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You've arrived by
ferry on Mayne Island, one of the small Gulf Islands off the Saanich Peninsula. The chance
to  hike Helen Point and its views of Galiano Island and
the shipping activity in Active Pass has drawn you away from exploring Victoria. Knowing the trail is on the Tsartlip Indian Band Reserve, you have phoned ahead for permission to enter. Following the line of hydro poles, you find yourself at water's edge and the trailhead. As the trail meanders through stands of arbutus, cedar and fir trees, your legs brush against the salal and Oregon grape. You marvel at but don't disturb artifacts you find along the trail and beach. The Indian Band does not physically occupy the land but does use it periodically. A meadow opens at the end of the trail and you spread out the blanket and unpack the picnic basket. Out on the water, a passenger ferry toots its horn at a cluster of fishing boats, their occupants trolling for the mighty spring salmon. Seabirds bob in the waves while overhead bald eagles circle endlessly. Seals pop their heads above the surface, then quickly submerge in the chase for a fish. You spend about four or five hours hiking the trail and viewing the activity on Active Pass. Tomorrow, you plan on taking the ferry back to Vancouver Island and head west of Victoria to the head of the famed West Coast Trail.
Following the advice of a hiker you met on the West Coast Trail about the great alpine hiking on Mt. Cain, northwest of Campbell River, you head north. It's a long drive, but the alpine meadows and mountain vistas from Mt. Cain, which also offers great powder skiing from December to March, are well worth the trip. |
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Last fall, after hearing about the 72-kilometer trail along the west coast of
Vancouver Island, you phoned and booked your passage. The trail, you heard, has become so
desirable as a wilderness adventure that hiker numbers have been restricted and
reservations are a must. It's early morning and a fine rain is falling. You slip on your
rain gear, adjust your pack and head out. Your group is well prepared for the rigorous
trail; you carry everything: water, first aid kit, rain gear, camping equipment and, on
your feet, good, well-broken in hiking boots. The package of information you received
about the trail was quite explicit in stressing that you must be self-sufficient. There
are no amenities during this five-to-seven-day adventure. The experience, however, with
old-growth forests, marine life, pounding ocean waves, sandy beaches - even the off-and-on
rain - makes this hike one adventure you'll always remember. 
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