Hiking the length of Vancouver Island (Episode 3)

[@kathimatthes-sr3fv]

Oh, no, SO many wasps!!! You two are amazing with your fortitude during difficult conditions. And, despite the difficulty, you still smile and carry on. Also, your food looks SO yummy. The wasps were bad enough, but then the BEARS!!! Your honesty is so refreshing!!! Thank you for sharing your journey with the world!!!

[@jennifermay7998]

Sometimes in life, our psychological barriers are harder to overcome than the physical ones. You've done an incredible job of climbing over all of them. I was really engaged watching your video. Hope you had a nice stay with your folks and enjoyed all the comforts of home. See you next week!

[@Synergy3k]

It's funny, when you said in Ep 1 you thought this was the most rugged trail you'd hiked I was thinking 'really? Compared to the narrow high mountain trails on PCT?' and then all the bushwhacking and stings in this episode and all the rope climbs I was like yeahhhhh she wasn't kidding, this is bonkers :D I've been making my way through your playlists while I've been home sick and enjoying living vicariously.

[@KrystaNorwick]

Hahaha 100%!!! It started off not too bad, but then this section really pushed me to my limits! So glad you can be enjoying vicariously and really hoping you get well soon!!

[@jayduncan9315]

Hi Krysta and Brian. Absolutely love your video journals scary bear encounters, wasp stings, emotional breakdowns and all! What an incredible challenge but such a rewarding journey. Those Elk made me cry! So very majestic and magical.

[@KrystaNorwick]

Thanks so much! Glad you're enjoying them! It was a very difficult section, but just like you, the Elk brought me to tears in the best way. It's those moments that make it all worth it!

[@Wandering_whatsnext]

This is such a lovely channel. Hope more people find you. Thanks for sharing your hiking adventures.

[@KrystaNorwick]

Thank you so much!! Thanks to you watching and commenting, more people probably will

[@Biodiversity-Institute]

Loved the river walk portion! Beautiful part of the world. Thank you!

[@KrystaNorwick]

Very beautiful!!

[@1954BigV]

I enjoy watching you hike together. A great team!!

[@aquamarine9568]

You are both brave souls. Loving your journey.❤

[@the.kate.outdoors]

It must be such a wild contrast going from the well-groomed PCT last year to route finding and bushwacking through Vancouver this year! You guys are determined and inspiring. Lovely video as always!

[@KrystaNorwick]

It truly is!! I felt ready to tackle a rougher trail this year. The year before the PCT I did the CLDT in Croatia, and while it was a stunning trail, it was often incomplete! So I was ready for a completed and much smoother experience, which is why I did the PCT the following year. It seems like I'm going back and forth between the two types of trails year by year.

[@OldFatAndAlone]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@KrystaNorwick]

Thanks for watching!

[@ervinslens]

Outstanding episode my friend! This section looks and feels amazing!

[@KrystaNorwick]

Amazing, thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@betty-loucreamer112]

Rough hike!! Bad terrain, wasps, oh my 😮

[@KrystaNorwick]

Very tough! Hoping that section gets some more trail maintenance soon :)

[@peterfontaine4627]

So tough! I thought I got a lot of stings on the Wonderland last year but that was only 6--compared to 20 something between the two of you! Such intense hiking--and I hate bushwhacking. I haven't done it in a long time. I really need to get those ursacks. I still put my food in nylon stuff sacks and have never had a bear encounter, but I know I need something more heavy duty. Excited to see what comes next on the trail.

[@KrystaNorwick]

Oh wow that's still a lot that you got on the Wonderland Trail! It was hard to keep pushing knowing we were inevitably going to disturb more nests. But we make it! Yes I really love the Ursacks!

[@skibrat]

A chainsaw in your backpack might come in handy. OMG that looks like a horrendous "trail"! I wonder what the plans are to galvanize volunteers across Vancouver Island to work on various sections of the trail. The SCT or Sunshine Coast Trail has had great success getting volunteers (lots of retired loggers!) to keep the trail in good shape. Great video!!!!

[@KrystaNorwick]

Agreed!! I think there are a lot of people interested in doing trail maintenance, it's just a logistical process! The Vancouver Island Trail Association is doing great work to improve the trail! I can't wait to see what progress is made of the coming years. If you're interested in seeing what they are doing, you can check out their website: vancouverislandtrail.ca/

[@judywhaley5092]

Incredibly beautiful, but incredibly dangerous for hiking! I am sorry you had so many encounters with wasps. They have been awful this year. I am thankful the bears were just passing through and didn't bother you. But of course, that may have been because you put your food far away from your tent!

[@KrystaNorwick]

Incredibly beautiful I agree!! Ya, the hiking conditions were definitely rough. I was also so glad the bears finally left us alone! Happy to be done this section!

[@betty-loucreamer112]

Bears oh my 😮

[@Marigold-m2]

Honest questions from a multi day backcountry hiker in bear country: Why don't you attempt to hang your food bags higher? It's like you don't even make an effort. Do you really think a bear couldn't rip into a Ur Sack? And a mouse could get though a hole the size of the eraser on the end of a pencil. I've seen it happen. I see you cooking close to your tent too. Is that wise?

[@KrystaNorwick]

The Ursacks are meant to be tied to the tree like we do. They are bear proof and the bear cannot rip into them. We hang them far enough from the camp that we have never had an issue. I have used them for ~6 months of continuous hiking with a lot of camp spots with mice issues and I have never had a mouse get it. It is best practice to cook away from the tent.