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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2004 : 2:32 PM
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Hi.. I am very interested in hearing from women who have done the West Coast Trail.. how hard was it? how would you rate it? what you would do different, if anything? when would you recommend doing it? how long did it take? how much experience did you have before you did it? how heavy was your pack? what local trails compare to it? and anything else.. etc etc.. thanks!!!
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yeh baby!! |
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 Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2004 : 3:08 PM
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| Did it in 4.5 days. Didn't find it hard, but found it way too crowded. Would I do it again - no chance. |
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2004 : 3:30 PM
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k sandy.. thanks, but if u dont mind, why wouldnt you? because of the crowd?
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yeh baby!! |
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Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2004 : 7:03 PM
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| Crowded with too many people wanting to party. This was years ago before there were outhouses and the Parks policy was that you do your business in the intertidal zone. Well, there was so many people on the hike that there was no privacy in the intertidal zone - result, sh*t and toilet paper everywhere - yuck. Plus, I have to say the scenery just didn't do it for me. I'm a peakbagger at heart and trudging along the beach at sea level just doesn't thrill me the way climbing a peak does. We sea kayak quite a bit and that seems a much better way to see the coast than hiking the WCT. But, that's only my opinion and I know a lot of people here have enjoyed the hike. |
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 08:32 AM
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hmph! mostly guys do this trail??
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yeh baby!! |
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Super botonist, hippie chick who cuddles thistles with glee
Langley, BC
Canada
1541 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 08:38 AM
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Have you done a search here on CT for more info?
Jim & Jimbo's trail report and info is at www.clubtread.com/westcoasttrail
Also, a lady from Germany did the trip just the week after them, she has some pics online too (name escapes me at the moment). |
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 08:51 AM
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yup.. checked read all that.was just hoping for more.. thanks..:)
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yeh baby!! |
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delta, bc
Canada
647 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 09:10 AM
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| I know quite a few women who have hiked the trail. Groups I have lead over the years are overall about 60% women. If you'd like, contact me by email and I'll give you some email addresses of women who have hiked it and I'm sure they'll share their impressions of the trail. |
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 | DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1395 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 09:49 AM
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| I did this hike a few years ago at the end of June early July. I had a week of sunshine (how lucky can that be). As a regular hiker, I found the trail easy. Poles were a must to aid through the muddy trails and for beach walking. The tides were perfect and we spent as much time hiking on the beach as possible, not simply to avoid the mud (which can get pretty deep), but to enjoy the ocean. I am always in the woods or on top of a mountain, so a good ocean fix is good once in awhile. We went at a leisurely pace and took 6 days. My pack including water was about 40 pounds for the week. I have not done another hike that would compare to this. The Olympic Coast trail compares as far as the beach walks, but that is about it. The WCT has deep muddy trails, bridges, log crossings, creek crossings via cable car or wet feet, ladders galor, surge channels, and beach walking. Would I do it again...no...why, because my experience was perfect, so why ruin a good thing, also there is lots more out there to explore rather than doing the same thing over and over again as some people do. |
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 09:57 AM
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thank you!!  one question tho.. how could you only take 40lbs when jim and his group took almost double that? and here i thought us women would want to take everything but the kitchen sink? haha! was there alot that you missed, that you should've brought but didnt? every little hike i've been on i end up taking so much, (and just for a day).. thats one of my main concerns..
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yeh baby!! |
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Super botonist, hippie chick who cuddles thistles with glee
Langley, BC
Canada
1541 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 10:47 AM
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| If you go with a group you can share some gear such as tents, stove & pots, and filter. That would keep your personal weight down. |
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New Westminster, BC
Canada
1138 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 10:51 AM
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On the coast your big thing i find is timing.
It rains a lot out there. I find that if you have sunshine the experiance is so much better. Make sure you are prepered to spend the whole trip with rain. The time of year will have a great impact on this.
Ask some of the guys to respond to this tread.
A lot of the women are in better shape than some of the guys.
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"Anything is Possible" |
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 11:08 AM
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ok.. pleeasse..anyone respond ..i have read jim's report.. so it was interesting to hear sandy's comments.. i think i'll do it..and will probably book early july.. i got a book on it as well and realize that there's alot to prepare for.. wouldn't want to get caught when the tide comes in.. and that cable car looked fun, but heard you could really injure your finger(s).. and of course, crossing a river, which can be dangerous at certain times.. it's just nicer to hear personal stories
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yeh baby!! |
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| DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1395 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 11:14 AM
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I am a very practical person who only takes what I NEED. After years of practice I have it down to a fine art. When we pack, comfort always comes first and we incorporate lightweight to make it happen. Sometimes lightweight will cost you money.
I always go prepared for all kinds of weather, even in the middle of summer I take winter wear. My gear is always the same. I take very few changes of clothes, and have a set menu that works for us (not as much food as some take). It is all dehydrated or light in zip locs.
I did this trip with a group of women. Some shared their tent/meals and others did not. All packs weighed in about the same..40 pounds. We sorted and weighed until we got it right. Now packing is easy for me.
I do all of my backpacking with my husband now. We both have worked out a packing system that works for us without breaking our back trying to carry it all. Remember, for best results your pack should not exceed more than 30% of your body weight, although this can be hard on long multiday trips. |
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Super botonist, hippie chick who cuddles thistles with glee
Langley, BC
Canada
1541 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 11:29 AM
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quote:
for best results your pack should not exceed more than 30% of your body weight, although this can be hard on long multiday trips.
All long trips should be done the month after Christmas. We ALL weight more then. |
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 11:40 AM
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haha! sooo very true trailflower! isn't that awful!?
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yeh baby!! |
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summerland, bc
Canada
653 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 11:40 AM
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You sit through an orientation before you get going on the hike where thay explain the tides and do give you tidal charts their are only a few places that you need to worry about getting past at a certan time, as far as pack waight goes my pack was around 45lbs and my wifes was around 35lbs we did encounter a lot of femail hikers and a number of which where hiking alone , I loved this hike and will be doing it again, if you can do 15k a day with a 30 to 40lb pack you will be just fine,  |
Edited by - robert cramer on 01/28/2004 11:46 AM |
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 11:53 AM
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wow! brave women.. i don't think i'd do that!  but cool!
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yeh baby!! |
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Super botonist, hippie chick who cuddles thistles with glee
Langley, BC
Canada
1541 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 12:07 PM
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We have friends who did it as a family last August, perfect weather. They are very active, swim, run, etc. Kids were 12 & 14. She would get to camp and just 'chill'. She couldn't do anything else. She found it so draining, physically & emotionally. Her dh did everything at camp. And she's not a weak woman by any means, but this is how it affected her. I think she said she cried 5 times in the first 3 days. It did get better though.
They are glad they did it. Said 12 was a little young (their son, he's a livewire, always has energy). Their daughter was at a much better age for the trail. |
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Abbotsford, BC
Canada
176 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 8:34 PM
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hey Ruth
8 friends & I did the trail a few years ago and our general consensus
was a 7-8 rating. the biggest downer was the crowds, limited (nice) tent sites so you end up cheek to jowl with your neighbours secondly
the fact that alcohol is available for sale just off the beach (not at Tsusiat) made our stay at Tsusiat a little loud and disturbing, also I was expecting a tougher hike, the stories I had heard came from people who had done the trail in the 70's well before the upgrades.
On the plus side the scenery is great sea caves, waterfalls, cliffs and plenty of wildlife dispite the traffic if you get up early enough
A definite do but be prepared to share the trial. For myself I would not try it again but only because there is so much out there to see & so little time to see it in.
get out there!!! |
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 Big pack hiker who sleeps with bears in tent and falls on slippery logs
Langley, BC
Canada
7647 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 8:41 PM
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I think it will vary from person to person. Weather is everything. If you have good weather, it will make it a ton easier. I know on the first year I did it, we ran into a group of women at the narrows. Half the group were practically in tears and wanted the hell out of there. And they were pretty vocal about it. The other half of the women looked like they were having no problems at all and had a "bring it on" attitude.
So I think it will depend on the individual. As long as you've done a few backpacking trips and have tried carrying the gear, no probs at all. If you are at all concerned about whether or not you can do it, why not give the Juan de Fuca a try first. Its an easy way to test it. The terrain is very similar and there are lots of exit points if you decide to bail on it. Jimbo and I did the JDF as a training hike to make sure we would be ready and it actually was good - it helped us figure out things a bit. Albeit we were still nuts in the amount of gear we carried, we did figure some stuff out. Also, as some noted, if you share gear that will significantly cut weight. Our packs were on the heavy side because we like having our own "quarters" and associated gear. |
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women and the WCT
