I F YOU GO
Book ahead: Reservations can be made by phone or online up to three months before you start your hike. You can book on May 1 for July; June 1 for August; July 1 for September. Only 60 hikers can start the trail each day and the maximum group size is 10 (stick to it, if you can. It’s tough to match abilities in big groups. Four to six people would be perfect).
Be prepared: The trail is 75 kilometres from end to end. Expect to spend six to eight days in the backcountry, hiking rough ground. The trails can be slippery because of rain. There are ladders to climb, cable cars to cross, rivers to wade and bogs to navigate. Between 80 and 100 hikers are evacuated every season; another 200 are injured, but manage to make it to one of three exit points.
Pack smart: Don’t carry too heavy a pack (less than one-third of body weight for men; one-quarter for women). Wear good, worn-in hiking boots. Study the guides for other must haves. Try packing food for each day in separate Ziploc bags to avoid repacking every day. Bring cash for emergencies, whether its that juicy burger at Chez Monique’s (at least $20) or an escape plan at Nitinat Narrows (it cost us $40 each).
Getting there: Fly to Victoria. Rent a car or take a shuttle bus on Highway 14 for a scenic two-hour drive to the West Coast Trail. We rented a car and parked it for a small fee at the Soule Creek Lodge in Port Renfrew, where we stayed the night before we started and the night we finished.
Handy tip we learned on the trail: Park your car at the end and take the shuttle bus to the start of your hike. That way, there’s no rush to get back for a 1 p.m. shuttle on your final day.
New in 2012: Luxury Tenting. The Ditidaht First Nation are offering luxury tenting at Tsquadra, their traditional lands. The four-person tents have woodburning stoves, wood floors, wide cots and an outdoor deck. Cost: $60 a night, including taxes, plus a non-refundable booking fee of $10. Email ditdevcorp Pacific Rim National Park Reserve West Coast Trail 2012 Hiker Preparation Guide.