Cape Scott and the North Coast Trail: Hiking Vancouver Island's Wildest Coast

INTRODUCTION

Cape Scott Provincial Park

lies as far north as you can travel on Vancouver Island before plunging into the unforgiving Pacific Ocean. In the late fall and winter, the beaches are empty. The hiking season has ended and cable cars are susceptible to being washed out by record-level rains and wind. For the long wet season, the wild things roam this land without intrusion.

On clear summer nights, bears busy themselves doing what bears do—snuffling through thick mats of seaweed in search of oceanic delicacies. Fat sand fleas hurl themselves into the air to avoid bear-sized mouths. Wolves course the beaches unseen but for their morning tracks. The crowded darkness of the forest keeps permanent company with the sound of pounding surf.

The North Island is a rugged, harsh and stunningly beautiful landscape. It is a stranger who keeps her secrets tight, and a friend who always offers unexpected gifts.

Barnacle Beach. Photo: Steve Fines

Cape Scott is a wilderness park with deep human histories. This guidebook tells you what to expect on the trails, where to find the sandy beaches, and what plants and animals you may encounter. This information will not only help you prepare for the area’s isolation and ruggedness, and better navigate the trails, but also to appreciate the rich natural and human history of the region.

The rest of what Cape Scott has to offer—the magic at the heart of this place—is up to you to find. And there is no travel itinerary for that.

ABOUT CAPE SCOTT AND THE NORTH COAST TRAIL

Cape Scott Provincial Park

is remote, wild, and coastal. Enveloping the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island, this protected area represents some of the most iconic coastal wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. The area has been known for the lighthouse on the cape since 1960 and for pristine sandy beaches for much longer. The park was created in 1973 with the later addition of the eastern Shushartie Bay section and the development of the North Coast Trail. Now totalling more than 22,300 ha (around 55,000 acres), the park includes 115 km (around 71 mi) of coastline with rocky headlands, pebbly shores, and long sandy beaches. Inland, rainforest, estuaries, rivers, and unique bogs protect rich and diverse habitats for a wide array of animal and plant species. For visitors willing to travel the distance, the simple act of experiencing this place provides no better reward.

Regional Location

Located on the northern

tip of Vancouver Island, Cape Scott Provincial Park is about a 7.5-hour drive from Victoria (around 563 km or 350 mi). There are two trailheads: the San Josef/Cape Scott trailhead, in a parking lot 64 km (around 40 mi) west of Port Hardy and accessible by highways and private, active logging roads; and a second at Shushartie Bay, accessible by water taxi.

What to Expect

As far away from

the urban capital of Victoria as Vancouver Island allows, Cape Scott’s isolation and remoteness has sheltered the area from human development and population growth. In the absence of big-box development and busy intersections, wildlife flourishes. Despite the telltale pockmarks of logging visible by satellite, the park contains vast natural spaces and rugged coastal wilderness that is utterly spectacular. On arrival in Port Hardy—the official launch pad for the North Coast Trail—the line separating human habitation and the wild blurs. Steps from downtown, you’ll see healthy populations of eagles, salmon, birds, and seals. Once on the trail, you truly enter their world. The diversity of wildlife—migratory seabirds, salmon, amphibians, sea lions, wolves, elk, and bears to name a few—provides testament to the richness of this coastal ecosystem.

However wild, Cape Scott is not untouched. A rich and diverse human history echoes in the wind. The Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations have inhabited the Cape Scott region for millennia. Their legends and lore weave through the region, and a cultural and spiritual tie to this land is maintained today. Abundant natural resources traditionally supported the Kwakwaka’wakw way of life and dictated not just seasonal patterns of resource gathering but also complex social structures. The North Island later attracted European explorers and traders seeking wealth from these natural resources. Whether it was a thirst for lumber, coal, furs, or fish, the North Island was the epicentre of a resource economy for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Exploration and trade paved the way for settlers who arrived in the region with dreams to eke out a living off the land. Moss-covered remnants of the Cape Scott settlement can still be seen today. The history section of this book (page 149) provides greater detail.

In addition to the human history and culture, the beaches of Cape Scott also serve as a sobering reminder of our global connectedness. As you hike along the coast and take in its stunning beauty, your attention can’t help but shift to the plastic flotsam found on nearly every beach. Much of it is debris from the devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan, although there was already a significant amount of plastic washed up prior to this tragedy. Even in this remote part of the world, seemingly far away from civilization, it is clear that no environment is free from the impact of our disposable society.

Topography, Terrain and Hiking Conditions

The spectrum of hiking

opportunities in Cape Scott is suitable for any ability. Whether you want to take the family for an easy stroll to San Josef Bay or traverse the entire length of the park, Cape Scott provides something for all nature lovers. The completion of the North Coast Trail in 2008 allows a hike from trailhead to trailhead for a distance of at least 58 km (around 36 mi). When you add in optional daytrips to explore the park’s west beaches—the Cape Scott lighthouse, San Josef Bay, Mount St. Patrick, and Lowrie Bay—it is possible to log over 100 km (around 62 mi).

Rugged coastal terrain characterizes Cape Scott Provincial Park. With 115 km (around 71 mi) of dramatic weather-worn coastline, Cape Scott offers almost every kind of beach imaginable—long stretches of sand, pebbles, cobblestones, rocky headlands, and protected coves. Some beaches provide gentle, sandy havens. Others offer unforgiving terrain. Steep, off-cambered slopes, slippery boulders, foot-abusing cobblestones, tangles of driftwood, and enormous beds of soft seaweed all combine to create definite challenges. Tired hikers can find these beach conditions difficult, especially at the end of a long day. Knee and ankle injuries are the most common ailments. In addition, the exposed beach can subject you to every kind of weather—warm sun, howling wind, or driving rain. Consider the time of year you intend to hike and be prepared for all possibilities.

Away from the beaches, the forest surrounds you. A dense network of towering conifers, ferns, salal, beds of moss, and varied underbrush creates a true rainforest that often drips from rainfall, wet wind, or ocean mist. While most of the trails in the park lie close to sea level, expect some elevation change as you head inland. Several beach access points have very steep and slippery slopes. Harsh weather exacerbates the effort, turning every climb into a scramble. In some areas ropes or steps provide assistance.

Mount St. Patrick marks the highest point in the park at 420 m (around 1,378 ft). However, unless you choose to specifically add this to your trip, there is no need to hike to the summit of this challenging mountain. Along the North Coast Trail, the highest elevation is 225 m (around 738 ft) at the top of the upland bog near Shushartie Bay. Gaining this elevation with a full pack can be a challenge. Even when not climbing, hikers encounter rough sections in the forest—storm-fallen branches, old stumps, and roots lie in wait to trip tired travellers. Add mud to this equation and it can make for a tiring slog.

Located in the rainiest zone in British Columbia, the terrain of Cape Scott is shaped from water and moisture. Creeks and river systems weave throughout the landscape and join the ocean. Several estuaries—ecosystems where salt water and fresh water mix—exist at the mouths of the San Josef, Strandby, Nahwitti, and Shushartie Rivers, creating rich habitats that attract a proliferation of waterfowl. The Hansen Lagoon, a 5-km (around 3-mi) long saltwater marsh and mud flats, is an important stopover for migratory waterfowl. There are many water sources along the trail (the best ones are noted in the maps and trail descriptions), but it is important to recognize that aside from major creeks and rivers, many of these water sources are seasonal. If you are hiking at the end of a long, dry summer, anticipate drier conditions.

A signature of the park is its upland bog ecosystems.Located throughout the park, but particularly prevalent on the higher plateaus, these bogs are sensitive and unique ecosystems that provide habitat for amphibians and plants. The bogs resemble a muskeg-like landscape with exposed, stunted vegetation, spongy ground, trickling rivulets, and stagnant pools. Boardwalks protect the sensitive bogs (and your feet) in the wettest areas, but the terrain and climate make for some very muddy hiking.

Looking west from the tombolo, about 3 km west of Cape Sutil.

Other striking features of the Cape Scott area include rocky caves, cliffs, and sea stacks (rock formations eroded into pillars by the sea). San Josef Bay provides a great opportunity to explore these, especially when at low tide. Sand dunes and beach meadows also make Guise Bay a worthwhile trip.

Climate

Cape Scott Provincial Park

has a temperate marine climate and receives a significant amount of rain. An average of 2,650 mm (around 104 in) of rain soaks the region every year. The town of Holberg, just 30 km southwest from Cape Scott, ranks number two on Canada’s list of highest average yearly rainfall with 3,819 mm (150 in). Even in prime hiking season, from June to the end of September, it rains an average of 17 days every month. The Pacific Coast is by far the rainiest region in Canada and within this region, the North Island is home to a leader. In Canada, only five weather stations receive more annual precipitation and Cape Scott ranks in the 97th percentile of wet places worldwide! Winter temperatures rarely allow for snowfall, but year-round conditions are wet, wild, and windy. Frequent storms bring rapid flooding and winds that can reach speeds over 100 km (around 62 mi) per hour.

Climate Data for Cape Scott Weather Station

Source: Environment Canada 2014, Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000

In summer, conditions are more hospitable for outdoor enthusiasts. Rainfall is considerablyless and the sun shines. However, don’t expect to be basking in a bikini—winds continue to blow in the summer months, pushing moisture-laden air over the land and keeping the temperature cool. The June to September daily average is only 13° C. Harsh weather can roll in quickly, bringing strong winds and rainfall. Plan for cool conditions and rain. If you get a clear window of weather during your trip, it will be that much more of a treat. Remember, you are in a unique rainforest ecosystem that depends on these wet conditions.

A Comparison of the North Coast

and West Coast Trails

Completed in 2008, the

North Coast Trail draws more people every year. Between 2012 and 2013, the number of campers at Cape Scott increased almost 30 percent as the North Coast Trail became more known. However, it remains a far cry from the near-celebrity status of the West Coast Trail and has been billed by some as the undiscovered West Coast Trail. But does it really have all the beauty without the crowds, the same wilderness exhilaration without waitlists, the bliss without the blisters? For the droves of West Coast Trail veterans who want to try something equally epic and beautiful without the crowds, here is a quick overview of how the two trails compare.

The North Coast Trail lacks the tent cities and bulging food lockers of the West Coast Trail and has more visible wildlife and less garbage. You don’t get a certificate for finishing the North Coast Trail, and there certainly aren’t any places to grab a burger, beer, or freshly boiled crab on the trail. Due to its remoteness, the North Coast Trail will likely always be the quieter, rougher, and less popular of the two.