Stretching 75km along Bamfield to Port Renfrew, Vancouver Islands is the west coast trail. Every year thousands of tourists and residents flock to endure the 7 day hike testing their skills and stamina while enjoying the scenery the coast offers. The history of the land the trail occupies is still a dominant part of the trail. The resources the trail provided were essential to First Nations and many of the prominent features of the trail still carry Salish names (Cheewhat Lake.).
The trail wasn't always used as a scenic hike. In the 1860's contract workers attempted and succeeded in building a telegraph link connecting the British Empire creating a window to the Pacific. It first ran up to North America's west coast to Seattle and eventually connected Victoria to Bamfield. Pachena Point one of the most dangerous points along the trail was responsible for a mass number of the 60 shipwrecks that occurred along the trek making the trails name "the Graveyard to the Pacific."" In 1906 the sinking of the Valenica caused the death of 126 near Pachena Point which made the government take notice. The telegraph trail was upgraded finished with the construction of the Pachena lighthouse. Named the "West Coast Lifesaving And Rescue Tail- rescue huts were placed along the coast providing blankets, medical kits and food to shipwrecked sailors and was regularly patrolled by workers who went to the their aid. With the arrival of telephones and the need to help rescue ships decreasing maintenance of the trail was abandoned in the 50's. Unable to resists the beauty the coast offered, hikers in the 70's took the challenge of the trail which took 2 weeks to complete due to no bridges or ladders. With the increase in hikers to the area government and private groups have helped transform the trail into a well kept recreational trek making it part of Pacific Rim National Park. (Show Video).
The moist weather results in a perfect environment for many species of trees the largest found in Canada growing more then 100m.
