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Before starting a hike on Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail, one piece of advice from his mom stuck out in 11-year-old Xavier Cameron’s mind.
“She said ‘it’s OK to be scared, but it’s not OK to stop,’ ” he said.
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The West Coast Trail in British Columbia is a 75 kilometre Canadian backpacking trail on Vancouver Island that can be challenging for experienced hikers.
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Deidra Cameron, Xavier’s mother, believes that he is one of the first kids with Down syndrome to complete the trail.
“There are going to be people in the world that think he can’t do it just because he has Down syndrome,” she said. “We were going to prove them wrong.”
Deidra and Xavier stand outside their home in Weyburn. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)
The family from Weyburn set out on the trail with a group of friends at the beginning of August. Deidra had previously done the hike and believed it was something that could challenge her kids as well.
“I don’t think anyone reaches their full potential without challenging themselves,” she said. “And sometimes it takes somebody else to give you that challenge.”
Before setting foot on the eight-night hike, Xavier said he and his seven-year-old sister, Johanna, trained for the journey, carrying weights in their backpacks.
Johanna and Xavier hike through muddy beaches on the West Coast Trail. (Deidra Cameron/Submitted)
“You practice,” he said. “And then you went on the real hike.”
During their trek, the crew climbed 100 ladder systems with heavy packs of camping gear. Xavier said the toughest point on the trip was when he got caught climbing under a log.
“It’s very dangerous. You have to pay attention to your footing all the time, because there are areas where you’re walking and the only path is where you’re walking,” Deidra said. “It’s a drop. You can fall.”
Xavier said he loved the hike, even though his backpack was very heavy. (Deidra Cameron/Submitted)
She said the journey was challenging for herself and her young children, but there was never a moment when she thought her kids could not handle the trek.
“We butt heads all the time. We’re both very, very stubborn, and he’s learned that his mom’s gonna out-stubborn him no matter what,” she said. “I had complete faith that he’d be able to do it because of his stubborn personality.
“There were times he sat down on the trail, and I’d say, ‘Xavier, you can be tired, but you can’t quit. You can be scared, but you can’t quit.’ ”
Xavier took breaks along the way. (Deidra Cameron/Submitted)
Xavier overcame numerous obstacles while on the hike. Deidra said he was born with pulmonary hypertension, and is still living with the effects of having it.
“His lungs are never going to be as healthy as typical lungs, because he had damage to them at a young age from this disease,” Deidra said.
Even though his feet hurt, Xavier said the trip was “amazing” after finishing the days-long trek through mucky and bumpy terrain.
Johanna and Xavier “trained” before the big hike by putting weights in their backpacks. (Deidra Cameron/Submitted)
“He can do anything that anyone else can,” Deidra said. “It might take longer, it might be a slower walk. There’s going to be problems, but there are bumps in the road for every kid.”
Both Xavier and Johanna are looking forward to hiking the trail again in a few years once their youngest sister is old enough.
West Coast Trail an “arduous” trek, says experienced hiker
Trevor Norgan, a manager with Fresh Air Experience in Regina, said the West Coast Trail is a hard hike and many things can go wrong.
“It’s no joke,” he said. “It’s a real extreme hike.”
Norgan is an experienced hiker who journeyed through the trail about six years ago. Occasionally, he advises customers at the Regina store who are hoping to trudge through the trail.
“You have multiple water crossings and so many ladders that are probably anywhere from a story to two stories tall, with a heavy pack on your back,” he said.
He said the weather can be unforgiving, flipping from sunny to stormy weather quickly, making the stones and terrain slippery.
Norgan said hikers need to be mindful of the tides, because people may miss their crossing depending on when the waters move in.
“It’s quite an arduous trail,” he said.
While Norgan wouldn’t recommend the West Coast Trail to beginner hikers, he said it’s impressive seeing kids take on the trail.
“It’s courageous, definitely,” he said. “It’s great for them to go out there and push their limits.”
Xavier looks out at the ocean while hiking on Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail in August. (Deidra Cameron/Submitted)
