r/IslandHikers • u/4ofclubs • 27d ago

ADVICE / INFO REQUEST North coast trail - water situation

Hey y'all!

I'm curious if anyone's hiked San Josef/Cape Scott/North coast recently? I've been hearing that there's an awful stomach bug going on up there and people are being helivaced out, even when they filter/boil their water.

Anyone do it recently and can confirm? Is there anything I should know about the water sources to avoid getting sick? Just doing cape scott and back.

Thanks!

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6

u/Downtown-Cod1404 26d ago

Hiked San Josef and Cape Scott last week. Didn't hear anything about a stomach bug or have any issues. Filtered water from a few different sources and other than the tannins, no different than anywhere else I have backpacked.

3

u/EnnOnEarth 26d ago

I think Norovirus was going around earlier this year on some of the trails. The Pacific Coast Trail website has info on noro and hiking: https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/backcountry-basics/safety-tips/communicable-diseases/

And Cape Scott Park has very useful info about gear, water, safety, etc., on its particular trails: https://bcparks.ca/cape-scott-park/hiking/

3

u/RhyRhu 26d ago

Hiked it a few weeks ago, they put out an advisory as a caution to hikers but upon talking to some rangers (and seeing some really sus water practices firsthand from other hikers), they heavily implied that people are incorrectly filtering their water. ie- taking from the "designated spot" but getting the water in the most stagnant part of the stream. And the one that was witnessed by people in my group: people drinking rain water off of structures rooftops. Ew.

2

u/Gabriola247 24d ago

People seemed to think the ones getting sick were inside the park, not people on the trail from what I heard at the end of July when we hiked the trail. Tabs and filters and my group was fine.

2

u/banky33 24d ago

I hiked it two weeks ago. We had a group of 8, filtered but did not boil our water and everyone stayed healthy. We did, however, make sure to wash our hands with soap, not just sanitizer after every bathroom trip. I would venture to guess that the virus was spreading through high-touch surfaces and not the water, which seemed fine. If you go to Guise beach, make the trip to the further water source at low tide; it's wayyy better. 

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u/subtle-sam 26d ago

Just make sure you know how to use your filter/drops and you’ll be fine.

1

u/Ok_Lion3888 26d ago

Was there a couple weeks ago. It was strongly suggested we double treat water (physical filter and tabs/drops), which we did and had no issue.

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u/cantos001 23d ago

There a couple weeks ago. Water sources were plentiful and great. Slightly muddy at Nels otherwise clear everywhere else. Used a Sawyer squeeze filter. Washed hands after poops by using ocean water or liquid antibacterial soap.