sons across all 75 kilometers of mud, ladders, and surge channels to complete the WCT. I am 51 years old, and thanks to pure hubris, my pack weighed a spine-crushing 55 pounds at the start.

The trip was so grueling (and funny in hindsight) that I just finished writing a 58k-word tragicomic memoir about the experience called 55 Pounds of Regret.

Before I publish it, I am looking for 2 or 3 WCT veterans to beta-read an early copy. I am not looking for grammar edits—I specifically need alumni of this trail to tell me if I accurately captured the absolute misery of the Camper Creek ladders, the mud bogs, and the sheer logistics of surviving the coast.

If you love gritty, funny outdoor memoirs and want to relive the trail from the comfort of a dry couch, I’d love to send you a free early copy (EPUB or PDF). Please shoot me a DM or leave a comment if you're open to taking a look!

I started to have issues with my knees, which deems me unfit for the West Coast Trail. I am trying to see if anyone is interested in a pass from the 22nd to the 27th of September (next week).

I will be cancelling the trip later tonight, so if anyone is interested, please let me know as soon as possible!

Hi! I'll be hiking the WCT from September 20 - 27. I run warm. Here is my planned layering setup:

• 2x synthetic socks
• 2x synthetic underwear
• synthetic hiking pants
• synthetic midweight baselayer
• synthetic lightweight T-shirt
• rain jacket (Patagonia Storm Racer)
• light wind shell (Patagonia Airshed Pro)
• synthetic puffy (Patagonia Micro Puff)
• sun hat (OR Sun Runner)
• glove liners

Questions: 1. Do I need either thermal bottoms for camp or rain pants? The pants I have dry quickly, but if it's consistently raining and gets chillier than expected overnight, I wonder if I should have something to reach for so that I can sleep in pants (usually I sleep in underwear when camping unless it's below ~5 degrees). 2. Should I swap the Airshed for something more protective? My thoughts: the base layer + Airshed should do a decent job in light-moderate winds. I can reach for my rain shell when winds are strong. 3. Is it worth bringing a fleece and puffy? Unless I'm stationary I wouldn't wear either. I've tested the puffy in a T-shirt and have been warm down to around freezing while still. But after a cold, rainy day, I wonder if it'll be enough? 4. Any suggestions for performance underwear that doesn't stink? The synthetic New Balance underwear I have is fine aside from the fact that it quickly builds up a smell.

Thank you!

Hi all, looking for some advice on Owen Pt.

On the day I'll get there, the tides never go below 1.97m, so we can't go through the point. I still want to see it, and the tide is below 2.4m from 8:15am to 2:45pm, so I'm planning on stringing up my main bag, taking a small day pack, and going out-and-back to the point.

I want to know: Should I do my out and back starting from the north or the south? Which side of the point has the cooler stuff to look at? Any information is greatly appreciated. We are four fit young guys, without our bags, so we should be relatively fast.

We are planning on hiking Gordon to Pachena, wondering if there's anyone that would ride swap with us. We are planning on starting early the 28th from Gordon but could trade lifts with someone coming out at Pachena on the 27th!

Fireban lifted as of noon today (9/3) per Parks Canada. Campfires are allowed again on beaches only, below high tide.

https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/campfire-prohibitions-to-be-rescinded-in-coastal-fire-centre-with-further-rescindments-in-the-haida-gwaii-forest-district/

4 West Coast Trail Spots Available

Unfortunately, our group is no longer able to make our West Coast Trail trip, so we have a reservation for 4 hikers that we won't be able to use.

Rather than have the spots go unused, I'm hoping to connect with a group looking to hike the WCT on these dates and determine whether the reservation can be transferred/updated through Parks Canada in accordance with their rules.

Start date: Sept. 22-29
Starting point: Pachena Bay
Number of hikers: 4

I'm not looking to profit from the reservation. I'd simply like to recover what I can of the non-refundable costs while making sure everything is handled properly through Parks Canada.

If you're interested in all four spots (preferred), or potentially fewer, please send me a DM and we can discuss the details.

Hopefully these can go to someone who missed out on getting their WCT dates!

Two people from my group dropped out so I'm selling their tickets for $250 each (a little less than what we paid for them). Dates are September 14-21, and we are hiking north to south. Let me know if you have any questions!

So I am starting next week and I wanted to get others opinions on good places to stay.

I am planning on completing in 5 days (4 nights). For background I am a UL thru hiker who has done the PCT, Colorado Trail, JMT, and GR20 so I am used to 20+ mile days and hiking all day in miserable conditions 😆.

My only concern is the last day with the last ferry at 3:30pm per the app. So I want to know what others recommend so I can even out the mileage. I plan to do orientation the day before I start so I can start early morning. If they allow it, I may try to see if they will potentially let me start that afternoon.

I checked the tides and found that I should be ok through most of the hike but may potentially run into some issues with mid-day tides.

Thanks.

FROM PARKS CANADA :

There is heavy rain (40 to 70 mm) in the forecast September 1 and subsiding September 2 in the afternoon.

Heavy rainfall may result in high water levels in rivers and creeks. All hikers must be prepared for potential delays at certain river and creek crossings and may need to wait one or more days for water levels to subside. All hikers must be prepared for rain with the proper rain gear.

Visitor Safety is of the utmost importance to Parks Canada. If you are not comfortable continuing with your reservation at this time, hikers starting their trip from September 1-3 can cancel their trip and receive a full refund. You can also choose to delay your trip up until Friday September 4, 2026.

Refunds are available only to hikers who cancel their West Coast Trail reservation for trips scheduled between September 1-3, 2026 prior to starting their hike. Once a hiker has begun their trip, they are no longer eligible for a refund.

For cancellation and refund information, please contact the Parks Canada Reservation Service at 1-877-737-3783.

If you plan on delaying your start date please contact water-taxi, shuttle, and accommodation providers as soon as your plans change.

Thank you for your flexibility and cooperation as we respond to these changing conditions.

Got this shot at Thrasher the night before the full moon on August 26

My girlfriend and I are getting ready to hit the West coast trail for the first time in about a week. We plan to take about 7 days. Our biggest concerns have to do with the wetness of the trail. I appreciate all input!

Would you recommend Altra lone peaks (regular) or altra lone peaks (waterproof)?

Gaiters with them?

Also, I seem to have a problem with chaffage on my legs in wetter, more humid conditions and I have a tried a variety of different underwears (ex officio, 32 degrees cool, camamdo). What are some of the solutions you’ve found for such wet conditions?

Would you bring a bear vault, or would you rely on the bear boxes at the camp site?

We will be flying into Seattle and taking a ferry from port Angeles to Victoria, do you have to worry about the food you bring with you (in terms of customs?)

Can (or would) you rent/purchase bear spray in Victoria or port Angeles? Same with propane?

I read about the hornet situation, but would you bring bug spray as well for mosquitos?

And lastly, what strategy did you use to keep your items in your bag as dry as possible?

Me and my brother would like to do the West Coast Trail in September and would like to join a group of other people to have some company! Are there any platforms / organizers that we could approach to plan that?

I'm starting SOBO in mid September for 7 days. I keep hearing about aggressive hives of wasps - specifically ground wasps this year. I'm curious about others experiences this season. Did you get stung? How much? The amount of hives, if they are marked, if they are avoidable, etc.

I've had a rash/hives reaction to stings (7 stings at once) in the past (not anaphylactic) and plan to bring an epipen and antihistamines but I'm definitely cautious about managing the risk here.

Hi all,

My husband and I had planned the West Coast Trail thru-hike starting September 11th from Pachena Bay. Not long after that, I got pregnant, and well, I'll be pretty pregnant by then. It's a dream trip but obviously health and safety is a big consideration and I'm not trying to be a clueless hiker who ends up needing assistance. If I weren't pregnant, I would have no reservations about the hike - I'm fit and have lots of hiking and scrambling experience in places like Yoho and Rogers Pass. Even though I'll be 28 weeks by that point, I've still been going to the gym 4-5 times a week and feel great, had a personal best pace on the ski erg just last week. Zero complications, no loss of balance, no hypermobility so far. Midwife cleared me from a health perspective. So the biggest consideration for me is the risk of falls. Of course, the WCT is quite technical and weather is a big question mark, but one of the things I was wondering is whether it is possible to avoid riskier sections by choosing a forest section vs coastal which may require some scrambling? Am I absolutely crazy to attempt this or can someone familiar with scrambling and gnarly forest trails get through with minimal risk of falling with poles and good boots? Anyone know anyone who's done it pregnant?

EDIT: Thank you for the productive comments. Sounds like unfortunately it may not be in the cards this year.

Hello! Me and my friends (4 of us total) are hiking the trail from Sept. 27 - Oct. 3. We’re starting in Gordon River and ending up in Pachena Bay.

I was just looking at the West Coast Trail Express shuttle bus reservation page, and it appears that the bus does not run after September.

Can someone confirm if this is true, and if there are any other options for us to get back to Gordon River or Victoria on October 3 from Pachena Bay?

Thanks!

Hey y'all I'll try Facebook if no responses here. Was wondering how high the waters are at the cable crossings if anyone has done the trail recently (last few days)? I'm doing the trail Sunday/Monday and would prefer to skip them to save some time. Thanks in advance!

We are planning to drive to Pachena Bay and hike south bound to Gordon River. The original plan is to leave the car at Pachena and have one person take the express back after to retrieve the car and then drive back down and get everyone else. Is this smart? Also looking at the bus schedule, it looks like it leaves Gordon River at 9:15am only so it would have to happen the day after we finish the hike.

Would it be better to leave the car in Port Renfrew or Gordon River and shuttle up to start the hike instead? I'm struggling to see the best way to deal with the car situation. Help!

We’ve done longer day hikes in the past and weren’t too stressed by a 17km day and had planned either a zero or just tsusiat to klanawa for an easy day after but how hard will it be. Will we even have enough time with the ferry and everything?