Q: Where is Nootka Island?
A: Nootka Island is off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Before I decided to do this hike I had not heard of Nootka.
Q: How do you get there?
A: We took a float plane from Gold River to Louie Lagoon, returning to Gold River on the ferry from Friendly Cove. This is the most common means of getting there and back.
Q: How long does it take?
A: We did it in 6, including a rest day. Next time I think I'll allow an extra couple of days to lounge around and explore more. But that's assuming that the weather will be as good as it was this time :-) If it's raining, 7 or 8 days in a tent could feel like a long time...
Q: 37 km (23 miles) isn't very far and it's flat, isn't it? Why did it take 6 days?
A: Good question. It's true that much of the trail is on the beach. But that beach is not always good walking - the infamous pea gravel saps every ounce of energy. And when you're off the beach, you're in dense rain forest climbing over and under fallen trees every few yards. It could be done in 2 or 3 days if you really pushed it (with a lighter backpack), but why rush? It's beautiful out there and it's worth taking the time to absorb it. Also you may be forced to wait for the right tide to get around some of the headlands, or for the water level in a creek to drop so that it can be safely waded (there are no bridges on the trail).
Q: What's special about the Nootka Trail?
A: Firstly, the place where the trail ends - Yuquot (or Friendly Cove) - has been inhabited for over 4000 years! That's a lot of history. The Mowachaht-Muchalaht people that live here were the first to hunt whales. Nootka is also where the first major contact took place between First Nations' people and Europeans in the late 18th Century. The fur trade (largely from sea otters) was centred here and the British had their Pacific Canadian headquarters here (later moved to Victoria). And then there's the solitude: we encountered maybe 10 people in 5 days, none of whom were hikers (compare that with the 50 per day that begin the West Coast Trail!). It was mostly just the four of us. Of course that's a problem if something goes wrong as there are no roads, no houses, no cell phone coverage, or patrols. You're on your own out there. The folks at Air Nootka said to use a 2-armed wave if we were in trouble. Or carry an emergency radio or satellite phone.
Q: Is it free to hike the trail?
A: Yes in principle, but No in practice. The hike itself is mostly on Crown (i.e. public) land and there are no charges for that. However, getting to and from the trailhead is a different matter. First there's the airfare (check with Air Nootka for details but expect to pay around $150 per person, at least in 2006), then there's the ferry (MV Uchuck III) which was $40 and finally there's the $40 "landing" fee, which is payable to the Mowachaht-Muchalaht band (although it should be done through Air Nootka to ensure the band really gets the money). This last one is a little controversial since it went up from $5 in 2003. It allows you to enter Friendly Cove (which is reservation land) to camp, explore and catch the ferry. Personally I don't mind - it's not an outrageous sum - but it is hard to see what you get for your $40.
Links:
A couple of links that helped us with our planning (some of the resources have disappeared since 2006):
- http://www.airnootka.com/hikes.html
- http://besthike.com/2006/12/28/nootka-trail-trip-report/
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