Back to Canada: Opabin Plateau

The weather forecast for July 17th included a chance of rain, so Joan and I opted to hike on the Opabin Plateau, which has much to see but is less exposed than many other trails, and doesn't take us as far from O'Hara. We chose the West Opabin trail, more likely to reveal pikas or marmots than the East trail.

Lots of trails, lots of exploration up on Opabin.

This trail again took us past Mary Lake, but on the other side. Of course, there were flowers along the way.

A yellow columbine poking up above the rest.

The trail began to climb more steeply, and we emerged from the woods, climbing near the base of the plateau through rocky areas.

After briefly spotting an elusive pika, Joan and I admired a stoic pika looking the other way. It's still shedding its winter coat! (Click on the image to enlarge.)

On reaching the edge of the plateau we had a choice of paths, and decided to visit the prospect first.

Joan and I walked around to the heights above and to the west of the lower stretch of ponds and river.

From a high spot, before descending to the waters, I took this photo that shows two trails, the Yukness Ledges alpine route (indicated by a red arrow, bottom right), and the very unofficial Sleeping Poets Pool track (green arrow). Yukness Ledges is level but not flat, that is, you don't gain altitude but you go up and down a lot. The Poets Pool, on a wide ledge above the Yukness route, is reached by a very steep and sketchy path, a bit of work going up and demanding careful foot placement going down. (Please click on the image to enlarge.)

As we climbed the final hill to Opabin Lake on the west-side trail, I took this photo looking back. The large lake is Hungabee Lake, and the Moor Lakes lie beyond.

Joan and I settled down for lunch near the east end of Opabin Lake.

There we met a woman who worked for the Alberta Provincial Parks, and had discussions about ever-changing park budgets and regulations. At one point we spotted a golden eagle and studied it as well as we could as it flew on.

 

Returning on the east side, another photo down to Hungabee.

We returned on the highline trail, between the east and west trails. There were good views down to the other trails.

From our perch we saw glimpses of marmots, but none held still long enough for me to grab a photo.

For the sake of variety we took the east trail back down to O'Hara, and along the shoreline spring pollen had accumulated in downwind areas.

There was plenty of admire along the lakeshore, including creeping beardtongue,

and an orchid, a northern twayblade.

All in all, a satisfying and rain-free day!

Back to Canada: Big Larches and Odaray Highline

July 16. Joan and I spotted a pair of mergansers on our way to breakfast at Lake O'Hara. (Click on the image to enlarge).

The contrast between the illuminated mountains and shadowed lake was intense.

When we first set out on today's hike our goal was Lake McArthur, starting with the Big Larches trail, a good one for spotting marmots or pikas.

A very short detour allowed us to admire Mary Lake on our way.

The Big Larches trail begins with a stair-step climb adjacent to a large scree field, where we'd often seen pikas before. In this photo, we've come high enough to see both Mary Lake and Lake O'Hara.

The rocks are bigger than they look.

Joan spotted one pika's little rear end as it disappeared into the rocks, but otherwise this section was quiet. After the climb, the trail was more lateral with occasional remnant snow patches.

We passed by the trail to All Souls Prospect and arrived at Schaffer Lake.

From here, we had a choice of paths. Joan and I took the right-hand option, through the "meadow" to the sign-in kiosk for the Odaray Highline trail. Nearing the kiosk, we saw a family of marmots foraging, including a youngster perched atop a huge rock, a boulder, that always seemed marmot-ed.

Although we were headed for McArthur, we were curious how many groups had signed in for Odaray, which has a (voluntary) limit on how many groups per day use the trail -- four at this time of year -- for it is a known grizzly bear route. There was only one group signed in! This called for a change of plans, to take advantage of this opportunity.
 

There were pikas galore on this trail.

How cute can you get?

From a brief stretch of trail the distant Goodsir mountain range was visible to the west.

A cluster of western anemone, with visitors.

We reached the point where the Highline ends,

and the Grandview trail begins its steep, narrow uphill slog to a spectacular viewpoint. Given conflicting reports of how much snow cover lay on that challenging trail, we chose this as our turnaround point.

Joan and I found a good sit-spot for lunch, a few yards up the Grandview trail, with a view of lakes O'Hara and Schaffer, with the All Souls Prospect between them.

Let's zoom in on O'Hara ...

and Schaffer.

Lunch finished, it was time to mosey back. A view along the trail.

I took a photo of this host boulder back in the gap between Odaray and McArthur.

For the sake of variety, we decided to take the other trail down from the gap to Schaffer Lake.

There's a better view that way.

A group hiking up this trail alerted us to mountain goats on the slopes of Mt. Schaffer! This is a critter we don't often spot.

They are in the middle of shedding their winter coats, and look rather ragged. There's a youngster amongst them. Here's another photo of the goats, after they'd moved. Don't forget to click on the image to enlarge.

Pikas, marmots, goats, and views -- what a hike!

 

To add even more to the day, it being a Saturday, after dinner the O'Hara staff put on a show. The cast:

Snapshots of a few of the acts. We had music, dancing, and humor.

A clogger.

The skit of the Three Wise Men. An audience member shouts out a question, and the three wise men must answer by each adding a few words, with suppressed giggles in-between, back and forth until they end up having constructed a rambling, humorous, or nonsensical response.

The show wrapped up a marvelous day.

Back to Canada: On to Lake O'Hara

After breakfast on July 15th Joan and I drove up Kicking Horse Pass to the parking area for Lake O'Hara, the tent-pole that anchored our Canadian schedule. We took the lodge bus up the 11km fire road, picked up our bagged lunches at the lodge, and set out. Our traditional first hike of an O'Hara visit is to Lake Oesa, hidden among these mountains.

The spring thaw was late this year, and we had been advised to avoid the higher alpine trails because of snow. Oesa would be safe, but we might find a bit of snow or ice up there.

 

The first leg was to go around the north shore of O'Hara, passing by the Wiwaxy Gap trail for the Oesa trail.

Blooms were everywhere along the lakeshore.

Alpine/Bog Laurel

As we began our climb to Oesa, I was struck by this view towards Mount Schaffer.

The taller pine towards the right displayed scarlet/violet cones.

More blooms among the rocks, if you look.

Eight-petal mountain avens.

Gazing back to O'Hara ... still far to go to reach Oesa. The lodge and cabins sit at or near the shoreline; click on the image to enlarge.

Avalanche debris forms pale green rings in the lake.

A pond at the foot of Mount Yukness appeared after the route passed through more boulders, slabs, and rubble.

The cascade of water headed towards O'Hara falls down a steep face, which we must climb.

The trail owes a debt of gratitude to Lawrence Grassi, who laid the trail and built steps where needed.

Looking back after some climbing. The pond is now well below us.

In the other direction, more steps to the top of the cascade.

On past Lake Victoria and a few more staircases lay Lake Oesa. Yes, spring hadn't fully arrived here.

Joan and I found a congenial, sun-drenched rock and ate our lunches, admiring the view. Then we wandered over to the western side, where the trail towards Mount Yukness, an alpine route, dropped down from the lake.

Heading back as we came, I took a photo down to Lake Victoria, the final lakelet as hikers approach Oesa.

A connector to the Yukness alpine route is there.

Snowmelt rushed down from the peaks surrounding O'Hara, which vary in altitude from about 8,800' to 11,000'.

Joan and I continued our descent, and lower down a hermit thrush boldly sang. When I took out my camera it stared at me before flying off.

We approached the level of Lake O'Hara and I snapped this view of the Seven Veils waterfall(s).

Joan and I decided, on reaching the lake, to continue in a clockwise direction and thus circumambulate it. Along our way a rock supported a mini-garden: hiking in the mountains includes observing the small as well as the large.

We reached our cabin. The first order of business was to install our travel companions, the pigs Pudgy and Floppy Harry, in the window so they could check out the view and all the hikers passing by.

It was a smooth and uplifting re-entry to Lake O'Hara after three years away, even if we hadn't seen any pikas or marmots yet. We had five more days to explore this mountain retreat, blessed with no internet or cellphone service to interrupt us.