- [Eric] Located in the southwest corner of British Columbia, Canada's Sunshine Coast is a spectacular, mountainous landscape entwined with the sea.

Travelers here can enjoy scenic beauty, adventure, wildlife, and idyllic small towns featuring good food and good people.

For outdoor lovers, the crown jewel of this place is the Sunshine Coast Trail, a new hut-to-hut trail system that meanders 112 miles along ocean beaches, past Alpine Lakes, and onto rocky summits that provide astonishing views of the rugged landscape, welcoming hamlets, lush rainforests, and legendary back country huts.

This week on Epic Trails, we're exploring British Columbia's Sunshine Coast.

I'm Eric Hanson.

When I see a trail, I see more than a path from point A to point B. A good trail is the ultimate opportunity to explore, to discover new landscapes, and to challenge myself.

When I don't have a pack on my back, I'm thinking about my next big adventure because my mission is simple.

My mission is to discover the world's most epic trails.

(uplifting music) Canada's British Columbia is an adventurer's playground that draws people from around the world to hike, mountain bike, ski, and kayak.

Located just north of the city of Vancouver, BC's Sunshine Coast is accessible only by ferry.

It's on the mainland, but it's got the quiet, laid-back vibe of an island.

The coast is dotted with idyllic towns where the mountains meet the sea.

Each presents its own charming marinas, resorts, and bakeries.

It's full of the kind of friendly places you wander into, grab a cup of coffee, and hear a good fishing story.

The province's adventurous culture goes back centuries.

And with mountainous wilderness right in people's backyards, it remains a place to rediscover your wild spirit.

To keep pushing my comfort zone, my trip to the Sunshine Coast starts with a visit to the Coast Gravity Park, a new and relatively unknown downhill mountain bike park that is quickly gaining recognition around the world.

- Hey.

- Hey, what's up, guys?

- [Kendra] Welcome to Coast Gravity.

- Oh, right on.

Hey, I'm Eric.

- Howie.

- Howie?

- Yeah.

- Nice to meet you.

- Kendra.

- Hey Kendra, nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

- I'm at the Coast Gravity Park.

I'm about to ride with Howie and Kendra, and I'm super excited and a little nervous to drop in.

This is truly a world-class mountain biking destination.

Gonna get after it today, start off with something mellow.

But it's gonna be a blast; can't wait to get out there.

(bike chains clicking) Coast Gravity Park has everything from white-knuckle expert terrain to mellow flow trails.

Since I'm not quite ready for the Red Bull Rampage, we're sticking to the easier trails.

But even though I'm a little slower than the local pros, I'm having the time of my life.

The beauty of this place is that it's all play and no work.

Riders shuttle uphill in trucks and race downhill, playing all the way down on the perfectly manicured features.

- The park all started with a guy that had a big dream.

He took his daughter to a Whistler and thought he could do the same thing on the Sunshine Coast.

So he approached a couple local routers and the coastal crew in particular, and they scoped out the zone and started building.

- [Man] He bumped my pedal right as I was all into it.

- [Kendra] Now what's special about riding on the Sunshine Coast is one, you can ride all year round.

Most places, you can't in BC.

We've got a little bit of everything on the Sunshine Coast from the inner riding trails all the way out to expert.

- [Man] Woo!

(upbeat, fun rock music) - Trails that were built by world-renowned trail builders, so the quality of the trails here is really high.

You got your green to double black, and speed's just controlled really well, and it's flowy, and it's just a cool vibe here.

(upbeat, fun rock music) - [Eric] This is Brendan and Kendra's home turf.

They know every corner and kicker, and the ease and style in which they ride is inspiring.

(upbeat, fun rock music) At the end of the day, I've picked up more than a few tricks from Brendan and Kendra, although I probably won't be hucking back flips anytime soon.

(upbeat, fun rock music) One thing I really appreciate about riding with these guys is that it doesn't really matter how good you are.

They're all about having fun with friends, and today has been a blast.

(upbeat, fun rock music) (slow electric guitar music) it's morning on the Sunshine Coast.

Everything is bright, green, and fresh, and wildlife encounters always seem to be just a glance away.

I'm heading out for some warmup hikes before the big one, the 112-mile-long Sunshine Coast Trail.

And so I meet up with Christina Schellenberg, co-owner of Funtastic Hikes and Tours.

It's easy to see why she loves it here.

Everything is so lush, way different from the Arizona desert landscape that I'm used to.

And while we're not too far from town, it already feels like we're in the middle of a remote wilderness.

I love the elevated walkways these trails are built on.

They keep your feet dry and fit into the landscape in a beautiful and seamless way.

Everything's so green.

- [Christina] So beautiful.

- Looks amazing.

- Yeah.

- [Eric] So what are these?

- Salmonberries.

- Can I take one?

- Yes, of course.

- They're safe to eat.

- It's really, they tasty.

- I found a juicy one.

- Good.

- These are not salmon eggs.

(Christina laughs) They're salmonberries, right?

- That's right.

(laughs) - Whoa.

- Mmm.

- That's amazing.

I can see why all these ones that are close - Exactly, all gone.

- have been picked.

Oh-ho, look at that baby, so good.

(upbeat, pleasant music) The area really is a nature lover's paradise with gorgeous, little waterfalls, lush coastal rainforest, and clean, crisp air.

I could definitely get used to life here.

But with the second hike in the plans for today, we decide to head back to town and refuel.

(upbeat, pleasant music) It's a great excuse to make a quick stop at one of the amazing little restaurants and bakeries that the area is known for.

As I drool over the great food, I'm already getting excited for the next hike, which is supposed to lead to a spectacular viewpoint.

The Sunshine Coast offers easy access to fantastic trails.

They're the perfect places to burn off all the great food because you won't find much flat ground around here.

(bright, pleasant music) The forests themselves are incredibly peaceful, and everything seems so alive here, even the ground, which is covered in a mossy carpet that feels like it's practically breathing.

But before I know it, the rainforest opens up, and we find ourselves on a bald mountaintop with wonderful views.

(bright, upbeat music) They all end at spectacular viewpoints like this?

- Yeah, most of them.

- Wow.

- [Christina] Near the ocean and near the mountains.

- Geez.

- So you can tell.

(upbeat, bright music) - [Eric] What's happening?

- Okay, that's a Swiss tradition.

- This is?

- Now Canadian.

- (laughs) You're bringing it - Yes.

- as an ambassador.

- Exactly, so that's a (speaks in foreign language).

- A what?

- (speaks in foreign language).

- [Eric] Get full drunk.

- Exactly, (speaks in foreign language).

(Eric laughs) (speaks in foreign language).

It's like a drink on the mountain.

- All right.

Do we-- - And we say cheers!

- Are we shooting this?

- Yes.

- Okay.

(sighs) All right, cheers.

- All right, cheers!

(laughs) (upbeat, bright music) (gentle, pleasant guitar music) - [Eric] I spend the night in Lund, the jumping point to the Sunshine Coast Trail.

My plan is to meet up with guides John and Eagle and to catch a boat ride to the start of the trail.

- Hello, good morning.

- Good morning.

- How you doing?

- Good to see you.

- Hey, Eric.

- Hi.

- John, nice to meet you.

- John?

- Nice to meet you.

- Eric?

- Yes, I'm Eric.

- How are you?

- I'm doing great.

- Christine.

- Christine, nice to meet you.

(pleasant guitar music) - [Eric] How far are we heading out today?

- Sarah Point, which is basically a straight 25-minute boat ride.

Then we'll probably go in the Copeland Islands a little bit and cruise through there, right, Christine?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Explore some of the coastline a little?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Oh, cool.

The trail runs along the spine of the Sunshine Coast Peninsula, linking more than a dozen back country huts that adventurers can freely use.

It's a special honor to be hiking with Eagle, a man who has played a major role in the development of the trail.

For decades, he coordinated with locals, businesses, and the indigenous Tla'Amin Nation to build a world-class trail for the benefit of all.

As the boat drops us off on a remote beach, I can't wait to see what the trail has in store for us.

(pleasant music with vocalizing) - [Man] See ya!

- [Eagle] Welcome to the Sunshine Coast Trail.

This is your first steps on the trail, - I love it.

- and I hope you have a wonderful time here.

- I expect I will, thank you, Eagle.

Let's do this.

- The Sunshine Coast Trail is 180 kilometers long.

It has 15 huts on it.

It is the longest hut-to-hut hiking trail.

(gentle, pleasant music with vocalizing) - Our people have always been here.

We've lived throughout our territory since time immemorial.

We weren't always on little Indian reserves.

We entered into a treaty with BC and Canada.

On April 5th, 2016, that treaty came into effect, and that was about 20 years of negotiations to get us to this point.

We are a nation now, and we have rights, treaty rights, and aboriginal rights to our territory.

(upbeat, bright music with clapping and vocalizing) The Tla'Amin Nation made room for the Sunshine Coast Trail through our treaty lens.

So you're welcome to come and enjoy our territory, but we ask that people do be respectful when they're here.

- [Eric] What do you have there, Eagle?

- This is the log book that we keep at all of the huts.

People are asked to make entries to legitimize the presence of all these people hiking on the trail.

- Well, let's put our names in and keep it accurate.

(upbeat, bright music with clapping and vocalizing) You look through these books and feel a sense of pride that all these people are hiking your trail.

- Happiness, I would say, - Happiness.

- and then pride.

I'm very happy to have people feel good on the trail.

(upbeat, bright music with clapping and vocalizing) - [Eric] After a beautiful morning, we part ways with Eagle, who returns to Lund by boat.

John and I continue southward, ticking off more miles through the beautiful coastal forest.

This end of the trail is one of the most isolated and remote sections.

But nevertheless, we're not the only ones enjoying the trail.

- Well, we're crossing the actual beaver dam here.

And by doing that, beavers actually shape Canada.

And it's the only other animal beside the humans that shape Canada still up until today.

(bright, peaceful music) It's like they don't build them like this anymore.

(both men laugh) - Still hanging on.

- Yeah.

(upbeat, bright music) - [John] Well, this is Wednesday Lake.

- This is it.

- Believe it or not, there is a Thursday Lake as well, but I have no clue why they called it that.

- Really?

I have a small tradition that anytime I'm out hiking and I come across a body of water that I can get in and swim in, I gotta take the opportunity.

So John and I have hiked to Wednesday Lake, and we're going for a little dip.

(upbeat, bright music) Surprisingly, the water isn't all that cold, so John and I take a leisurely cruise around the lake.

There's just something about jumping into a mountain lake that makes you feel carefree and like a kid all over again.

Unfortunately, we can't linger too long because there's plenty of trail ahead, and I'm looking forward to seeing the first hut of the trip.

Well, this is quite the view.

- [John] It is, eh?

Yeah, pretty amazing.

We're here at the Manzanita Bluff, looking pretty much west toward Vancouver Island in the distance, and the body of water is the Salish Sea.

- [Eric] Where's the hut?

Is the hut nearby?

- [John] The hut is very, very close.

- Should we check it out?

- Let's do it.

- All right.

(quiet, peaceful music) - [John] Manzanita Hut.

- Aw man, this looks super cool.

(quiet, peaceful music) When Eagle set out to develop the trail, he envisioned more than just beautiful views and good walking.

The huts are rustic but charming and inviting.

Often set on spectacular overlooks, they provide hikers year-round refuge to rest, cook, and meet other travelers.

(bright, peaceful music) But with such mild and pleasant weather, I leave John and the hut behind to get a few more miles in and to make camp along the ocean.

It's not a lot better than a hot, camp-cooked meal at the end of a long day on the trail and to be enjoying a meal here, Sunshine Coast and the ocean, pretty spectacular place.

There's something magical in being warmed by a campfire and watching the light fade to darkness.

I reflect on the day and look forward to tomorrow when I'll hike to the Tin Hat Hut, which is considered one of the highlights of the Sunshine Coast Trail.

(mid-tempo, upbeat music) Welcome back to Epic Trails.

This week, I'm exploring the 112-mile-long Sunshine Coast Trail.

(mid-tempo, upbeat music) We're approaching the Tin Hat Hut.

It's one of the huts along the Sunshine Coast Trail that I think I'm most excited about.

It's supposed to have just this spectacular view.

The approach is steep.

Excited to see the view from the top.

(mid-tempo, upbeat music) With each step I take, I gain a new appreciation for this landscape because, for me, a steep trail is something worth celebrating.

The greater the hardship, the greater the reward.

(mid-tempo, upbeat music) As I reach the Tin Hat Hut, a fully winterized cabin that marks the halfway point of the trail, I'm definitely not disappointed.

Woo!

(breathing heavily) So cool.

(water pouring into pot) Back country cooking is honestly one of my favorite parts of even going hiking or going backpacking.

Everything always tastes extra good in the back country.

(bright, lilting music) Although the hut sleeps 10 comfortably and any back country traveler is free to stay here, I decide to head a bit further up towards the summit of Tin Hat Mountain to find my own place to pitch my tent.

(birds chirping) (bright, lilting music) With a 360-degree view of the surrounding BC wilderness, this is definitely one of the coolest places I've ever called home for the night and an absolutely epic place to watch the sun set and the Northern Lights come to life.

(bright, chiming music) (gentle, pleasant music) Getting to camp on Tin Hat Mountain was just amazing.

These mountains behind me are gnarly and incredible.

This was a really special place, magical night, and excited to get back on the trail.

(gentle, pleasant music) Although there's still lots of trail to explore, today is sadly the last day of my trip.

And that's actually one of the great things about the Sunshine Coast Trail.

With over two dozen entry points, you can choose to spend as much or as little time as you want in the back country.

(upbeat, bright music) Today's objective is to get to the top of Mount Troubridge.

That is the highest point on the trail.

We're doing quite a bit of up right now, and pretty tiring, hot, sweaty out here but gorgeous, and I can't wait to see the commanding view from the highest point on the Sunshine Coast Trail.

(upbeat, bright music) Woo!

Oh, yeah!

(breathing heavily) Well, this is an exciting spot.

The top of Mount Troubridge, highest point on the Sunshine Coast Trail.

As I look back on the miles I've hiked, it occurs to me that starting from somewhere low is what makes arriving at the high places like this so satisfying because, without a good challenge, there'd be nothing to measure ourselves against.

And so, as my time on the Sunshine Coast Trail draws to a close, I'm truly grateful to Eagle and everyone who has made it possible to reach these heights.

(mid-tempo, bright music)