**PAST EVENT** (BC) Trailbuilding in Tofino – July 2024
- Friday, Jul 26 - Monday, Jul 29, 2024
- Cost: $180 + tax
- Beginner
Event Details
=== Registration for this trip is now closed ===
This trip takes place on the territories of Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Coast Salish peoples. We ask our allies to allow BIPOC members only to sign up for this event, thank you!
Come trail building with Colour the Trails, in partnership with Wilderness Committee and the Tribal Parks Guardians of the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation! Join us as we explore and learn to take care of the trails and forests on Meares Island, one of many stunning islands surrounding Tofino, BC.
We will be staying three nights at the Tofino Hostel and making day trips to maintain the trails on the legendary Big Tree Trail on Meares Island. Trail building can be a physically demanding but highly rewarding volunteer activity. We will be walking moderate distances with light hand tools, building boardwalks, trimming undergrowth to keep the trail clear and potentially carrying and lifting heavy loads of wood for those who are able. We will work alongside Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Tribal Park Guardians.
Cost: $180 + tax. The cost of this event goes towards ferry transportation, 3 nights accommodation, and the time spent by CTT team members to organize this trip and build relationships with CTT’s partners.
Timeframe: Friday July 26 (catching morning ferry) to Monday July 29 (returning on afternoon/evening ferry); 4 days, 3 nights, exact ferry times to be confirmed.
Difficulty Level: Lower – Medium (please reach out if you have questions)!
Required equipment/what to bring: backpack/bag/suitcase, water bottle, daypack, food (including bagged lunches for the trail, and ingredients for cooking breakfast and dinner at the hostel), hiking boots and socks, trail clothes, rain gear, change of clothes for indoors, hat, bug spray, toiletries. More detailed list provided closer to the date.
Accommodations: We’ll be staying three nights at the Tofino Hostel. The rooms are mixed-gender dorms with bunk beds. No camping.
Accessibility: This is the most accessible trail building trip provided by Wilderness Committee for folks with different abilities. No camping gear is required. Days will consist of physical activities including but not limited to: snipping growth along the trail, transporting wood while hiking along a mostly-flat trail, laying down boardwalk pieces, and nailing wood down to create new boardwalk sections. Activities can be tailored to folks’ needs and energy levels though participants must come prepared to build trails and have fun!
Transportation: We will reimburse everyone for ferry costs. Each participant is responsible for securing their transportation to the ferry terminal. But we will provide a spreadsheet for organizing carpooling in advance, and carpooling can also be arranged through our private Facebook group.
Policy and Community Guidelines
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Policy for Multi-day Adventure, Summits, Retreats, or Partnered Events
This policy applies to larger events, including summits, partnered events, and multi-day overnight events, where attendance planning and logistics are especially crucial. These events take us months to plan and execute. We understand that unexpected situations may arise that require event cancellations, but we want to ensure the smooth and fair execution.
- Cancellation Timeframe: For cancellations made at least 20 days in advance of the scheduled event or within the specific timeframe indicated by the event organizer in the registration information, participants will not incur any penalties. You can request a full refund or choose to transfer your payment to a future event.
- Cancellation Within 20 Days or Specified Period: In the unfortunate event that a cancellation is requested during specified time frame, or no show happens, the following policy will apply:
- Refund: Cancellations made less than 20 days of the event will not be eligible for a refund unless we manage to fill in the spot.
- Penalty: A six months ineligibility to attend future events. We leave a right to cancel any registration of the person under penalty in this time frame. After the six month ineligibility period has elapsed, participants can once again sign up for future events without any restrictions.
Photo & Video Release Consent: By purchasing a ticket you grant permission for Colour the Trails and sponsors to use any of the photos or videos from this event that have been taken by Colour the Trails videographers and photographers. They will be used for the purpose of sharing experiences with the community and encouraging future participation in events, which can include but is not limited to, print or digital versions, social media and websites without compensation or recognition given. Colour the Trails will not use the photographs in a manner that would exploit or cause malicious representation toward you. Please contact [email protected] BEFORE the event if you do not want to be photographed or on video during an event.
Please read here for our full community guidelines.
FAQ
What is trail building (in this context)?
An act of service that involves helping to maintain trails by building new sections, clearing overgrown trails, and keeping the area safe and fun for the public to enjoy.
Is it hard? What will I be doing?
Trail building on this trip may involve snipping back overgrowth with large shears, walking back and forth across the boardwalk while carrying wood, and helping to build sections of boardwalk by placing pieces and nailing them down. Work can be divided according to your abilities. If you’ve never used a hammer and nails before, that’s ok. You can learn here, or you’re welcome to choose another task. All work is done at the direction of the local Tribal Parks Guardians and staff from Wilderness Committee.
Why trail building?
It’s an incredible opportunity to not only give back to the land, but also to learn more about it. It’s our hope that learning more about the importance of old-growth forests, conservation, and the need for trail maintenance, will help connect you to the land you recreate on and be inspired to treat it well.
What if I’ve never hiked before?
You don’t need to have hiked before, but you do need to be comfortable walking moderate distances (up to a couple kilometres at a time) on relatively flat terrain. You may be carrying a load of wood while walking if you’re able.
Where will we be staying?
The beautiful Tofino hostel. This in-demand hostel is very hard to book but it’s not hard to see why. It has gorgeous waterfront views and clean, modern furnishings. The retail price of the hostel alone is $249 + tax and fees for the three nights we’re staying.
Why are we sleeping in mixed-gender rooms?
We have two rooms with bunk beds available for the group. Due to the potential gender diversity of applicants and the fact that we might not get equal numbers of male-identifying and female-identifying folks, it’s easier if applicants are ok with sharing mixed-gender rooms.
How will we get there?
By car and ferry. We’ll be carpooling in most likely 3 vehicles from Vancouver. If you don’t have a car, you’re welcome to apply! Ferry reservations have been made and drivers will be reimbursed for final ticket prices paid at the counter.
What should I bring?
A backpack, bag or suitcase for all your stuff, water bottle, daypack (small backpack for carrying your food and water for the day), food (including bagged lunches for the trail, and ingredients for cooking breakfast and dinner at the hostel), hiking boots and socks, trail clothes, rain gear, change of clothes for indoors, hat, bug spray, toiletries. A more detailed list will be provided closer to the date.