CR2012: Lake Oesa

Although the Kicking Horse Lodge is next to the Canadian Pacific facility in Field, the train sounds didn't disturb our sleep at all. The next morning we had a good breakfast at Truffle Pigs and drove up to the Lake O'Hara parking area, no more than 20 minutes away.

Taking the morning bus up the fire road to Lake O'Hara means that your cabin isn't ready yet, but you get a packed lunch at the lodge and can set out for several hours of hiking. Joan and I decided to make the classic trip to Lake Oesa, and see how far we could get after yesterday's exercise. We were on the trail before 11:00. We took the long way around Lake O'Hara to reach the Lake Oesa trail head, so we were treated to the long view down the lake.

Even before reaching the Lake Oesa trail, we were greeted by a hoary marmot.

One interesting aspect of these critters is that they have a 'tell,' a giveaway. When they are about to start moving, after being still, they always flip their tail. Today I finally caught this in a picture.

The trail to Lake Oesa starts out gradually,

but then spends a while in switchbacks.

After a short time you arrive at an overlook, which Joan and I have taken to calling "lunch rock." In the photo below, the beginnings of the Lake Oesa trail are visible and center bottom.

There were two marmots browsing at lunch rock -- how appropriate -- and our appearance didn't bother them in the least. We've never seen marmots so unperturbed; their minds were obviously preoccupied.

Beyond lunch rock, the trail continues through both rock fields and wooded areas. The proper course through the jumbled slabs is easily seen, because of the carefully placed steps and, sometimes, color changes in the rocks from decades of bootprints.

The trail continues up the valley towards the still-unseen Lake Oesa, skirting intermediate small lakes and ponds.

Several of them show up in Google Maps.

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In this next picture, the trail leaves a boulder field, passes through a patch of smaller rocks, and then enters some woods. This alternation occurs several times on the journey. We'll pass close by the cascade visible on the far right.

About 15 minutes after taking the previous picture, we arrived at the stone steps. At the angle from which you approach them, it's obvious they are a human construction.

The steps work well; people of all ages take them, but most slow down to place their feet carefully.

At the head of the steps, gratitude is offered to the pioneering trail-builder Lawrence Grassi.

Eventually we reached the head of the cascade.

Even the intermediate lakes, such as Victoria Lake in this photo, are gorgeous. Lake Oesa is still secluded behind the bluffs.

We drew closer and closer,

and then we were there. The waters were quiet at first, reflecting the surrounding mountains and snow. I walked closer to the shore, and took these pictures. Click to enlarge!

Gravel sat atop the remaining bits of ice (this is July 26), creating the false impression of islands. I've taken other pictures of Lake Oesa in other years, such as in this post, when it looks entirely different. Its mood depends on the ice, sun, and clouds; when we arrived the clouds had begun to thicken.

Then we returned to our cabin, seeing the trail from the reverse point of view.

The pigs who were traveling with us enjoyed the view from the cabin window from the very beginning. Left unsupervised, they would have stayed up all night.