#550 The West Coast Trail
Fun Fact #550
The West Coast Trail
In 1906 the risk of The Pacific Graveyard was deemed an issue in need of repair, and the Canadian Government started seeking ways to improve the odds of survival for survivors of shipwrecks. Almost immediately they found one way to dramatically improve the odds: The West Coast Trail.
At the time, the odds for sailors surviving shipwrecks in this area was astronomical thanks to the conditions, and even if survivors somehow made it to the shore, they’d still have a lengthy trek across temperate rainforests, Rivers, and rocky terrain between them and help. Worse yet, no one searched the shorelines for survivors, only looking from the water, making the odds even lower for Castaways. However, The Ditidaht First Nation had a plan to change that. They and several other tribes had long ago made various paths through the area, and if Canada would agree to pay and provision them, they would connect, clear, maintain, and monitor the paths for potential castaways along the coast of Victoria Island.
The project would be completed in 1907, and has remained in operation ever since, although it's now run by The Canadian Coast guard as part of “Pacific RIm National Park ''. Yet the trail is not just for castaways anymore since between May1st and September 30th the trail is open to hikers with a reservation. It is regarded as one of the most scenic hiking trails in the world known for its views and large diversity in the types of terrain encountered. It winds through old growth forests (some of the trees get as tall as 315ft), bluffs, waterfalls, tidepools, beaches, 13 Unesco World Heritage sites, and –oddly– 2 native run crab shacks where you can buy burgers and other supplies along the 75 Kilometer trail (if you go the full length).
Thanks for reading today’s fun fact. I hope you have enjoyed and please have a wonderful day.
Image (above) is of Tsusiat Falls Campsite one of several waterfalls found along the coast.
Image (above) is of the Gordon River Crossing.
