TRAVELS WITH THE WNP
 

Backcountry Camping at Lake O'Hara - The Best of the Canadian Rockies
by Lee McKenzie

Guide book? Check.

Map? Check.

Camera, water bottle, snacks? Check.

Bear spray?

Did someone say bears?

That's right. The Canadian Rockies are home to grizzly and black bears and an array of other wildlife including cougar, elk, mountain goats

 and bighorn sheep. Porcupines are common in the backcountry - if you don't see them, you'll see the trees they've stripped of their bark - and if you're lucky, you might encounter a shy little pika on a scree slope or rock pile. Whiskey jacks will visit your campsite, and chipmunks and ground squirrels will join you for lunch. Don't feed them though!

Of the four connected national parks in the Canadian Rockies - Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay - Yoho National Park is my favorite. The Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railroad cut through the park, making it easily accessible, yet the human population is small. Within minutes, you can escape civilization and experience some of the world's most beautiful and pristine wilderness.
 

Lake O'Hara

Yoho has several backcountry campgrounds and more than 300 kilometers (250 miles) of hiking trails. For first-timers or families with young children, Lake O'Hara has one of the best and most easily accessible campgrounds. An 11-kilometer (seven-mile) fire road will take you to the campground, and bus transportation is provided several times a day in the summer. The bus will take you and your backpack, but it will not transport pets, coolers, lawn chairs, musical instruments, etc. Best to leave those at home. Private vehicles and bicycles are not permitted on the fire road, so you have the choice of walking or riding the bus. Since the entire road runs through forest and isn't very scenic, I suggest making a reservation on the bus and saving your energy for the spectacular trails around and above Lake O'Hara.

a hoary marmot

Lake O'Hara itself is awe-inspiring - a gorgeous turquoise gem set in a

circle of alpine peaks and glacial cirques. In July, you might see a hoary marmot, like the one in this photograph.  We watched her for quite a while, gathering grass on the exposed part of the plateau and scampering across a patch of snow to line her den in a rock pile. July is also the best time to see a stunning array of alpine flowers, which bloom

and produce seeds within days

or weeks of the snow cover melting.

Parks Canada politely asks that visitors to the park stay on the trails so they don't trample the flowers.

This area is rich with human history, although those who walked here before we did were careful to leave as few footprints as possible.

Lake O'Hara was named for Colonel Robert O'Hara, but the names for other geographical features such as Wiwaxy Peaks, Opabin Plateau and Lake Oesa stem from First Nations words for windy, rocky and ice.
 

I've always been impressed by the number of women who traveled and hiked in this area a hundred years ago or more. Artist and naturalist Mary Vaux Walcott visited Lake O'Hara in 1910. The Alpine Club of Canada's hut in the meadow to the west of the lake is named for writer and mountaineer Elizabeth Parker. You can read the stories of these and other women adventurers in the Canadian Rockies in Off the Beaten Track by Cyndi Smith.

And speaking of history, some of the most amazing features of the hiking trails around Lake O'Hara are the "stone sidewalks" that were single-handedly constructed by retired miner Lawrence Grassi, who served as park warden at Lake O'Hara from 1956 to 1960. While at first it might seem disconcerting to see a wilderness trail made of huge blocks of limestone, Grassi's hard work and foresight have prevented the serious erosion that would have been caused by the footsteps of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of hikers on muddy trails.

The campground at Lake O'Hara offers a few more amenities than you'll find in other backcountry sites. The tent pads are small but quite widely spaced and offer some privacy. In the communal area, you'll find a fire pit, two kitchen shelters with wood stoves, storage lockers for food and personal belongings (take your own lock), and "pit privies." Firewood is provided, and well water is available for at least part of the season.

But when you're feeling the need for a little luxury, do drop into Lake O'Hara Lodge for afternoon tea!

Whether you visit Lake O'Hara for a day of hiking or stay for a week, several things are certain. You'll have seen the wilderness at its best, and possibly its worst, and have been reminded that no matter how cultured we are, we have an intrinsic connection to nature. And best of all, you'll leave with a refreshed mind and body and a renewed spirit.

Before you go:
Plan ahead. You'll find one of my favorite backpacking recipes in This Month's Recipes.
Equip yourself with the knowledge and gear you'll need to enjoy the backcountry, and to survive in the event of an injury, bad weather or bear encounter.
Check with Parks Canada for current information on reservations, weather conditions and avalanche hazards.

Parks Canada, Yoho National Park
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho/index_E.asp

Lake O'Hara Campground
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho/activ/activ15a_e.asp#2

Lake O'Hara Lodge
http://www.lakeohara.com/index.php

Lee McKenzie lives and writes on Canada's West Coast. The Rockies are her second home.
 

To read last month's Travel article, click here

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