The Sunshine Coast Trail - a 90km Journey

I’ve wanted to hike the full 180km of the Sunshine Coast Trail (SCT) for many years now, and that dream has finally come true - or so I thought. While I want this serves as an informative guide for anyone interested in hiking the SCT, or part of it, I must admit that I was happy, and relieved, to stop hiking at the 90km mark. Along the way, I discovered many things, some of which I'll share now and some in future blog posts.

Key Takeaways

1. Know When to Call It: If the hike stops being enjoyable and you start questioning why you're on the trail, it's probably time to stop.
2. Water Supply: Water can be scarce. We hiked in early July, hoping the water sources would be at least half full. Unfortunately, many were either low or dried up. We had to drink from stagnant lakes a few times because running creeks weren't an option. Always bring a filter, purification tablets, a pot for boiling water, or another filtration system.
3. Maps: A physical map of the SCT can be hard to find. Katie and I visited multiple stores in the lower mainland before finally obtaining one on the Sunshine Coast Shuttle.
4. Inconsistent Information: We used three different maps due to inconsistencies. For example, there are multiple campsites on the east side of Inland Lake that weren't well noted.
5. Hut Spacing: The huts are not evenly spaced for optimal daily hikes. Some are too close together, while others are too far apart. I recommend bringing a tent in case you need to stop early or if a hut is full.
6. Flexible Hiking Partner: Hike with someone who isn't solely goal-oriented. Reassessing your condition, the weather, and other factors is crucial. We were fortunate to feel the same way and decided to ask for help before needing to call SAR.

The Sunshine Coast Trail is the longest hut-to-hut trail in Canada.

There are currently 15 huts located on the trail, each is “first come, first sleep.”

Our Planning

We opted to bring one car and left it in Saltery Bay, our planned endpoint. We did this because it allowed us to have a flexible end date.

The Sunshine Coast Shuttle, an excellent service that transports people and supplies all over the SCT, picked us up in Saltery Bay and dropped us off in Lund. From there, we took a water taxi to Sarah’s Point. The shuttle also delivered a resupply bag to Fiddlehead Landing Hut so we didn’t have to carry everything from start to finish.

The shuttle can take you all the way to Sarah’s Point, potentially allowing for an earlier start, but we opted for the water taxi for a scenic start. The views from the water are beautiful, offering sights of surrounding islands, many trees, and wildlife. The water taxi travels to Sarah’s Point based on the tides, and if you’re okay to wait till the tide is high, I would recommend starting this way.

Huts

Remember that these huts are built and maintained by volunteers, so it’s important to respect their work. Follow the rules of each hut and leave it better than you found it. Take a moment to sweep or tidy up so others may enjoy these places.

Leave no trace rules definitely still apply inside huts. We didn’t find mice in the huts, but we did see droppings inside and mice outside some of them. Avoid bringing food inside, as small crumbs attract rodents. Store anything with a smell, such as toothpaste and bug spray, even toilet paper, in your bear cache outside. There are designated, covered spaces for cooking and eating, please utilize these areas.

Each hut is unique and lovely. However, I’d recommend skipping the Inland Lake hut on Anthony Island for now, as it had a broken window and had some roof damage. We opted to sleep in our tent instead and avoid the swarm of mosquitoes. I recommend paying the $9 to stay in the campground at the southeast side of the lake or push on to Confederation Lake Hut.

Tin Hat was my favorite place on the entire trail. Remember, there’s no water at the top, so you need to carry all the water you’ll need during your time up there. The climb up is steep, and while we found a creek at the 830m elevation mark, its availability will diminish as we move further into summer. I chose to sleep on a beautiful tent pad, while Katie cowboy camped at the summit of Tin Hat. From the summit, you can watch both the sunset and sunrise, and enjoy the stunning 360º mountain views. Even if you only spend one night on this trail, I highly recommend making it at this location, whether hut, tent, or cowboy camping.

Wildlife

While there are many species living on the Sunshine Coast, on the SCT you can expect: black bears, deer, elk (we’re pretty sure we found the bones of one!), rodents, snakes, frogs, toads, and numerous bird species. We even saw a few salamanders and lizards.  

While we didn’t encounter a cougar, there were several signs posted and scat in the area near Fiddlehead Landing Hut. Cougars are opportunistic and eat a wide variety of prey, they climb trees, typically hunt alone from dusk until dawn, and attack from behind. If you come across a kill of any kind, move away from the area quickly as the predator may be nearby watching over its meal.

Carry bear spray, ensure it’s easily accessible, and know how to use it. We encountered 3 bears, none of which caused trouble, but we followed bear safety protocols:

1.  Remain calm.
2.  Speak in a calm, firm voice. If you’re not sure what to say, talk about what you’re doing or what you see.
3.  Never run. It makes you look like prey.
4.  Make yourself appear bigger - stand up straight, use your poles, etc.
5.  Do not drop your pack; it might reward the bear. 

Pack it in, Pack it out.

There are no garbage cans in the forest.

Packing List

Here’s what I packed for this trip. Your list may vary, but these are my essentials for most trips.

General Gear:

- SAT phone
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Pillow
- Clothes
- Rain gear
- Bear spray
- Rope for hanging food
- Meals and snacks (10 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 11 dinners, 3+ snacks/day, desserts are a bonus)
- Stove
- Fuel
- Lighter
- Spoon
- Insulated mug
- Water filtration system
- Water bladder
- Maps
- Headlamp
- First aid kit
- Emergency blanket
- Battery banks and cables
- Knife
- Tripod
- Bug spray
- Bug net
- Gaiters
- Swimsuit
- Pack towel
- Sun glasses
- Camp shoes 

Toiletries:

-Sunscreen
- After sun
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer and eco-friendly soap (don’t wash directly in the water)
- Toilet paper
- Toothbrush and paste
- Floss
- Face wash
- Face moisturizer
- Mascara
- Body glide
- Tampons
- Afterbite

After returning from a big hike, I like to evaluate my packing list Surprisingly, I wouldn’t change anything. Coastal weather is unpredictable, and gaiters are great for keeping pebbles and forest debris out of your shoes. The items I packed but didn’t use were the bug net, gaiters, and rain jacket. I’m not including my first aid kit or emergency blanket in this, because those are packed without question on every trip.

Even if it didn’t go as planned, we had a great time. We made decisions together that ensured both our happiness and safety, and I’m grateful for that. Sometimes changing the plan means getting to do something equally or even more enjoyable. There are so many hikes I want to tackle, and only so many days in a summer or a lifetime to do them. I don’t think I’ll attempt the SCT again, but I hope this has provided some insight for anyone wanting to try it.