An airline lost his gear, dashing his dream of hiking the West Coast Trail. Then strangers stepped in to help

Cragun Foulger had long dreamed of hiking theWest Coast Trail, the rugged 75-kilometre hike along the west coast of Vancouver Island thatis considered a bucket-list trip for hikers and adventurers.

"It was so enticing," Foulger told CBC's On the Coast from Salt Lake City. "It just embodied everything that I really enjoy about hiking."

Foulger'strip to B.C. earlier this month was almost ruined, he said, after his airline lost all of his hiking gear, buthe managed to complete the hike between Port Renfrewand Bamfieldthanks to the kindness ofstrangers.

Foulger says he spent a lot of time preparing for the hike, ensuringhe was in the proper physical conditionand had all the proper gear.

WATCH| Strangers helpU.S. hiker fulfildream of hiking B.C.'s West Coast Trail:

U.S. hiker completes dream of hiking B.C.'s West Coast Trail with a little help from strangers

1 year ago

Duration 2:45

A Utah man thought his dreams of hiking B.C.'s West Coast Trail were dashed after all his gear was lost. Strangers offered their help.

He also joined a Facebook group dedicated to the West Coast Trail. Facebook groups can quickly descend into bickering, he said, but this one was different, offering guidance and encouragement as he set out on his dream trip.

Foulger flew from Salt Lake City to Victoria. When he gotoff the plane, he waited at the luggage carousel but there was no sign of his gear.

"Ikind of went through all the cycles of grief in about 15 minutes," he said.

He had reached the acceptance stage, he said, and made his way into town from the airport with the clothes and hiking boots he was wearing, his ID, and toothbrush and toothpaste.

On June 3, Foulgerposted a message to the Facebook group to explain what happened and to thankeveryonefor their support in planning the trip.

The purpose of the message wasn't to ask for help, he says, but to provide an update to group members.

He wrote that he planned to spend some time in Victoria before heading back to Utah.

"There was a huge outpouring, just a deluge of people saying, 'No, you can't do that,'" Foulger said.

Michael Anderson, the owner of the West Coast Trail Express, which offers shuttle service to the trail, offered to pick him up and outfit him with a backpack, tent, poles, sleeping bag and other equipment.

Foulgerhad a ticket for theWest Coast Trail Express, so Anderson drove him to the trailhead at Port Renfrew.

Anderson says he was happy to offer his help.

"I don't know why Iwouldn't," he said. "I didn't think there was another option. I was so happy that we could get him set up."

Wayne Aitken, the co-author of Blisters and Bliss, a trail guide now in its 10th edition, offereditems that Anderson couldn't supply.

All told, Foulger thanked 19 people in his Facebook post.

'Beyond what I could have imagined'

Foulgersays hecompleted the trek, making friends with fellow hikers along the way.

The experience was "beyond what I could have imagined," he said.

When he arrived back in Salt Lake City, the airline had found his gear and returned it to him. It would have been easy to be frustrated, but he said the trip served as a lesson about gratitude.

"I'm just extremely aware of trying to be a kinder, gentler person and try and lead with service and patience and compassion because that's what all of these people gave me."