I've never hiked the West Coast trail. I have done a day hike from near Bamfield out to the Pacific Coast.
It isn't, "burly," like climbing is defined. It is really cool though. We had to get a key to a canoe chain lock, hike, canoe, then hike over a ridge. The beaches there are spectacular and worth the effort.
There may be hamburger stands on the West Coast Trail, but there was none of that where we went. No other people either. Of course things may be different since the 70s.