The Sunshine Coast Trail Illustrated Atlas

MANZANITA FROM THE EDGE OF MALASPINA PARK. Manzanita Bluffs, location of the very first SCT hut and pretty much a flagship location on the SCT, deserves it's own post.   Well actually, in truth, I have a heck of a lot of pictures from there, so I can saturate this post.  No point in lying about it.   The hike in from the north meanders through a stand of old growth and there are some interesting granite geological formations (the majority of the underlying rock here is from batholith or plutonic rock formation from millions of years ago, exposed by the last Ice Age) along the trail. Manzanita itself is a great rock face that is literally a "Window on the West". Manzanita has NO  potable water source.  If you want to have morning coffee or walking water, you better plan ahead at Wednesday Lake.  Keep in mind that the next water source is found at a sad little seasonal creek down in the valley south of the bluffs. If it is not there, the next potabl...

FROM BLISS PORTAGE TO WEDNESDAY LAKE.  Traditionally, most hikers camp somewhere along the trail from Sarah Point the first day and then high-tail it to Manzanita Hut from that camping spot.  Now, with the NEW Bliss Portage Hut, the typical first day hike will probably stop here.  Some of "tougher-than-me" types will dig down deep and go from Sarah Point to Manzanita in one jump; I call that missing the entire point of getting away from the rat race.  On the other hand: you will have dependable cell service from Manzanita, so you will be able to check your corporate e-mail or important political Tweets. This section will break with the logical protocol and cover just the stretch from Bliss Portage to Wednesday Lake.  Wednesday Lake is one of the most pleasant little lakes along the entire SCT and has SO many access  and egress points that it is appealing to the laziest day hiker anywhere (don't tell her I called her that).  I'll tack a few pictures of ...