Lake O'Hara in Yoho NP - part 1

Jocelyn Timmermans
Mar 8, 2022
6 min read

Updated: Mar 8, 2022

Feb. 25 - 28, 2022

This was a 4-day in and out backpack trip to the Elizabeth Parker hut by Lake O'Hara with 12 snowshoers + 3 skiers. Why would 15 people strap on heavy packs and climb up to a tiny cabin in the bitingly cold wind, leaving behind any creature comforts and semblance of privacy? Hygeine was down to bare basics and answering to our bladders in the dead of night was a true sacrifice. One had to carefully clamber over sleeping bodies without a night-light, put on a coat & boots and trudge through snow, up the icy stairs to the loo. To sit was a shock, the frozen toilet seat freezing our delicate derrières.

But on the way back to the cabin, when I turned off my head-light, the mass of bright sparkling stars in the black velvet sky was breath-taking! As the soft glow of morning dawned, promises of a new adventure awaited us. I stood in awe as I gazed at those mountains with their towering pinnacles and spires backed up by a cobalt blue sky. They beckoned me to come closer and explore their hidden valleys and lofty heights.

On the trail and back at the cabin our team work continued, like a well oiled machine. Getting large pails of snow for drinking water, chopping wood for the stove, cleaning out the barrel in the outhouse, hanging wet clothes to dry on the racks and washing the dishes. Then came Happy Hour. And after dinner, games & gab.

Upon our return to civilization, came an appreciation for all that we have. And a deep appreciation for the beautiful untamed wilderness that we are privileged to live so close to.

Elizabeth Parker, after whom the hut was named, was a writer for the Winnipeg newspaper. She first visited the Rockies in the 1890s. But she was not a mountaineer herself. She helped A. O. Wheeler in getting support to start the Alpine Club of Canada and hosted the first meeting of the Alpine Club of Canada in her Winnipeg home in 1906.

Ingrid, Anne & I left 3 days earlier on Feb. 22nd, taking Hwy 3 that runs parallel to the US border and then turning north on Hwy. 95. We did a few hours of snowshoeing at China Ridge in Princeton.

One of several warming huts. It was so bitterly cold that I needed a mouth covering. My car said it was 11.5C but it must've been colder with the wind-shield factor.

We first did one hour on the China loop trail and then ran into a lady who advised us to go north to the Balsam trail and then right to the Kayne trail's high point. So we did.

At the high point where we turned back.

Wednesday, Feb. 23 - We did two leg-stretcher snowshoes; one at Strawberry Flats Pass: 5.3 km / 221m gain / 1775m high and a short one at Kootenay Pass.

The Cookie Jar Hut at Strawberry Flats was originally a miner's shack built in the early 1960s after new highway 3B provided access to this remote wilderness. Cookie L'ecluse restored this shack in the 1990s.

We snowshoed to the Mosquito Hut where we had lunch. Locals there told us that this was the nicest view so we did not continue, but headed back, doing a loop. This pic I got off of the internet.

The pics I took this day were taken with my cell phone. My camera needed a bit of doctoring after having spilt honey from my sandwich in the shutter-release button. At the summit of this trail my cell phone decided to not work as well. Was this a conspiracy? I felt naked without the ability to take photos. By day's end I visited the camera doctor who told me to drop a drip of rubbing alcohol in the shutter- release button. I had to repeat this every morning. As for my cell phone, it worked once back in the nice warm car.

We enjoyed driving through these quaint little towns. This pic was taken in Rossland by the old Miners Union building.

Ingrid's brother was born here in Yahk. She said they built these rock murals through the tiny town to attract tourists.

The second 1-hour leg-stretcher at Kootenay Pass.

Feb. 24 - After spending the night by Creston we turned north and drove Hwy 95.

Future Hoodoos?

Radium Hotsprings.

Feb. 25 - Stats: 12.2 km / 590m gain / 2076m high at cabin / 3:45 hours MT

How would this day go? It was the first time I backpacked on snowshoes. I was rather apprehensive. We had a later start because that morning it was -35C with the wind-chill factor! Then we had to get back into our cars and wait half an hour because one person had forgotten their parking pass. So we were more than eager to get moving once Dave said go.

The gang: Patrick, Heather, Irene, Denise, Val, Al & Sue, Lorenz, Ingrid, Iraj, Carol, Anne, me, Dave + Cal

Equipped with full avy gear, we filed past Dave so he could check that all our beacons were on.

Looking back and north. Looking ahead and south.

About 4 km in we stopped for lunch -- south.

East.

Odd that the aircraft was heading straight down?

West.

Almost there and not much time to spare as the sun is beginning to duck down behind the peaks.

East.

At Lake O'Hara. Wow wee!!! These next 3 pics are the mountains framing the lake from left to right -- northeast.

East.

Southeast.

The Elizabeth Parker cabin is about 20 minutes walk from the lake -- west.

The first of us arrived at 5:00pm and made quick work of lighting the stove and boiling water.

Lake O'Hara & Lake McArthur - bottom centre & right.

Feb. 26 -- To McArthur Lake. Stats: 7.26 km / 500m gain / 3:15 hours MT

The stats make it look like an easy day. But breaking trail is hard work. Especially for those in front. Thanks to Denise, Al, Sue & Heather for doing most of the trail breaking.

The smaller Wiwaxy cabin was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1912. It is used only for sleeping quarters now. The Elizabeth Parker hut was built in 1919 and has had substantial renovations since then, keeping the appearance of it as close as possible to its original state -- northeast.

The day started with a drill on how to rescue someone caught in an avalanche. Dave is a retired search-and-rescue pilot. He was very thorough in training us.

Dave is telling us to hold the beacon flat, up and low to the ground.

And how to dig: fast and furiously, trading off after a few seconds. Those behind the person in front just shovel the snow away -- fast.

Heading southwest, into a different valley.

This route had many large bolders along it.

The bolders created domes of snow which exposed the depth of the snow.

East.

A pop of colorful rock amidst white and blue. A Whisky Jack.

North. Three in our group skied.

After carefully crossing a steep open avalanche slope and staying 10' apart, we turned left and proceeded up this gully.

Looking back at the avalanche gully.

West.

At a high point, looking at the mountains surround Lake McArthur.

At our destination overlooking the lake -- east.

Me, Cal, Anne, Irene, Iraj, Lorenz, Sue, Al, Denise + Carol.

South.

Starting our return journey.

North.

Heather & Dave skied down this slope and met up with us later at the cabin.

West.

North.

Cal coming down at the top of the gully -- south.

Crossing the avy slope.

The range surrounding Lake O'Hara.

Schaffer Lake -- east.

Lake McArthur bottom right.

Feb. 27 -- Stats: 3.5 km / 370m gain / 1:40 hours MT

We were all a bit sleep deprived by the end of our stay, thanks to our neighbouring snorers (I don't snore, do I?).

A group shot before heading out for the day.

We crossed Lake O'Hara to get to the Seven Veil Falls.

Then we turned south and cautiously trudged up avalanche terrain to the valley of Opabin Lake.

We didn't move till the person who was about 10' in front of us moved.

Almost at the end of the gully and therefore out of danger of an avalanche.

Looking back at Lake O'Hara.

Pic 1) Icing on a cake. 2) Frost crystals caused by a creature breathing warm air from inside this cave. Ingrid, having grown up in the back country by Fort St. John, is an expert on winter in the mountains. She could pick out and decipher animal tracks quite easily.

We decided to call it at this high point and not drop down to Opabin Lake as the visibility was limited.

Lunch time.

Back at the base of the gully. Cal making a phone call.

There was no activity at the lodge.

Singing happy birthday to Denise for her 60th.

Lake O'Hara to the Seven Veils Falls and then up the gully to the high knoll close to Lake Opabin.

Feb. 28 -- We split into 3 groups. Ours was first. I was relieved to see the forecast of 30-40 cm of new snow, left by the rangers the day before, did not happen. We got down to our vehicles by 12:30 noon.