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Hiking the WCT. Heavyweight style.


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Home Forums General Forums General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion Hiking the WCT. Heavyweight style.

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  • #1265333
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    CBC did a two part report on hiking the West Coast Trail. I've done it several times and it is an incredible adventure. My favorite part is at about 5:10.

    http://vodpod.com/watch/1914324-backpacking-the-west-coast-trail

    #1662917
    Richard Bolt
    Member

    @richardbolt

    Locale: California

    Thanks for posting that link. That was awesome! What an introduction to backpacking for him, he's kicking his huge heavy pack on day one :-)

    #1663100
    Mike W
    BPL Member

    @skopeo

    Locale: British Columbia

    #1663105
    wander lust
    Spectator

    @sol

    how much do you eat while hiking?
    can't be a lot at all.

    anyways they have some really heavy packs, and that with a resupply.

    #1663128
    Nate Powell
    Member

    @powell1nj

    Locale: North Carolina

    What do they have in those packs?! I certainly carried my share of ridiculous loads in a pack when I first started backpacking but those things on their backs are HUGE. To look at them you'd think they weigh 50 or 60 lbs. I'm really surprised there wasn't even one person sporting a Gorilla or somethin and blazing by everyone else.

    It does look like an amazing stretch of trail though. I really liked that setup they were using to cross the river with the pod and the pulley system. Looks like fun. Thanks for the heads up on the video.

    #1663164
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    Guys – there is Part 2 and Part 3 on You Tube. The trail gets decidedly more challenging (mud, roots, rain). Brings back memories (fond?).

    #1663174
    Andy Schill
    Member

    @aschill

    I just checked out the rest of it on Youtube, good stuff. From the looks of it he almost has a fresh set of clothing everyday! I love the part where he questions the boat captain as to why he would live out there in the middle of nowhere…priceless

    #1663381
    Mike W
    BPL Member

    @skopeo

    Locale: British Columbia

    #1663416
    wander lust
    Spectator

    @sol

    Oh I see, that works of course though.

    But you gained weight, that must have been an unexpected experience :)

    #1663454
    tommy d
    Member

    @vinovampire

    "Never in my life have I wished more for less." – Part 2 at 6:44

    Ha!

    #1663472
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    This trail is really one of the most challenging that exist. Fun in dry weather, quite distinctly dangerous in wet (which is more often that not).

    You would be amazed at how many heavy pack users you see. I mean really heavy. Like pots and pans heavy. Given the over 100 ladder systems (two that are 30 stories high), one can understand why there are, on average, over 100 evacuations in a season. I suspect with lighter packing this number would fall!!

    #1663628
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    I always liked this trip report – funny stuff.

    http://www.sentai.com/mudhounds/index.htm

    #1663641
    Gary Ward
    BPL Member

    @coastalbliss

    Their packs are not so big. My 95 liter pack gets pretty full for the WCT. There are some bulky things, but it usually ends up between 50 and 55 pounds for 8 days of hiking. I am a guide,though. I was a sherpa on one trip (third guide to do the heavy lifting for two smaller guides-and I'm not that big). My pack was more like 70 pounds for that trip. That was too much. You wouldn't want to hear what my knees were saying to me in the tent around Carmanah Creek.

    If you are reminiscing about the West Coast Trail and want another challenge that is even harder, let me take you on the North Coast Trail. No burgers, no crab, you really do have to carry it all with you. If you have a load of extra cash, you can spend a grand for a food drop, but…it's a chunk of change. Great trip, however.

    But hey, why do we do this stuff? I know why I do…I LOVE IT!

    #1663644
    Greg Mihalik
    Spectator

    @greg23

    Locale: Colorado

    …deep sigh…

    …..slowly turns and walks away…

    #1663648
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    Gary, you're not quite getting it. I just did a 7-day trip on the Teton Crest in Wyoming, mostly off trail. Not sure how it compares to the WCT, but it certainly wasn't any walk in the park (well, we were in National parks part of the time, but I digress….). And we certainly had to 'carry it all' with us. My pack started somewhere between 25-30 pounds including food and water (not sure because I didn't weigh it after I left the house and took my share of group food and gear). And I had some stuff I didn't need (had never hiked in Wyoming or thereabouts before and was prepared for about any weather – we only had sunshine!). Our 'guide' probably was carrying around 25-30 pounds too, and he had the Sat phone and a few other incidentals. And, of course, generally the packs got lighter after each group meal was consumed (two per day).

    50-55 pounds is way heavy by the standards of most BPL readers. Your pack doesn't have to be that heavy if you only stop thinking like the 'traditional' backpacker, guide or not. Because if you think 50-55 pounds is an acceptable weight for a week, not too many people on this site are interested in letting you take them anywhere….

    FWIW

    #1663649
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    sounds great for everest … lol

    #1663693
    Mike W
    BPL Member

    @skopeo

    Locale: British Columbia

    #1663727
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    I'm thinking yo-yo-ing the northern half of the WCT (Bamfield to Nitinat Narrows) during the off-season (ie. this winter) would be one heck of an adventure. No fees, no people, no costly taxi back to the start. If anyone wants to go, let me know.

    #1663746
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    "I'm thinking yo-yo-ing the northern half of the WCT (Bamfield to Nitinat Narrows) during the off-season (ie. this winter) would be one heck of an adventure. No fees, no people, no costly taxi back to the start. If anyone wants to go, let me know."

    Oh gee oh gee oh gee oh gee oh gee! How long/how many days? And when exactly?

    I doubt I can make it happen, but gosh this would be fabulous!

    #1663748
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    I live in the area with a pretty flexible job, so I'd do it anytime. They usually don't have snow on the trail during the winter months, but they do get a lot more foul weather (storms).

    Here is a video of 3 people doing it in January:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4arKRhUV8gY

    They brought wet suits and swam the river in the middle, but it's a pretty dangerous river (fast currents) and wet suits are heavy, so I'd be more inclined just to yo-you the northern half.

    #1663785
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    Dan, I am going to Yo Yo the whole thing again next year (160 km). There will be 3 of us – you should come along. May time frame.

    Regarding doing the WCT in the winter. I have thought about this and a packraft would work great from Port Renfrew to Gordan and across Nitnat……

    #1663796
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    The May WCT Yo-Yo sounds awesome. I'm not sure if I'll be around (lease is up end of April and I might move to Ontario then) but let me know when it's closer and we'll see. I'd love to do it.

    A packraft would be perfect for a full WCT winter hike (winter yo-yo?). A trip this awesome would perhaps be reason enough to buy one.

    #1663801
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    Definitely will let you know as the planning process goes forward for the Yo Yo.

    Yeah, WCT in winter makes me want to buy a packraft and ULA Epic…..HA!

    Ontario? For work? You may miss the mountains….

    #1663825
    Mike W
    BPL Member

    @skopeo

    Locale: British Columbia

    #1663916
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    Yeah Ontario would be a big step down recreationally. My wife and I have all our family out there though so we're not sure what we're doing. I might do a 2 year M.Sc in Northern Ontario/Cottage Country so we're sorta closer to them.

    Regarding the WCT, I'm not familar with all the places you're mentioning Mike W cause I've never hiked the WCT (I have done the JDF x 2) but I would be in for any sort of winter adventure on the WCT.

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