“Spanning 58 km of bog, boardwalk, and beach, the North Coast Trail (NCT) is an isolated and often overlooked hiking route on the northern shores of Vancouver Island, BC. When people speak of the NCT, they tell tales of a trail that’s more puddle than land, of boots that never dry. As I walked the beaches I looked out at the horizon and down at the ground, searching for a glimpse of something magical. Over the course of 7 days I spotted shells and paw prints in the sand, and whales and birds floating in the water. Pebbled and sandy beach sections are bookmarked by buoys hanging from branches along the treeline. Oranges, yellows, and pinks signal campsites with tent pads and the beginning of lush inland sections. There the coastal sounds faded away to stillness, with only the faint rustle of leaves and chirping of birds in the distance. Knotted ropes and cable cars span rivers to lend a helping hand. There is a quietness, a calmness on the NCT unlike any alpine hike I’ve ever experi...