El Capitan Vancouver Island

Hiking El Capitan – Pushing Through the Doubts

The other day I found myself driving past Port Alberni, heading out toward a trail I wasn’t sure I was ready for — El Capitan. I’ve heard about it before, how steep it gets, how it really pushes people. On the drive in, winding roads through tall timber and that endless Vancouver Island scenery, I couldn’t shake the nerves. I kept thinking: what if I can’t do this?

The Drive – Building Nerves

The further I got past Port Alberni, the quieter it became. No cell service, just me, the truck, and that road through the forest. Instead of feeling pumped up, I started second-guessing myself. I wasn’t sure my legs, or honestly my head, were ready for what was coming.

On the Trail – The Struggle is Real

When I finally laced up and hit the trail, the first bit lulled me into a false sense of security. Gentle paths, moss-covered trees, that damp forest smell. But soon enough, the climb hit.

It got steep, quick. My breathing turned heavy. Legs started burning. Every ten steps I wanted to stop, and every time I stopped I thought, maybe I should turn back. It was as much a mental fight as it was a physical one. The mountain tests you in both ways — and man, it tested me.

The Top – That Feeling

But then, after what felt like forever, the trees thinned and I realized: I’d made it. The view was unreal — rolling hills, ocean in the distance, that endless Vancouver Island horizon.

And the feeling? Pure elation. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like all the doubt and pain instantly turn into pride. One second you’re questioning everything, the next you’re standing on top of the world.

Takeaway – Why We Do It

Here’s what I took from El Capitan: you’re never really “ready.” You just go. You push through when your body and mind both say quit. And at the end, you realize you were ready, you just didn’t know it until you got there.

That’s the beauty of these hikes. They break you down a bit, but then they build you back up stronger than you were before.