Nootka Island Backpacking Adventure - Tue, Jul 21 2015, Wed, Jul 22 2015, Thu, Jul 23 2015, Fri, Jul 24 2015, Sat, Jul 25 2015, Sun, Jul 26 2015, Mon, Jul 27 2015, Tue, Jul 28 2015

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Nootka Island Backpacking Adventure (7/21/2015)

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED:Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page.

You are STRONGLY encouraged to read this page in its entirety before signing up. If you'd like to attend, we ask that you abide by our rules and procedures as a time/cost saving process (with an end result of keeping membership free and lower cost events).

The Basics:

Event Type:

Hike - Backpack

Event Location:

West coast of Vancouver Island

Date(s) & Time:

Tue, Jul 21 2015, Wed, Jul 22 2015, Thu, Jul 23 2015, Fri, Jul 24 2015, Sat, Jul 25 2015, Sun, Jul 26 2015, Mon, Jul 27 2015, Tue, Jul 28 2015 3:00 PM

Registration Cut Off:

Wed, Apr 9 2014 6:30:00 PM

Event Duration:

8 days

Difficulty Rating:

D6: Difficult to Advanced

Event Coordinator(s):

Barbara B.
You must be logged in to get the Event Coordinator contact information.

Member Cost:

Voluntary Donation Only (See Below)

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Maximum No. Guests:

Minimum Group Size:

Maximum No. Guests Per Member:

Number Registered So Far:

6 (Log in to see who's signed up.)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

Please Note:
This trip is only open for those who have attended the February 26 Nootka Trail Backpacking Interest Meeting, monthly pre-trip meetings, and pre-trip group hikes / backpacking events.

Trail Description:
From Coastal Hikes: A Guide to West Coast Hiking

"As soon as the seaplane takes off and you rise above the waters of Muchalet Inlet en route to the start of the Nootka Trail, you know you have started out in a very special adventure. The flight itself is worth the trip, over the exposed light station and Mowahat-Muchalet village of Yuqout, right along the west coast of Nootka Island to the trailhead at Starfish Lagoon. The Nootka Trail follows miles of deserted beaches, cuts across craggy headlands through old growth forest, and visits First Nations historic sites, all the while just metres from the mighty north Pacific at the western fringe of Canada. ... While the hike itself might be considered moderate in difficulty, it must be remembered that you will be following an unmaintained route in remote and sometimes inaccessible locations. The rewards, however, are unrivalled and the Nootka Trail is fast gaining a reputation as British Columbia's quintessential coastal hike."

Group Expectations:
This is a combined hike/vacation. This means that the distance covered for the number of days allowed is relatively short, and two full rest days are built in; these can be used for day hikes, beach time, photography, and possibly even surfing. The pace will be relaxed. As it is a group event, it is expected that everyone hike together.

Schedule:

   · Day 0: Arrival in Campbell River
     Tuesday, July 21
          · Everyone on their own for travel to Campbell River. No COC carpool.
               - WestJet flies to Comox, which is 57km south of Campbell River where we will meet.
               - Island Link Express Bus goes from Nanaimo's Departure Bay ferry terminal to Campbell River's Tyee Plaza 5 times today. Fare is $37.
               - Greyhound Bus stops in most cities/towns along the Island Highway once or twice a day.
          · Group meets up and spends night in Campbell River.
          · Your choice of accommodation, but the Haig-Brown House is booked exclusively for our group.
               - Has 3 bedrooms, so will not accommodate the entire group.
               - Full breakfast is provided (choice of bacon/sausage/eggs or yoghurt/granola/fruit).
               - $94.50 ($90 + tax) for single occupancy room; $105 ($100 + tax) for shared room ($52.50/person)
          · Other nearby accommodation:
               - Comfort Inn & Suites - 3km away, brand new, includes breakfast, $115 + tax and up
               - Thunderbird RV Park - 3km away, has showers, $21 + tax for tent site

     Day 1: Float Plane to Trailhead and Hike to Third Beach (2km / 40 minutes)
     Wednesday, July 22
          · 8:45am - Depart Campbell River from Haig- Brown House. Drive 88km (1h30) to Gold River.
          · 10:30am - Take float planes (30 minutes) from Gold River to Louie/Starfish Lagoon.
            (One Beaver and one Cessna have been chartered for the group with Air Nootka).
          · 11:00am - Arrive at Louie/Starfish Lagoon
          · Hike to Third Beach - about 2km / 30-40 minutes through forest isthmus.
          · Secret beach cave 500m / 30 minutes from Third Beach, has small waterfall.
          · Set up camp for two nights& time to relax for remainder of the day.

     Day 2: Day Hike / Exploration from Third Beach
     Thursday, July 23
          · Options include shipwreck, Ferrer Point, Northwest Cone.

     Day 3: Third Beach to Calvin Falls (15.75km / 4-6 hours)
     Friday, July 24
          · Easy travel on rock shelf, pebble and boulder beach.
          · Passing Skuna Bay (2km stretch) is tide dependent.
          · Primitve shelter on north side of Calvin Falls.
          · Set up camp for two nights& enjoy the falls.

     Day 4: Day Hike / Exploration from Calvin Falls
     Saturday, July 25
          · Options include Crawfish Lake.

     Day 5: Calvin Falls to Beano Creek (10.25km / 5-6 hours)
     Sunday, July 26
          · Long straight stretch of shoreline, lots of inter-tidal life on rock shelf.
          · First nations village site & sea otters at Bajo Point.
          · Surf Shacks at Beano (Tatchu Adventures)

     Day 6: Beano Creek to Maquinna Point (6km / 4 hours)
     Monday, July 27
          · Short, steep cliffs east of Beano, passable at mid to low tide, with 10m rope scramble. Alternate through forest.
          · Dense old-growth forest with overlooks of cliffs.
          · Small lake, sea stack cove.

     Day 7: Maquinna Point - Yuquot/Friendly Cove (5km / 2 hours) + Ship Back
     Tuesday, July 28
          · Light house.
          · Explore 'village' of Yuquot (Friendly Cove); Summerfest may be on.
          · 1:30pm - Be at dock at Friendly Cove. Take MV Uchuck III back to Gold River (2 hour ride).
          · Group dinner, night in Campbell River (Haig-Brown House for those who wish to stay there).
          · Depart next morning.

Resources:
   · Book: Coastal Hikes by Philip Stone
   · Book: The BC Coast Explorer and Marine Trail Guide by John Kimantas
   · Map: Nootka Island 1:50 000 by John Baldwin
   · Map: Boating Map - shows extent of sand along the shoreline
   · Map: Nootka Island - online overview
   · Photography: Photographing the Nootka Trail
   · Tides: Gold River Tides - note: these are in PST, trip is in PDT, so you must add one hour to each time

Securing Your Spot:
In order to be accepted for this event, you must take the following steps and confirm with your coordinator:

1) Book your spot on the ship (Uchuck III):
     From Friendly Cove/Yuqout to Gold River
     Date: Tuesday, July 28 (be at dock by 12:30pm)
     Contact Get West Adventure Cruises at 1-877-824- 8253
     Cost: $47.50 + GST = $49.88

2) Confirm accommodation for Campbell River the nights before and after:
     · Need nights of Tuesday, July 21 and Tuesday, July 28.
     · Note that accommodation in that area difficult to find. Most places are already booked and/or have 3 night minimum stays.
     · Contact Barbara if you wish to share the Haig-Brown House for the night before and after (no cancellations allowed).
       House has 5 beds. Our group may be larger than that, so first 5 people to express interest get the spots.
       Others would need to find their own accommodation nearby (i.e., in Campbell River).

3) Provide the following payment to Barbara (cash at pre-trip meeting or e-transfer):
     · $10 towards inReach subscription for emergency communication.
     · COC donation:
            - $14 ($2/day) for Regular Members
            - $0 for Premier Members (can get Premier membership at pre-trip meeting)
            - $0 for Volunteers/Coordinators

4) Provide $150 deposit to Barbara to hold your spot:
       Considerable logistics are required for this trip and if one person drops out, the costs for the others increase (i.e., float plane).
       If you show up for the trip in Gold River, you get your $150 back.
       If you bail out of the trip for whatever reason (emergency or otherwise), you lose your $150 and this will be put towards the others' increased costs (i.e., float plane).

5) Float planes (Air Nootka):
     · You do NOT need to take any steps for the float planes at this point.
     · Two planes are currently booked under Barbara. Will deal with that payment once total number of people is confirmed.
     · Total cost is $1,428.99 ($824.57 for Beaver + $604.42 for Cessna).
            - $238.17/person if 6 people in group.
            - $285.80/person if 5 people in group
     · Total flight cost to be split evenly amongst all members of the group, regardless of which plane one is on.
     · Coordinator has dibs on front seat :-D.

Other Trip Costs:
   · Transportation to/from Calgary to Gold River, BC (1,290km each way; no public transit goes there)
     There is no official carpool to the event. If you decide to ride with someone, you need to arrange things amongst yourselves.
     COC carpool would be around $490/vehicle return.
   · Ferry costs to/from Vancouver Island if driving ($100+ each way per vehicle + occupants). Make your reservation as the ferry books up!
   · $45 to cross Native land on the trip (payable out on the trip; cash only)
   · Accommodation before/after the hike.

Required Items to Bring:
   · Backpacking gear to be fully self-sufficient.
   · Bear spray mandatory.
   · First Aid kit mandatory.
   · Tarp mandatory.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

Notes:

- Details of this event are subject to undergo a change at any point in time, with or without warning.
- Notice any errors or problems in the information on this page? Please notify our Content Editor(s), Wendy W and Lynda H., at content@calgaryoutdoorclub.com.

Cost & Payment:

Voluntary Donations:

Although there is no cost for this event, please note that the club survives on voluntary donations. Please consider making a donation based on the value you feel you receive from the club. See our How You Can Help page for more information.

Voluntary Donation: ( What is this?)
Suggested donation amount for this event is: $2.00/Person.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: