This trail is arguably harder than the WCT and not quite as scenic though it is still has amazing beauty spots. The plus to it is it's challenging and I felt like had more natural inhabitants for better or worse. We had a 200+lb (guesstimate) stalking up behind us ats we were getting ready for bed and on a nother hike through ran into a Black bear cub and about three minutes later an incredibly large aggressive Black bear (probably mom). Both these happened near Bear beach. I highly recommend using the food bins as soon as you set up camp. My friend left his food in his tent while we made a beach fire before bed and by the time he got back there must have been over a dozen mice that chewed holes in his tent and were feasting on his stores. I suggest South to North as the last North Stretch can be a Mudfest. This trail lacks the massive ladders of the West Coast Trail but instead has a ton of hikes up and down into stream eroded valleys. It also has a few non bridge log crossings. My natural balance sucks so I found them stressful