Canadian Rockies 2025: Lake O'Hara, Part One

On July 20, 2025, Joan and I began our stay at Lake O'Hara. We boarded the lodge bus for the 11 km drive up the fire road to the lodge -- no private vehicles or bicycles allowed. After checking in, we started hiking towards Lake Oesa. This was the view from the south shore of O'Hara, with some cabins and the Opabin plateau centered in the frame. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

At this time of year and altitude, the yellow columbine was in bloom. Lakeshore altitude: 2,020 meters (6,630 ft).

We soon began the switchbacks and other climbs towards Oesa. This cascade

was the exit for the smaller Victoria Lake along the way.

We'd encountered three light rain showers already and decided to turn around, find our now-available cabin, and unpack. At Yukness Lake,

Click on any image to enlarge.

we observed a browsing marmot.

The low clouds lingered as we left the marmot to his foraging.

Then it was downhill to Lake O'Hara, our cabin, and unpacking.

 

The next day, July 21, Joan and I set our sights on Lake McArthur. A 60% chance of showers was predicted for today, but the rain never came! Early on, we took a short spur from the main trail to visit Mary Lake.

Then we climbed the "staircase," a series of steps and switchbacks on the edge of a talus slope. In this photo, we're partway up, looking back at the Lake O'Hara basin.

Half an hour further along, hiking laterally for the moment, we encountered this hermit thrush.

Very close to this clump of alpine/rosy paintbrush.

We examined the sign-in kiosk for crossing the McArthur gap to the Odaray Highline, out of curiosity -- already the maximum of four parties had signed in. Joan and I took  the McArthur Highline trail,

and eventually crested with a view of McArthur. We were surprised to see very few people there.

As we walked down towards a good lunch spot, we attracted wildlife, including an inquisitive squirrel.

As we ate, we heard a loon call multiple times, and later spotted it! After rest and replenishment, Joan and I wandered down to the lakeshore.

Here's the signpost by which we measure the lake's level; this year, it's a smidge low.

We began our return on the low-level trail, which merges with the high-level trail at a saddle.

The low-level dives into the trees.

Moss campion was blooming!

Marmots were active here, some not too bashful.

As they foraged.

Joan and I made a side trip on our return since it was still only 2:30. We took an "alpine" route to a viewpoint partway up the All Souls Prospect trail. This path was dodgier than non-alpine routes in terms of footing, steepness, and high steps, but it offers great views. It gave us a great sense of accomplishment, training, and hope that we could tackle other demanding hikes during our visit. Here's a panoramic take. Some haze has built up, but it's still beautiful.

It was a long but rewarding hike.

Hiking Canada 2023: On to Lake O'Hara

Day 6

Joan and I awoke on July 16th, 2023, and drove up Kicking Horse Pass to the Lake O'Hara parking area. There, the AM lodge bus arrived and disgorged the departing guests. Then it took us and the other arriving guests up the 11km fire road to Lake O'Hara, where we picked up our bagged lunches and set out on hikes while rooms and cabins were being prepped. Joan and I decided on our traditional first hike, up to Lake Oesa. This map shows our outbound route in yellow, with the alternate first chunk of return in green. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

I grabbed this image from the footbridge at the outflow of O'Hara, looking up the lake setting for the cabins and lodge. The blue skies were beautiful after all the smoke we'd encountered since landing in Canada.

I didn't take many pictures at first, despite seeing a pika, a marmot, and a distant view of a mountain goat, but to honor Lawrence Grassi is mandatory.

The trail passes the shore of Lake Lefroy, the last lakelet before the final climb to Oesa.

A staircase of stones is involved, and the sedimentary rocks reveal the ancient beach-side history of this land; the altitude of Oesa is 2,276 meters or about 7,400 feet.

Lake Oesa stretches at the feet of peaks that reach or surpass 11,000', such as Mount Lefroy.

It's quite a sight.

Here, Joan and I sat on one of the congenial flat-ish rocks and consumed our lunch. Then, rather than return directly, we decided to walk a stretch on the Yukness Ledges trail before cutting back to the Oesa route. There's a spot on the north side of the lake where hikers can clamber down and across to Yukness ...

The Yukness Ledges route begins by traversing a rubble field.

Stones, slabs, and boulders from different geologic strata abound.

At the point where the Yukness trail swings to the west, there's an intersection with the Victoria Cutoff trail, which took us down through boulder fields to Victoria Lake and the Oesa trail.

At the end, I turned around and photographed the formation we'd just scrambled down, following trail blazes (two vertical yellow bars on a blue field, which we nicknamed "route 11" signs.)

A few minutes down the trail, Yukness Lake, Lake O'Hara, and Odaray Mountain came into view.

In the evening, I caught this panoramic view from Lake O'Hara, with the Oesa basin in the center but hidden.

After a hearty dinner at the lodge, it was time to hit the sack.

Day 7
The forecasts we'd seen for July 17th called for a strong chance of showers, but in the mountains, who knows if, where, or when? Joan and I packed for any eventuality and took the West Opabin trail.

Clouds darkened to the north, but to the southwest, the direction of the wind, the sky remained sunny with occasional white clouds. On Lake O'Hara, a flotilla of diving ducks swam by.

After passing Mary Lake, the trail begins a steep climb up the side of the plateau, with many switchbacks. A fat, fuzzy pika was undisturbed by our presence.

Within a stone's throw of where the trail leveled out, Joan and I turned right, onto the trail to All Souls Prospect. It started with a daunting but manageable rock and boulder hop-fest that led us to the stony tabletop that separates Opabin and All Souls. There we took a sit-down and drank in the view. (Alas, no photo.) But the sky had grown more ominous, so we decided to descend back to O'Hara and then take an add-on hike if the weather held.

It didn't. Thunder began to boom. Sprinkles began to fall, and the sky grew darker. We stopped and donned our rain gear: jackets, pants, gloves, pack covers. It took a few minutes. Light rain grew heavier. Therefore, we bee-lined back to our cabin and ate lunch there as waves of rain and soft bits of graupel (raindrops that freeze on falling snowflakes) passed through. The afternoon became a rest period; however, the forecast for tomorrow was promising, and with a good rest under our belts, we figured it might be a good day to tackle Wiwaxy Gap, a notoriously steep climb to 8,300'.

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.