I paced up and down the river trying to find a shallower spot the cross. The water wasn’t moving quickly but it was deeper, and colder, than I wanted to wade through. Turn back? Wade through?
I was on the shores of the Nitinat River this past weekend wanting to continue my hike but the Nitinat River was in the way. The sun was out but the river was cold. Swimming wasn’t in today’s agenda.
My goal was only a kilometre away. I decided to get on with it. Boots off. Pants rolled. Into the water.
50 feet later my feet were numb but finally out of the frigid water onto the warm rocks on the other side. Boots on. Pants unrolled. Hike on.
Since helping a trailbuilding project near Tuck Lake for the Vancouver Island Trail a couple years ago, I haven’t been able to shake the idea. A 700km trail up Vancouver Island. I got myself on the board and am starting to hike the completed sections. I started near Tuck Lake last weekend. A few photos from the bright sunny day:
Have you hiked this all the way through to port alberni? Do you know if it’s flagged/marked the entire way?
Hey Jesse, the trail from Tuck Lake to the Runner’s trail is flagged but the Runner’s Trail is not. Once you get to the Alberni Inlet trail, they have marked that on section 1 and 2 but I don’t think 3 is officially done and marked yet.