Introducing the Vancouver Island “Spine” – A Trail from Victoria to Cape Scott
What is the Vancouver Island Spine?
The Vancouver Island Spine is a proposed 700 kilometer trail that will stretch along the entire north/south length of Vancouver Island between Cape Scott and Victoria. The proposed hiking trail will be made up of a combination of established hiking trails through provincial parks, urban mixed-use trails, old railway right-of-ways and logging roads. The eventual goal of the Vancouver Island Spine Trail Association, which is spear-heading this initiative, is to create a trail which rivals other great trails such as the Great Divide Trail in the Canadian Rockies and the Appalachian Trail in the eastern United States.
VI Spine Relay
The VI Spine Relay is an event being held this month involving groups of individuals running, hiking, cycling, mountain biking and horseback riding along parts of the Vancouver Island Spine Trail from Cape Scott to Victoria. The purpose of the Relay is to increase community support for the development of the Trail.
Participant can sign-up for any combination of relay legs, the first beings this Saturday, June 5th, and includes a 15 kilometer hike between the Cape Scott Provincial Park parking lot and Nissen Bight. The relay will conclude on Saturday, June 27th with a cycle between Colwood and Victoria on the Galloping Goose Trail. A full listing of relay legs along with dates and times and information on how to register is available here.
VI Spine Relay Community Days
In conjunction with the relay a total of six two hour events in six different communities along the proposed trail will take place. The events are as follows:
- June 8th – Port Hardy
- June 11th – Campbell River
- June 15th – Cumberland
- June 20th – Port Alberni
- June 24th – Lake Cowichan
- June 27th – Victoria
The view the times and exact location for each event click here.
Additional Information
For additional information on this initiative listen to this CBC podcast interview between a CBC host and Gilbert M Parker, President of the Vancouver Island Spine Trail Association (fast forward to 13:25).
Vancouver Island Spine Website – http://vispine.ca/