Hey all,
I know this is short notice for such a big run, but next weekend Sat August 4th I am hoping to run the West Coast Trail and Juan De Fuca Trail back to back, potentially in under 24 hours. (From North to South)
I am looking for people to join numerous aspects of this run, from running the entire route, to pacing through the night on the Juan De Fuca, to support, to shuttling vehicles etc. I am also hoping to borrow someones GPS unit to track the entire route.
With the summer weather and daylight hours the timing could not be better. Also, the tides next week work out perfectly for this attempt. Tentatively I am hoping to start at 4am on Sat, leaving 13hr to clear the WCT and make the final 5pm water taxi.
This should get me/us on the JDFT for 6-6.30pm and I am hoping to get through it in an additional 10-12 hours.
The catch to all of this is that I/we would have to be fortunate enough to get one of the five daily released permits for the WCT as it is currently sold out for those dates. I am heading over after work on Thurs night to try and be one of the five people at 9am on Friday who are issued a permit. If I miss out then I will camp out for a Sat morning permit to run the trail starting on Sunday at 4am.
Any thoughts, insights, advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
GR
Comments
WCT & JTF
Thanks Jackson
It's gonna be a tough weekend, but ole Daniel Probst might be making the trip up...I can let him tow my ass if he makes it to the island!
GR
First Bagger Bragging Rights?
Robbins, you stud,
As you know only so well, I would love to join you or support you on this one. This challenge has been on my peripheral radar for quite some time.... more so since we ran the Juan de Fuca Trail last summer. Unfortunately, life is getting in the way and I can't get the time off.
Given that the West Coast Trail is 75K, there's a road of about 3K form the pier at Port Renfrew to the Juan de Fuca trailhead and the JDF Trail is 47K long, that makes this run close to 125K. That's a long row to hoe on this terrain and with all of the obstacles (tides, blowdown, surge channels, ferries, fresh water, etc.) to consider.
I know you are in the kind of shape right now that you are absolutely capable of running the distance. You're one of the few people I know on this planet who is experienced enough and hard-headed enough to do this run solo. May the wind be at your back. Go for it, brother!
I do believe first bagger rights are at stake. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that both the WCT and the JDF Trail have been run from end to end. (Hey, we ran the JDF last year and Carlos the Jackal appears to run it every weekend!) To my knowledge, however, no human has ever run *both* trails from the start of one to the end of the other, non-stop.
For the record, I am aware of 2 dudes from Victoria who attempted this challenge in 2006. There was a Globe and Mail piece on them before their historical attempt and no word thereafter. My understanding is that they flamed-out even before they completed the JDF Trail. I clipped the article, but can't find it. Also searched the Globe archives with no luck. I spoke to Carlos about these guys last year. He knows them. I actually contacted them, but my hard drive crashed and I lost the note and the thread. Jackal, anything to add?
BTW, watch your back. October is not ideal given the lack of light and the threat of rain (yuk!) but for whatever reason you don't grab the brass ring, someone you know just might... so when you reach, don't miss!