Ucluelet's Wild Pacific Trail undergoing repairs after extreme weather pounds coastal shoreline
'One viewpoint was totally erased ... you can’t fool with the immense power of that moving water out there'
A much-loved Ucluelet, B.C. hiking trail is undergoing repairs after extreme weather, wind and storms hit Vancouver Island's West Coast earlier this month.
The Wild Pacific Trail took a hit to its lookout points and shoreline trails as waves, rain and high winds battered the province's coast.
Videos of massive waves crashing over the Amphitrite Lighthouse, a popular landmark on the trail, were viewed over 100,000 times on Facebook.
"I wish I'd been there, these extreme events don't happen very often and you have to be careful, but they can be very special to behold," said "Oyster" Jim Martin, who founded the trail and runs the Wild Pacific Trail society.
He was out of town at the peak of the January storms and returned to find the trail looking worse for wear.
"One viewpoint was totally erased and the 900-pound concrete bench was displaced many metres away, so you can't fool with the immense power of that moving water out there." Martin told All Points West host Jason D'Souza.
"It's extremely dangerous."
This isn't the first time Martin has had to repair points along the trail, and he said each storm affects the shoreline differently.
"These extreme events kind of open your eyes to vulnerabilities that you try to address so the next time an event of similar size it endures."
Avoid closed sections
Sections of the trail remain closed and Martin emphasized that these areas are blocked due to unstable conditions.
He added he doesn't want to discourage the public from using the safe parts of the trail.
The society is asking for help in the form of donations to help the team pay for materials for cleaning up and rebuilding the popular network of trails.
To hear the full interview listen to media below:
With files from All Points West