Hiking Canada 2023: Up Wiwaxy Gap and Along the Huber Ledges

Day 8

The forecast for July 18th looked good for tackling Wiwaxy Gap. Joan and I crossed the outlet bridge at the north end of Lake O'Hara,

and soon turned onto the Wiwaxy trail,

which is short compared to some other trails at O'Hara, but is notoriously steep. Many people climb to the gap from Lake O'Hara, but few choose to descend that way. Joan and I did so once, and once was sufficient. Today, we were above the lake instantaneously. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

The trail is full of switchbacks, with a lateral shift in the middle of the climb. A projecting rock along the lateral yields a view of O'Hara.

Joan and I have stood on that rock in the past -- I did in 2013, and Joan in 2011.

 

As we ascended, the Sleeping Poets Pool, hidden on a shelf across the valley and above the Yukness Ledges, came into view (with binoculars or camera zoom).

Finally, we reached the gap -- at 2,523 meters, or 8,307 feet. It's a challenge for those of us who spend most of our time below 1,000 feet!

To the north, Wiwaxy Peak.

As we rested and gawked, two hikers set off on the Huber Ledges trail, which will also be our path. The Lake Oesa basin is in the distance.

A few times, meltwater from the heights crossed the path. It were never an obstacle.

Looking back towards the gap and peak, before we've lost much altitude.

Joan and I descended steadily, but the lakes (Oesa, Lefroy, Victoria) were still far below us.

From this angle, Oesa looks almost heart-shaped!

Joan and I ate our lunch sitting on inviting rocks about two-thirds of the way to Oesa, and continued on. A view of the "picnic grounds" beside Oesa.

We descended to Oesa and immediately encountered a family of ptarmigans, mostly youngsters, in summer plumage. What a treat! Mama kept an eye out and peeped in an attempt to keep the kids from wandering too far.

In this photo, two chicks were wandering in the grass.

Then it was time to begin our return. In this photo, I'm looking from the shores of Victoria Lake back the way we'd come.

We soon spotted a pika carrying some harvested greenery back to the burrow.

On the shores of O'Hara, we were treated to a closeup of this young hermit thrush.

It felt good having managed to tackle Wiwaxy Gap again. We certainly enjoyed our dinner, and admired the lakeside view with the late evening light and a mirror-like surface on the water.

After all that hiking, we slept very well!

CR2016: A Huber Ledges Round Trip

The next day, July 28th, Joan and I began a double Huber Ledges day by heading around the southern end of Lake O'Hara. This photo looks across the south arm of the lake to the peninsula with our cabin.

An overview of today's trails, and our start.

We continued on to Lake Oesa. On the way we saw lots of beardtongue.

A peek at All Souls Prospect. We aren't going there today.

Joan and I took the direct route to Lake Oesa.

Arriving at the lake,

we spotted researchers taking measurements of the waters.

We swung around onto the Huber Ledges trail, aiming for Wiwaxy Gap.

Early on I took this panoramic view back.

This was the way ahead, with Wiwaxy being in the saddle of the ridgeline.

Taken from the same spot, this picture shows much of the Victoria Lake Cutoff on the side of Yukness Mountain, starting with a beige thread through the greenery at the bottom. Click on the image to enlarge.

Zooming in on the junction between the cutoff and the Yukness Ledges trail reveals two hikers in the lower left corner.

The trail blazes on the Huber Ledges helped us avoid taking less desirable routes.

The wet weather of the past weeks had created miniature waterfalls along the trail, and lush green carpets of moss.

Near Wiwaxy Gap we heard and then saw a golden-mantled ground squirrel vigorously scolding and chasing off a competitor. Afterwards he sprawled under a rock and dug out a little dirt.

He approached us, probably looking for a handout.

Here's proof that we reached the gap.

This was the spot for a well-deserved lunch.

Rather than take the steep Wiwaxy trail down to Lake O'Hara, Joan and I retraced our steps to Oesa on the ledges. The view is always different coming from the other direction. There's one location in particular where it's important to stay with the trail blaze, as Joan demonstrated, rather than take the alluring path just below.

This panoramic view from the Huber Ledges covers almost everything: Lake Oesa and its satellite lakes, the Yukness Ledges, the cataract pouring down from the Opabin Plateau just left of the Opabin Prospect, All Souls Prospect, McArthur Pass, and Odaray. Not to mention Lake O'Hara.

Some summer we'll come back to O'Hara and these blocks will be gone, perhaps having bounded down to the Lake Oesa trailside.

At this point the hike became a wildlife bonanza. This is perhaps a young winter wren.

A young pika.

Just after reaching the Oesa junction we saw a Japanese couple taking pictures of rocks, but then we saw that there was a ptarmigan.

At least four youngsters, some still with fuzzy down, popped in and out among the rocks as they grazed (buds, leaves, berries) or hunted (insects).

Mom kept up her various calls, including "I am here" and possibly also "Come to me." This chick wasn't paying close attention.

This panoramic view shows the Japanese couple, preparing to take a selfie with a Canadian flag, and in lower left one of the ptarmigans!

The clouds became denser as Joan and I descended towards Lake O'Hara, but we suffered only a few drops before we reached our cabin at 4:10. Later there was a five-minute hard rain.

That evening was our final O'Hara dinner of this visit. So soon!

CR2015: Wiwaxy Gap and Huber Ledges

As Joan and I started out on July 27th there were occasional peeks by the sun, but the foliage was still wet.

Today we headed for Wiwaxy Gap, a relentless climb that offers spectacular views and the Huber Ledges traverse to Lake Oesa. Few choose to go down from Wiwaxy; Joan and I have done it once, and are in no hurry to do it again.

After just a few minutes, we spied a gentleman enjoying the scenery from his cabin porch.

Lake O'Hara opens up early on this route. Click to enlarge this photo, and you'll see the Lake Oesa trail winding through the rock pile just left of the lake.

Early on the route climbs a gully via switchbacks, then moves through trees, including a grand specimen we call "grandfather tree." Then it crosses several rock faces.

The weather became chilly and overcast, but the assault on Wiwaxy warms you up fast. The Lake Oesa basin and chain of lakes come into view as your altitude rises.

Here I have zoomed in on Sleeping Poet's Pool, across the valley above the Yukness Ledges. It is our one must-do for this visit. We had hoped to get there last year, but events intervened.

At Wiwaxy Gap, the panorama stretches from Lake Oesa to McArthur Pass. Note the low clouds ...

At Wiwaxy Peak the clouds are rolling up the mountainside. It's not windy, which is highly unusual for the pass, but chilly, and the low ceiling gives it an eerie feeling.

Shortly before reaching the gap we caught up to and met Vlad, who was at Lake O'Hara for the first time. He's been in Vancouver for eight years, but is originally Russian from Riga, Latvia. Vlad loves the mountains but his family doesn't, so he was here by himself, having arrived for the day on the park bus. He was stopping frequently and taking many, many photos.

This panorama is taken from halfway along the Huber Ledges,

stretching from Lake Oesa at left, past the Yukness Ledges, Opabin Prospect, Lake O'Hara, McArthur Pass, and Wiwaxy Peak on the right. The small figure in front of Wiwaxy Peak is Vlad; he fell behind and then caught up to us several times along the way.

The weather continued cold and misty. Even up here the spring blooms were enjoying the damp week.

Joan and I lunched on the shores of Lake Oesa again, while Vlad continued on, calculating with some assistance from us that he could walk the Yukness Ledges and still be in time for the bus back down. He wasn't truly worried, as he said, "It's downhill all the way." We anticipated walking the Ledges tomorrow, and decided to return to our cabin via the Oesa trail.

At one of the smaller lakes below Oesa we saw an American Dipper and a couple of her babies. By the time I pulled my camera out they had paddled on.

Here, Joan poses for me on the Grassi Steps,

built by Lawrence Grassi.

In truth we were headed down the steps, but I thought up would look best for the photo.

I love this next image, which I took along the Oesa trail with zoom. Hikers on the Yukness Ledges stand in front of Mount Yukness. Note the light coating of snow at the higher altitude. Joan and I were caught in a shower down at Lake O'Hara before reaching our cabin, but not as wet as the day before.

After dinner the weather and lighting were begging us to take another stroll.

Mists lingered above.

Our traveling pigs, Knuckles and Pierre, were waiting for us at the cabin.

Tomorrow, tomorrow. Would we make it to Sleeping Poet's Pool?