Flash event: A loosely-organized, one-time group run
This is a 48km trail run on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail (JDF Trail). The JDF trail is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island and stretches between Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew in the west to China Beach near Jordan River in the east. The start is about an hour from downtown Victoria, British Columbia.
If you are able to run 47km on rocky rooty trails, are not afraid of suspension bridges and exposed rocky outcrops, are self sufficient and can keep the group of runners entertained with stories for 6 to 10 hours, please express your interest with a comment below.
The agenda is being developed as we speak, but looks like this:
Friday 1 September 06
- 18:00 meet at China Beach (trailhead sign at China Beach parking lot). China Beach is approximately 30 minutes north of Victoria. See below for a link to ferry schedules to Vancouver Island
Saturday 2 September 06
- start running at the north end of the trail (Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew) at 8:30. We chose this time to best synch up with the tides. See below for a link to current tide tables
- run non-stop back to the cars at China Beach. Total estimated time of 6-10 hours
- several of the runners aim to get the ferry back to Vancouver that evening so it is not yet clear if we will have a finisher celebration. Most likely a pub in or around China Beach
Limit
- not defined, but we were figuring on 5-10
Cost
- none. We would prefer that you are a Club Fat Ass member or someone we know simply because we want people to have roughly the same level of experience and ability
Stuff to bring
- regular trail running gear. Robust trail shoes
- extra clothes in case the weather gets burly
- emergency blanket and other emergency stuff just in case
- lots and lots of water
- whatever you need to eat while on the trail
- knapsack of some sort for the trail
- camera/cell phone (not sure if cell will work north of China Beach?)
- sleeping bag, therm-a-rest and teddy bear for the night before
- dry stuff for afterwards
Notes:
- there is no water available along the trail
- we do not know if we will sleep at China Beach and car pool to the start in the morning or car pool to Port Renfrew in the evening
- bring a sleeping bag, food and all provisions for the trip that you might possibly need. Babysitting not provided
- BC Ferries schedule
- Tide chart for Bamfield, BC
- a good guidebook on the Juan de Fuca Trail
- some excellent information on the trail by Parks BC
- Carlos Castillo and Ean Jackson are jointly organizing this as a small group run. By running with us, you agree not to sue us if you break your neck
The following people have expressed interest:
Dom Repta, Gary Robbins, Mark Fearman, John McGrath, Berglind Hafsteindottir, Carlos Castillo, Elke Bauer and Ean Jackson as of Wed 31 August.
Last minute note: Berglind has room in her car for anyone who is open to sharing costs. She will leave Vancouver (Tsawassen) on the 9:00 pm ferry.
If you are interested and not on this list, please send a note to Ean with your questions.
Comments
Juan de Fuca Trail
The writer ran the 47km Juan de Fuca Trail on 25 February 2004. A great run.
The other contributors to this string were both correct -- it was a fantastic run, and was worth doing even in February, but it was a mudbath, particularly the north half (north of Sombrio Beach, to Parkinson Beach, and then to the North trailhead at Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew). The north half is considered easier and gets more day-traffic.
The south half -- China Beach (just west of Jordan River) to Sombrio Beach was in excellent condition, and made a very fine run. It is considered the more difficult half, but is much more suitable to trailrunning. Generally beautiful bark-mulched trails at a reasonable incline, with gentle up-and-downs. The section is rated more difficult because of the several descents-and-ascents in a series of stream valleys, but they actually serve as pleasant intervals for a gung-ho lightly-encumbered trailrunner. There was no more mud on this southern half than you would encounter on the Baden Powell Trail.
It took me a little longer than my Knee Knacker time for the Baden Powell Trail but I wasn't stopping as often on the KK to take photographs of sea lions, waterfalls, and bald eagles. Most list members would find a straight run on the JDFT to take them the same amount of time as the entire BPT.
I ran it solo, which was perhaps a little foolish, but on the JDFT, like the BPT and unlike the West Coast Trail, escape to a road is relatively easy if you twist an ankle. There are two trailheads within the trail (Sombrio at 28km and Parkinsons Creek at 37 km) as well as some 6 unofficial cut-off trails and logging roads back to Highway 14, which is generally only 1km-4 km north east of the trail (see the standard D. Mills guidebook, "Giant Cedars, white Sands", for a description of these unmarked trails).
No signs of bears or cougars although they are not uncommon in these parts. I'd be wary of running it during salal berry season as generally every kilometer features a short blind run through dense salal shrubbery.
Cool