The Long and Winding Trail

  Tsusiat Falls, British Columbia, Canada
Sunday, July 5, 2009

Tsusiat Falls to Cribs Creek
17 km - 9 hrs

Today was a long, long day. It is the furthest we have planned on hiking and it was a lot of work! The weather was overcast but not foggy and an ideal temperature for hiking. We got up at 06h00 and were able to leave the camp site by 08h20 after having a delicious breakfast of bulgar wheat with cranberries, walnuts, and orange juice. This recipe is definitely a keeper. We hiked the beach to the "Hole-in-the-Wall" through which we were able to pass due to the low tides.












                                                 

At km 29, we found an inland trail access down which had just descended three people from the Ditidaht First Nation. It is their job to maintain this section of trail during the summer and patrol its length to help hikers in need of aid. They paused in their work with machetes to have a friendly chat with us, telling us a little about the trail ahead. They told us to keep our eyes open for on old roof beam from a longhouse, around which a tree has now grown. As we turned to go, we saw the trail that they had been working to clear. It went straight up the embankment and required us to use our hands to maintain our balance by grasping the roots of trees that were protruding from the mud...really Indiana Jones stuff!



A little further along the trail, we hooked up with 6 other hikers (2 young women who are sisters; Francois and Julie, a young couple from Quebec; and a pair of friends in their 50's who have done numerous trips together) with whom we ended up hiking much of the rest of the trail. In addition to our friends from Connecticut, we made a part of 12, a merry band indeed. One of the best aspects of tackling a trail such as this, is the camaraderie that develops among those of us who suffer and enjoy the trip together. We are able to pass time chatting on the trail and share war-stories around the campfires in the evening. Together we arrived at the ferry at Nitinat Narrows after 3 hours of trekking. We took the ferry across the Narrows and enjoyed each other's company on the dock while many ordered up food from the concession - BBQ salmon, fresh crab, beer, and chocolate.










We departed at 12h00 to carry along the trail, knowing we still had a long way to go. Fortunately, much of this section had wonderful boardwalks which make walking so much easier. We were so pleased with the change from mudholes and roots that we made up rhymes and songs about how great they are. Nevertheless, it took 2 hours for us to reach Cheewat Beach where we stopped to catch our breath and ease our burning feet. We so much wanted to stop and set up our tent but could not because of the closure due to bears. We'd been hiking since 08h30 and still hadn't even eaten lunch!

Reluctantly, we set off for the remaining 6 km to Cribs Creek. We decided to walk the beach for the next 2 km, a decision that was both good and not so good. The good part was that the sand was hard-packed and easy to walk on, allowing us to make good time. The bad part was waiting for just before km 38 - big boulders, huge fallen logs, rushing tide waters, slippery kelp, and a difficult exit to the inland trail. For some in our group, it was all a little unnerving. Spirits were flagging and we were beginning to despair that we had missed the trail access and might have to back track. Then, hanging from a tree high atop a massive overhanging boulder, we spotted the buoys that marked our route off the beach. It was now 15h00 and we were overdue for our lunch break. We ripped off our boots to give our feet a chance to breathe while we munched on bean burritos with salsa, jalepeno gouda, and fresh white onion!

Re-invigorated, we set out on the homestretch, 4 km that were a bit of a slog. Due to the less than ideal beach walk prior to lunch, we decided to stick to the forest route. It was okay but hard work due to the familiar mudholes and roots. We finally arrived at Cribs CG at 17h00. What a welcome site. There we met another friendly couple, Frank and Trina, and Frank's sister Linda. It turned out that this was Linda's first backpacking trip ever! Having completed the hardest section of the trail, where we were headed, they were in good spirits and their enthusiasm rubbed off on us.

This campsite is really well situated. The nearby creek is wide and easily accessed, there are great sitting areas around established firepits, and the composting outhouse was fabulous (clean, dry, and supplied with a "Hello" magazine that made bathroom breaks longer than usual. I took advantage of the creek to wash my hair, upper body, and smelly t-shirt. Stephane washed his hair and Danielle ended up washing her feet, albeit unintentionally. She was carrying driftwood for our fire when she stepped on an unstable rock. Fortunately there was no lasting damage and she only ended up with wet pants. We passed an enjoyable evening, relaxing, sharing stories, and eating - mashed potatoes with hamburger, veggies, and gravy. This is one of Celine's favourite backpacking meals and it tasted simply great after a long hard day on the trail. We slipped into the tent around 22h00 well contented and soothed by the sound of the rolling waves.