The VIT Association well knows that a through-hike will not suit all hikers. An alternate approach is to hike the VIT in sections – either over a period of several months in one year or perhaps to eventually cover the entire route over a period of two or more years. This approach is taken by many users of the Pacific Crest Trail and similar long-distance trails.
One could hike each of the 7 sections in their totality, or by way of some realistic/logical sections such as:
| SECTION | Distance | Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hiking or biking from Victoria to Lake Cowichan | 99.4km | 1–5 |
| 2 | Hiking from the west end of Cowichan Lake to Port Alberni | 85.1km | 3–5 |
| 3 | Hiking over the Beaufort Range, from Port Alberni to Cumberland (land use agreements not yet in place) | 89.5km | 3–5 |
| 4 | Hiking across Strathcona Park, north to the Gold River Highway (north of the park, land use agreements not yet in place) | 85.1km | 4-6 |
| 5 | Hiking (or hiking and biking, using a support team) from the Strathcona Dam (Gold River Hwy) to Woss via the Salmon, White and Davie watersheds | 115km | 4-7 |
| 6 | Hiking or biking north from Woss via the Englewood rail-grade (land use agreement not yet in place),optionally continuing to Port McNeill by way of roads and trail | 74.4km | 2-4 |
| 7 | Hiking between Port McNeill and Port Hardy, mostly along the coastline | 43.4km | 2-3 |
| 7 | Travelling from Cape Scott to Port Hardy (or vice versa), combining hiking between Cape Scott and Shushartie Bay (55.1 km) and a water-taxi between Port Hardy and Shushartie (34.7 km) | 89.8km | 5-8 |
A section-hiking approach provides the flexibility to see the various sections at the best time of year, e.g.
- Early-mid summer flowering in the subalpine – Sections 3, 4 and 6
- The fresh, green-up of lower elevation vegetation in early-mid Spring (and avoidance later of dusty roads and dried-out vegetation) – Sections 1, 2 and 5
- Northern beaches in all but early-mid Spring – Sections 6 and 7
Section hiking also facilitates the use of different modes of travel e.g., biking in Sections 1 and 6.
The number of days each of these sections would actually take would depend on several factors – each hiker/hiking group will set their own pace – plan your trip accordingly. Weather delays are always a possibility.
Each of the sections has a trailhead accessible by vehicle, and all can be completed in around one week (at most a 5-day week plus the two adjoining weekends): from home doorstep to doorstep, i.e., including transport to and from both ends.