Yoho National Park

[Bob Smith]

Hi All, Just booked a trip to Yoho National Park in late August and I'm looking for some good day hikes. We than will be heading to Jasper, any info or web sites will be great.

Thanks

 

[halfmoon]

Yoho & Jasper

I have been researching the Canadian Rockies recently in preparation for a week long backpacking trip this summer. The best trail guide available, referred top by locals as "The Bible" is here:

http://www.maptown.com/cgi-bin/mt/store.cgi?overlord=Details&store_id=18157

I have focused my research on Jasper so if you have any questions about that area let me know.

 

[Neil]

Bob,
I have hiked extensively in Yoho, especially the half that lies north (Lake O'Hara region)of the Trans-Canada highway. Expect hordes of people if you do the more popular hikes. The Lake O'hara region has restricted access and you need to reserve seats on the bus EARLY! If you want to camp at the O'Hara campground (recommended) you need early reservations as well.


Will you be hiking only or would you like to throw some scrambling into the mix? If you do that you'll have a much more interesting trip. Depending on how "hard core" you and your group is I can offer some tailor-made suggestions.

http://www.parkscanada.gc.ca/yoho

I also have links to some fine personal scrambling websites and a scrambling forum.

 

[Miss Margaret]

More Yoho......

I was in Yoho last summer and Lake O'Hara is truly one of the most amzaing places, ever, period. Access IS restricted, you have to get a bus reservation, so there WON'T be crowds! The Lake O'Hara Alpine Circuit is always on the Top 5/Top 10 Hikes in Canada lists, and for good reason. Glacier covered peaks, blue lakes of alpine melt, mountain goats, and more glaciers. I heard the glaciers breaking, unforgettable.

My hint: JOIN THE ACC! The Alpine Club of Canada owns a hut at the top of Abbott Pass. If you stay at the hut, the ACC will get you on the bus to Lake O'Hara. Its a scramble to get up there (its at 9585 ft.) and they recomend a helmet due to rockfall. There are other huts worth visiting, the Hut guide available from the ACC is worth owning, although the other huts in Yoho are pretty tough to get into. Another hint: Your ACC card gets you dirt cheap lodging in the 'Daks, too.

In that area, other things I really remember were the Iceline Trail (its like hiking a desert, but with glaciers! and mint green lakes!) and the Hot Springs. The locals hate 'em cause they are for toursits, but we thought they were heavenly.

Margaret

 

[halfmoon]

Scrambling in the canadian Rockies

Neil,

I am interested in some suggestions for scrambling in the Canadian Rockies. I have read Alan Kane's book on this subject, and I have a few picked out. The ones I have my eye on are:

1. Mt Temple
2. Grizzley Peak
3. Mt. Chester, near Spray Resevoir
4. Mt Hector, an easy technical climb

What have been some of your favorites?

 

[Neil]

Halfmoon,
I've only scrambled in the Lake Louise, Lake O'Hara and Jasper Highway areas so can't comment on those other scrambles of yours.

The Jasper highway scrambles see the least traffic because they are further from Calgary. We did Little Hector and most of Andromache and Mt. Hector would be great if you are equipped for glacier travel. Mt. Weed is a really good one (close to 4500 feet of vertical IIRC) that only sees about one party a year.

Temple is described in Kane's book as the ultimate scramble for a good reason. It's awesome and I've done it 6 times at least. Wait for a sunny day. Note that it sees about 50 people a day so don't expect solitude. Inform yourselves about the group of 6 rule throughout the Morraine Lake hiking area. There are lots of grizzlies and rangers and the fines I've heard can be very steep. It's important not to be the last 2 or 3 people off the mountain so you can form a group of 6 for the hike back to Morraine Lake.

When you use Kane's book it takes a couple of scrambles to get a feel for matching his route descriptions in the book to real life on the mountain. One thing we learned is that EVERY word counts.

If you go to Lake O'Hara two of the best scrambles are not in the book. (Kane dosn't like Lake O'Hara cuz of all the fuss reserving a seat on the bus.)
Walter Feuz Peak (Little Odaray) and Mt. Schaeffer are must do's allthough they are slightly difficult and involve a bit of exposure.

Here are some good personal scrambling websites with lots of pics, route descriptions etc.
http://www.dave-stephens.com/mtns/lists/summitindex.htm
http://earth.prohosting.com/drew42/scrambles.html
http://www.geocities.com/truedino/andromac.htm
http://www.geocities.com/truedino/observat.htm
http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/cknelsen/mountains/history.html#scrlist
http://rnt.topcities.com/MtBurgess/MtBurgess.html

 

[darren]

Check out the guide book "Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies". It is a great book and is spot on in it's recommendations.

As others said, Lake O'Hara is awesome. Check out some of my pix in the Gallery. Click on the Gallery button below and then select Canadian Rockies from the list. Do the Alpine Circ.

If you want a day of "rest", you can do an easy 12 mile loop in Paradise Valley - between Lake Louise and Morrain. Awesome hike. Respect the local male grizzly that lives in that valley in the summer. Check with the rangers, the valley might be closed when you are there.

Have fun.

- darren

ps: BTW......Gathering 10.0 will be in the Canadian Rockies :>)

 

[Bob Smith]

Thanks Everyone. I'm planning a mix of outtings, my Wife and Daughter will hike, but 4-5 miles is the most. My son and I will do one long day hike in each area. If you one hike to pick at YOHO and Jasper that covers say 8 miles (6 hours) what would they be?

Neil, thanks for the web site's.

Halfmoon, when do you plan on taking your trip? We will be at Emerald Lake on Aug 23.

 

[Bob Smith]

Darren, Great shots! Your right about the part of "A lot of coin"! We tried to book O'Hare but they were booked through September. So the girls booked Emerald Lake Lodge.........

 

[Neil]

If you one hike to pick at YOHO and Jasper that covers say 8 miles (6 hours) what would they be?

In O'Hara: Wiwaxy gap, Lake Oesa, Yukness ledges combo. From Yukness, decide whether to continue on to All Soul's or head down Opabin creek.

In Yoho Valley the Iceline and the Whaleback.


Around Lake Louise, Lake Agnes, Big Beehive, Plain of 6 Glaciers loop.
OR, hike up Mount Fairview.

Jasper Highway closer to L.Louise: Dolomite Pass (very popular, not difficult, exceptionally beautiful and you can "climb" Cirque Peak which is a cinch) or North Molar Pass.

Jasper highway near the Icefields: Mount Willcox.

 

[darren]

I'll roger Neil's recommendations for Yoho and Louise. For the parkway, I would add the option of hiknig Wilcox pass end to end. It would be an easy hike without too much elevation gain and you would be guaranteed seeing big horn sheep which I am sure the kids would love. Assuming you would have only one car, you would have to hitch a ride back to your car. That highway is a tourist route and I'm sure you could get someone at the trailhead to give you a ride without much trouble (especially if you went North to South since the South trailhead sees more people).

You are killing me. I want to go again!

- darren

 

[halfmoon]

Canadian Rockies

Bob Smith,

I will be in the Jasper National Park during the US Labor Day week. I am doing the Brazeau Loop in southern Jasper. My wife and I are going to add 2 offtrail passes to the traditional route that will take us into the White Goat Wilderness. It should take us 6 days total. After that, depending on the weather, we will either be scrambling up some big peaks, or doing some other dayhikes. During my research I found a really awesome site that this guy maintains, it is located here:

http://waputik.tripod.com/trguide.htm

 

[Neil]

Bob Smith,

My wife and I are going to add 2 offtrail passes to the traditional route that will take us into the White Goat Wilderness.

Would one of those by any chance be Cataract Pass?

And about Wilcox Pass, if you go make sure you climb Mt. Wilcox. The first 95% is easy. The last 5% is moderately difficult. At one point near the top you look straight down to the highway below and across at the Icefields. We went straight up from behind the Interpretive Centre (a bushwhack- there's supposed to be a herd trail but we never found it- and a steep climb up to a gully through the rock bands) which shaves off some time if you're peakbagging. As luck would have it everything was totally socked right in but we saw caribou and sheep. It was late August and there was plenty of snow on the ground.

I don't know if this will help but here's my Blog of our trip:
http://neil.webcentre.ca/outdoor pursuits/rockies story/index.html

 

[Bob Smith]

Half Moon, Sounds like a neat trip. Thanks for the web site.

Darren, I feel the same way. I can't wait for August!

 

[halfmoon]

Cataract and Cline Passes

Neil,

As a matter of fact one of the passes we will be doing in the White Goat Wilderness is Cataract Pass, the other being Cline Pass. I will be sure to head up to Wilcox Pass time permitting also.

Steve

 

[mountainfrank]

In O'Hara: Wiwaxy gap, Lake Oesa, Yukness ledges combo. In Yoho Valley the Iceline and the Whaleback.

tought Iceline was in "little Yoho valley", there is one area on that trail were people went Cairn-crazy ! Nice trail but one had to watch for the "wandering rock" at Stanley-Mitchell Hut (a large rock that has a little plaque on it commemorating its travels... by being carried in backpacks all over the rockies without the prior knowledge or consent of backpack owner )

Fairwiew is just that and offers a very nice view of Temple and Lake Louise. Wilcox on the icefield parkway offers beautiful view of Athabasca/Andromeda, pause on top and reflect on the fact that the Athabasca glacier facing you extended all the way down pass the highway and up the slopes of Wilcox not so long ago !

F

 

[Neil]

tought Iceline was in "little Yoho valley",

Frank,
You made me jump for my map!

The Iceline trail starts in Yoho Valley near Takakaw Falls and rounding the NE shoulder of the President Range, it indeed goes over into Little Yoho. The Whaleback is entirely in Little Yoho, in fact it forms the valley's north side.

I always avoided that area because of the crowds but when I went last August I sure was impressed with the scenery!