{"id":21763,"date":"2010-02-01T23:44:57","date_gmt":"2010-02-02T06:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/travelswithmiranda.uskeba.ca\/?p=4657"},"modified":"2016-09-13T18:53:09","modified_gmt":"2016-09-13T15:53:09","slug":"hiking-near-tofino-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/hiking-near-tofino-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiking Near Tofino"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, I can scratch “Hiking in Pacific Rim National Park” off my bucket list….<\/p>\n

When I was studying natural resources in college, many of my teachers were from out west and they regaled us with their tales of life on the ‘wet coast.’ I heard so many stories about Pacific Rim National Park and it just sounded so exotic, with its redwood stands and and moss-draped trees. I couldn’t imagine a scenario that could take me here, other than my doing so after retirement. I made up this vague plan of maximizing my time out west by doing the West Coast Trail and then taking the Inside Passage up to Skagway to do the Chilkoot. How narrow my vision was back then!<\/p>\n

While I’m still interested in doing the West Coast Trail, a grueling 75km trek over beaches and through rain forest, I’ve pretty much conceded that the Chilkoot will be the one and only major hike of my life. My knees haven’t recovered<\/a> from those brutal 50km and have been worse than ever. Before the Chilkoot, I hadn’t had a blowout in exactly two years; I’ve had three since getting back. My current job, with its 33 hours a week of standing on a hard surface combined with a lot of crouching isn’t helping, nor is the damp weather that always seems to make the swelling worse. It’s only because I’m accustomed to this grating pain that I can do any hiking, walking, or running for pleasure. Soon as I get my Yukon healthcare squared away, I’ve conceded that I need to have a professional take a look and perhaps prescribe a brace or other supporting device.<\/p>\n

All that to say that when I looked at the list of trail options for today, I focused on doing the ones that didn’t seem to have too much climbing or descending, but I did end up doing quite a bit of both.<\/p>\n

I warmed up with the Bog Trail, an easy (and wheelchair accessible) loop on a boardwalk through a bog filled with stunted and twisted shorepine trees, some hundreds of years old. They looked like bonsai, making me feel very small. It was otherworldly and immensely enjoyable.<\/p>\n

Next came the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail and its offshoot, the South Beach Trail. The Ncn is 2.5km one way; add about 400m to go to South Beach, too. There are interpretive signs which provide information about the local native culture. South Beach is an isolated, wind-swept cove with a pebble beach. I had intended to hike the Ncn both ways, but 99% of it is on boardwalks, which were impossibly slick. After a few near misses, I decided to just hike back via the road. By the time I got back to the car, I was soaked to the bone and very grateful there was some bread, cheese, peanuts, and a juicy apple waiting for me. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Next, I stopped at Long Beach, which is famous for being the longest stretch of surf swept sand on Vancouver Island’s west coast. Surfing here is quite dangerous because of rip currents.<\/p>\n

My next stop wasn’t on my map, so I’m not sure what it’s all about other than it being called ‘Incinerator Rock.’ The view was spectacular!<\/p>\n

Finally, I hiked the short, accessible, trail to the top of Radar Hill, which had been slated to be a radar installation during the Cold War. There is also a lovely tribute to those Canadians killed in the Korean War, erm ‘police action’ (*cough, cough*).<\/p>\n

The Pacific Ocean looks nothing like the Atlantic. The water is more blue than grey, the sand more white than cream. I stood in the surf of several beaches today and was convinced that I could tell just by the sound of the surf which coast I was on.<\/p>\n

The following picture gallery has more information on the trails I hiked today:<\/p>\n

\"Notice<\/a>

Notice the recent date; I was on my guard.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"entering<\/a>

entering the Bog Trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0092\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0093\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0094\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0095\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0096\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0097\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0098\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0099\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0100\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"this<\/a>

this tree on the Bog Trail had an interesting, twisted, bark pattern.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"close<\/a>

close up of the bark pattern<\/p><\/div>\n

\"I've<\/a>

I’ve never been to a place where tsunamis could happen! \ud83d\ude42<\/p><\/div>\n

\"war<\/a>

war memorial at the South Beach trailhead<\/p><\/div>\n

\"access<\/a>

access to beach blocked by logs<\/p><\/div>\n

\"access<\/a>

access to<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wickaninnish<\/a>

Wickaninnish Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0108\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0109\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0110\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wickaninnish<\/a>

Wickaninnish Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wickaninnish<\/a>

Wickaninnish beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0113\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0114\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0115\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wickaninnish<\/a>

Wickaninnish Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wickannish<\/a>

Wickannish Trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wickaninnish<\/a>

Wickaninnish Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"totem<\/a>

totem pole at the begininning of the Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0122\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wickaninnish<\/a>

Wickaninnish beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"close<\/a>

close up of the details on the totem pole<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Nuu-chah-nulth<\/a>

Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0126\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"boardwalk<\/a>

boardwalk on the Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"blue<\/a>

blue water<\/p><\/div>\n

\"blue<\/a>

blue water<\/p><\/div>\n

\"blue<\/a>

blue water<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wickaninnish<\/a>

Wickaninnish Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wickannish<\/a>

Wickannish Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"boardwalk<\/a>

boardwalk on the Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"foggy<\/a>

foggy conditions<\/p><\/div>\n

\"steps<\/a>

steps down to South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"caution<\/a>

caution sign at South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"South<\/a>

South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"boots<\/a>

boots on the beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"South<\/a>

South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"South<\/a>

South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"South<\/a>

South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"boots<\/a>

boots in the surf<\/p><\/div>\n

\"South<\/a>

South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"South<\/a>

South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"stairs<\/a>

stairs back up from South Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0150\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"along<\/a>

along the Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Nuu-chah-nulth<\/a>

Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Nuu-chah-nulth<\/a>

Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0154\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"old<\/a>

old corduroy road<\/p><\/div>\n

\"I<\/a>

I was a bit surprised by how deep this boggy section was. \ud83d\ude42<\/p><\/div>\n

\"slightly<\/a>

slightly muddy boot<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0158\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"put<\/a>

put down some branches and this would make a nice little cave \ud83d\ude42<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0160\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"mighty<\/a>

mighty redwood<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Nuu-chah-nulth<\/a>

Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Nuu-chah-nulth<\/a>

Nuu-chah-nulth trail<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0164\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0165\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0166\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"grafittied<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Florencia<\/a>

Florencia Bay<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Florencia<\/a>

Florencia Bay<\/p><\/div>\n

\"I<\/a>

I like this log that had a whole world sprouting out of its top.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0173\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"I<\/a>

I looked like that stick figure quite a few times today \ud83d\ude42<\/p><\/div>\n

\"wreck<\/a>

wreck of the ‘Florencia’<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0176\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Florencia<\/a>

Florencia Bay (end of the Nuu-cha-nulth Trail)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Long<\/a>

Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Long<\/a>

Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Island<\/a>

Island off of Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"logs<\/a>

logs on Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"island<\/a>

island off of Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Long<\/a>

Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Long<\/a>

Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Long<\/a>

Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Long<\/a>

Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Long<\/a>

Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"island<\/a>

island off of Long Beac<\/p><\/div>\n

\"danger<\/a>

danger warning at Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"danger<\/a>

danger warning at Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"danger<\/a>

danger warning at Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"danger<\/a>

danger warning at Long Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

\"ooh,<\/a>

ooh, another tsunami sign<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Incinerator<\/a>

Incinerator Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Incinerator<\/a>

Incinerator Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Incinerator<\/a>

Incinerator Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Incinerator<\/a>

Incinerator Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Incinerator<\/a>

Incinerator Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Incinerator<\/a>

Incinerator Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

\"I<\/a>

I couldn’t get enough of the Tsunami signs \ud83d\ude42<\/p><\/div>\n

\"striking<\/a>

striking redwood stand at the Schooner trailhead (apparently ‘very steep’)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"CIMG0203\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CIMG0204\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Korean<\/a>

Korean War monument<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Korean<\/a>

Korean War monument<\/p><\/div>\n

\"view<\/a>

view from the top of Radar Hill<\/p><\/div>\n

\"view<\/a>

view from the top of Radar Hill<\/p><\/div>\n

\"view<\/a>

view from the top of Radar Hill<\/p><\/div>\n

\"view<\/a>

view from the top of Radar Hill, with the Korean monument in sight<\/p><\/div>\n

\"I<\/a>

I found it amusing that there are stairs leading to the top of the boulder where the foundation is, instead of having people clamber up it.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"radar<\/a>

radar installation foundation<\/p><\/div>\n

\"radar<\/a>

radar installation foundation<\/p><\/div>\n

\"view<\/a>

view from the top of Radar Hill<\/p><\/div>\n

\"view<\/a>

view from the top of Radar Hill<\/p><\/div>\n

\"steps<\/a>

steps up the granite slab to the foundation of the proposed radar installation.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"summit<\/a>

summit of Radar Hill<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well, I can scratch “Hiking in Pacific Rim National Park” off my bucket list…. When I was studying natural resources in college, many of my teachers were from out west and they regaled us with their tales of life on the ‘wet coast.’ I heard so many stories about Pacific Rim National Park and it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1442,632,635,11,5,1395,3],"tags":[731,1465,654,802,707],"class_list":["post-21763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-britishcolumbia","category-canada","category-north-america","category-personal","category-rving","category-tofino-ucluelet","category-travel","tag-beaches","tag-chilkoot","tag-hiking","tag-parksgardens","tag-statuesmonuments"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21763"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21763\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raecrothers.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}