Kilometers 62 – 53

As I found out in the morning, the Tsunami Evacuation route was was the start for the day’s hike to Walbran Creek.

Much of day 3 was full of mud moguls like no other. It became a game of obstacle courses – hopping from stump, to log, to root and shimming along broken boardwalks. When it wasn’t mud, it was log bridges and ladders.

Untreated wood is used to build the boardwalks so that when the wood rots, it returns to nature with little minimum impact.

We did find this lovely lookout over the sea shelf, perhaps around the 60km mark.

At Cullite Creek we saw an elk lounging in the sun on the other side of the river. We replenished our water her and chose to ford it instead of take the cable car.

Then you reach Logan Creek.  They are building a new bridge to span the canyon at a harrowing height, but it was not yet completed. This left as series of ladders.  The longest ladder is 60 rungs, probably 85 degrees to the cliff and tilted 20 degrees to left. This is followed by a 45 degree ladder. All ladder rungs are wide spread – not ideal for those of shorter stature.  I felt like I was in the land of the giants. D said I used every part of my body to climb the trail.  I definitely used my forehead to rest on the ladders and my ass and knees to clamber over high root steps.

Following the ladders is a single plank wide suspension bridge. I’m not afraid of heights, but I do fear falling if that makes sense. Since my muscles felt a little shaking I thought it best not to overthink the bridge. Even though I did want to stop and look over from the middle I took hold of the steal cables and swiftly made my way across. When I passed the gaping hole in the mesh, I realized the mesh was made of rotting fibres rather than metal

What goes down must come up. Another set of ladders awaits across the bridge, though not has terrifying as the South set.  Though, once we reached the top of a short 5 rung ladder we found it was secured by a single strand of paracord and a reef knot.

The next 3 kms were fairly flat with some stretches of non-broken boardwalks, speckled with the occasional mud bogs. By this point D’s injury from the boulder’s the day before was causing quite a bit of discomfort and pain.  He needed to take more time and the Double As went ahead to camp.

I saw a stellar jay during part of the trail

Eventually we made it to last set of ladders that lead to Walbran Camp.