The West Coast Trail has built a reputation as one of the top hiking trails in the world. Its origin, however, dates back to the 1800s. Sailing vessels, facing fierce coastal storms and equipped with rudimentary navigational equipment, were thrown onto shallow rock shelves and against steep sandstone cliffs along the west coast of Vancouver Island. Some 250 vessels suffered this fate thus earning the coast the title, "Graveyard of the Pacific".
Several efforts were made to alleviate the situation including a lighthouse at Cape Beale in 1874, a telegraph line between Victoria and Cape Beale in 1890, and a second lighthouse at Carmanah Point in 1891.
In 1906 the passenger steamer, Valencia, was destroyed in a storm with a loss of many lives. This tragedy was the impetus that forced the government of the day to act. The telegraph line built in 1890 was to be up-graded to become the "Lifesaving Trail". However, high costs eventually resulted it only being pushed through from Bamfield to Carmanah Point. In 1907 the lighthouse at Pachena was constructed. Beyond Carmanah the trail remained the original primitive telegraph line. Regardless of it not being completed as planned, the "Lifesaving Trail" did help to save many shipwrecked persons.
After the 1940s, improved navigational and communication equipment resulted in the trail becoming redundant and maintenance was discontinued. But, as more and more backpackers began to hike the "Lifesaving Trail", Parks Canada undertook a major redevelopment in the 1970s. And thus was born the West Coast Trail.
No comments:
Post a Comment