by BestHike editor Rick McCharles.

Click PLAY or watch a short preview on YouTube.

I’d planned to YOYO in celebration of our #1 hike in the world reopening after the pandemic:

June 10 starting SE from Bamfield.

June 15 starting NW from Port Renfrew.

As happens so often on the WCT, plans changed.

I broke my main camera on day 3 of a planned 12 day adventure. Then bruised my thigh badly on day 5 — landing hard on a root in a mud bog.

I felt forced to reschedule my second West Coast Trail to start July 3, 2021.

I’ll put together detailed info-tainment videos for the WCT once I’ve done it twice.

RESERVATIONS

Reservations opened April 30, 2021. Open only to Canadians.

Due to computer system glitches, I wasn’t able to start day 1 ~ June 4, 2021.

The earliest I could reserve was June 10th out of Bamfield.

TRANSPORTATION

As the ferry Port Alberni to Bamfield was still closed to hikers, I booked by phone on the West Coast Trail Express.

CAD $125 Nanaimo to Bamfield one way. I was the only passenger.

Excellent service. I recommend them.

Back online about June 22nd.

Dude Dad and family relocated from California to Colorado.

Click PLAY or see what happened on YouTube.

BestHike editor Rick McCharles.

I’ll be mostly offline for the next couple of weeks.

After being closed for all of 2020, our #1 hike in the world opened to reservations on April 30, 2021 — for Canadians only.

The online reservations system worked well — but my credit card was twice declined for no reason. I repeated the process and was finally able to pay.

Since there is less demand this year than normal, I was able to book myself for:

June 10 starting SE from Bamfield.

June 15 starting NW from Port Renfrew.

I’ll make haste on the first 75 km (47 mi) hike.

Pick up my resupply in Port Renfrew. Have a hot shower. Some wine.

Then take it more leisurely on my YOYO return to Bamfield.

Click PLAY or check out my hiking gear on YouTube.

I’ve done the WCT four times in the past. It doesn’t intimidate me at all. I LOVE climbing ladders with a HEAVY pack.

Wish me luck!

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

In the winter of 2018 and 2019, Tom Davies (aka GeoWizard) had the unlikely idea of crossing a country in a completely straight line.  …

Tom’s most viral video with almost 4 million views; everyone loves a wacky idea. …

Adventure Blog – The Geographical Genius Who Crosses Countries in Straight Lines

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (4 million views)

A branding expert could use this as a marketing blunder.

NOBODY knows what to call the ever evolving 24,000 km network of greenways, waterways, trails, and roadways.

Official website:

As of June 1, 2021, the name of The Great Trail of Canada has changed back to its original name, and is once again known as the iconic Trans Canada Trail. …

Back in 2016, we decided to separate the name of our organization (Trans Canada Trail) from the name of the physical trail (The Great Trail), as a way to celebrate and highlight the significant milestone of connection in 2017.

tctrail.ca

SO …

1. The 4560km non-motorized is called THE GREAT TRAIL
2. The organization is called TRANS CANADA TRAIL

I’m pleased nobody will ever be confused on that again.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Let’s face it. Many hiking videos are boring.

Too long. Too much similar footage.

Personally, I’m trying to make mine shorter.

Here’s an excellent example. You get a good feel for South Africa’s 100 km Outeniqua trail in one minute.

Looks like they had a great time.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – Outeniqua trip report

Gear for the West Coast Trail

BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Locked and loaded for our #1 hike in the world.

I start June 10th.

I’ll be posting video and a detailed trip report later in the month.

He spent the pandemic well. What a year!

Edward:

In the year since the New Zealand Covid-19 lockdown ended in late April 2020 I completed 72 hikes (“tramps” in the NZ vernacular), and fifteen shorter walks.  …

• 68,500m (~225,000ft) of ascent and descent
• Almost 900km (~550mi) of walking
• On 64 of these hikes I climbed to a peak or other high point, ranging between 445m and 2333m high, and averaging 1000m of ascent and descent each time
• 58 of these high points were named peaks over 1000m of elevation, so I incidentally completed the 52 Peaks Challenge
• All of these tramps were on New Zealand’s South Island

… the best views were on the tramp to Barrier Knob via Gertrude Saddle in Fiordland …

Here’s a list of these 72 tramps plus 15 short walks. …

HikingScenery.com

One of the best on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.