qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department
- 24/7 emergency
- Stages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
5000 Joyce Avenue, Powell River, BC V8A 5R3
Sunshine Coast Trail · Checked October 2026
Sunshine Coast Trail emergency & health guide: hospitals, rescue, 911 and bears
How to call for help where the phone signal is patchy, the nearest hospital for each of the 12 stages, and the rules: huts, campfires, bears, dogs, logging roads and the 2026–27 closures near Saltery Bay.
In an emergency call 911 from any phone. For a lost or injured hiker ask for the police: the RCMP call out Powell River Search and Rescue, a volunteer team on call 24/7. Mobile signal is sporadic, best on slopes facing Powell River or the sea and absent in many valleys, so carry a satellite messenger or personal locator beacon. Say which section you are on, the nearest hut or kilometre marker and, if you can, your GPS coordinates.
Emergency numbers
| Number | What it is |
|---|---|
| 911 | Police, ambulance and fire, free from any phone, 24/7. For a lost or injured hiker ask for the police: the RCMP call out search and rescue. |
| 604 485 6255 | Powell River RCMP, non-emergency (front counter 8:30 am – 4:30 pm), for example an overdue hiker who is not yet in danger |
| 811 | HealthLink BC: health advice from a nurse when it is not an emergency, 24/7 |
| 1 800 663 5555 | Report a wildfire to the BC Wildfire Service (*5555 from a mobile) |
| 1 877 952 7277 | Conservation Officer Service (RAPP): aggressive bears, cougars or wolves |
Mobile signal on the Sunshine Coast Trail is sporadic: it is best on slopes facing Powell River or the sea and absent in many valleys. Carry a stand-alone GPS and a satellite messenger or personal locator beacon, leave a trip plan with someone at home (AdventureSmart has a free one), sign the guest book in each hut and check the Environment Canada forecast for Powell River before you start.
Rules to know
- No permit, booking or fee is needed. qPAWS, the volunteer society that built and runs the trail, asks for a donation of $5 per person per night.
- Huts are free, cannot be booked or saved, and are first come, first served for one night; thru-hikers have priority and groups of 8 or more should camp. Carry a tent. The two small Inland Lake huts are run by BC Parks, charge a fee and give priority to people with mobility needs.
- Hut pellet stoves are not stocked and may not work: bring pellets and fire starter (sold at the Powell River visitor centre) or do not rely on them.
- Campfires only when there is no provincial or regional fire ban (Coastal Fire Centre), in existing fire pits with dead wood; leave the fire cold to the touch.
- Black bears and cougars live along the trail. Hang food, toiletries and rubbish in a bag away from the hut or tent, carry bear spray (not allowed on local flights; buy it in Powell River) and make noise near creeks.
- Dogs must be on a leash everywhere on the trail and are not allowed in the huts. Flying a drone without permission is illegal in all BC Parks, including Malaspina, Inland Lake and Saltery Bay.
- The BC Parks campsites at Sarah Point and Feather Cove in Malaspina Park need a Desolation Sound Parks backcountry registration for an overnight stay.
- The trail crosses working forest. Watch for logging trucks on road sections, mainly on weekdays from early morning to 6 pm, and expect short reroutes.
- Closures near Saltery Bay (BC Hydro power line work): the lower Fairview Bay Trail is closed from 13 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 and the Saltery Bay/Blue Grouse Ridge Trail until 25 April 2027. Walk Saltery Bay Forest Service Road Branch 01 between Rainy Day Lake and the Saltery Bay trailhead.
- Treat or boil all water. There is no water at Manzanita Hut, on Tin Hat or on the Troubridge summit, and some streams dry up by August.
Nearest hospital for each stage
| # | Stage | Hospital (24/7 emergency) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sarah Point → Manzanita Hut | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 2 | Manzanita Hut → Rieveley Pond | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 3 | Rieveley Pond → Powell River (Shingle Mill) | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 4 | Powell River (Shingle Mill) → Inland Lake | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 5 | Inland Lake → Confederation Lake | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 6 | Confederation Lake → Tin Hat | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 7 | Tin Hat → Elk Lake | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 8 | Elk Lake → Walt Hill | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 9 | Walt Hill → Golden Stanley | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 10 | Golden Stanley → Troubridge | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 11 | Troubridge → Rainy Day Lake | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
| 12 | Rainy Day Lake → Saltery Bay | qathet General Hospital – Emergency Department |
Hospitals
Sechelt Hospital – Emergency Department
- 24/7 emergency
- Stages 12
5544 Sunshine Coast Highway, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0
Pharmacies, cash and supplies
- Pharmacies:
- ATMs:
- Shops: Powell River (Shingle Mill)
- Bus stops: Powell River (Shingle Mill), Saltery Bay
There is no pharmacy on the trail; the nearest are in Powell River, which the trail crosses on stage 3, and Canada has no duty-pharmacy rota. Buy medicines, blister care and insect repellent there or before you arrive. The huts have no power: carry a power bank.
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
Have the nearest help on your map, offline
Outest shows these hospitals, pharmacies, ATMs and stops on the Sunshine Coast Trail map, offline, together with the route, water and places to sleep.