Lake O’Hara is a popular destination for cross-country skiers and snowshoers in the winter.   As a day trip, it is 12 km each way just to get to the lake and back.    The route is along the snow-covered gravel road, which makes nice cross-country skiing.    The route is not tracked, although skier-tracks can become deeply furrowed and improve the glide and tracking of skis.   It takes about 2-4 hours to get to Lake O’Hara and much less to come back down.

For those wishing to stay overnight, the Alpine Club of Canada takes bookings at the Elizabeth Parker hut, which is situated a short distance up to the lower meadows above the lake.    When we have stayed here in winter we have had it all to ourselves and we have also been in a full hut.    It is more popular at the end of winter.

On one very cold winter day, we drove to the trailhead after work on a Friday.   We arrived at the parking lot at 9:00 at night.   The thermometer read -28 degrees Celsius.   We got out our backpacks and waxed our skis.    Of the three skiers, I had the most experience, so my backpack was already and I had all my gear ready.   I put on my skis and started to ski up and down the trail to warm up.    With such cold conditions, my feet, hands, and ears were cold.   Unfortunately, my friends were not so well-organized and they spent half an hour getting their gear, boots, skis, and poles ready.   By the time they were ready, I was warm and ready for the uphill ski.   My friends toes and hands were very cold, but we finally started up the trail.   It is a steady uphill, but not difficult.   With full packs, we made it up to the hut in under 3 hours.   We arrived at a cold, dark hut.   We had picked up the key and opened the hut, stowed our gear, stoked the wood stove for heat, lit the lamps, and staked out our bunks.   As my friends took off their boots and gloves, I saw white toes and fingertips.   They had sustained some painful frostbite.   The half hour at the parking lot had frozen their extremities!

When you stay in an alpine hut, you always want the lower bunks in winter.   In sectioned lofts, pick the section farthest from the central stoves.   The wood stoves generate a lot of heat and the heat rises, making the upper bunks sweaty-hot.    Its better to have a good down bag and bundle up in the cooler lower bunks than to sweat it out above.

Some of the trails are reasonable to ski in winter, and some are too steep or pass below avalanche chutes.    The whole Wiwaxy, Oesa, and Yukness area is not a good choice, nor is Schaeffer, or the higher sections of any of the ringing peaks.    The lower meadows is a nice ski area, and with a bit of a climb, the upper meadows are an excellent choice, with the route to Lake McArthur a good out-and-back destination.   Opabin Plateau is a good ski, but you will have to kick-step up the bluff to get there.   Skins would work much better than ski wax to get up the hill.   We found all of the snow to be cold, light, and “bottomless.”

Most cross-country skiers pick February or March for good reason.  The snow has settled better by that time, the weather is better, and the days are longer.

For those wanting a different experience, the Lake O’Hara lodge opens in February.   Rooms are about $320/night (per person), but that includes meals, guide service, and a number of additional services.    Lake O’Hara Lodge

Lake O’Hara should be visited in three seasons – later winter as a ski or snowshoe trip, summer for the weather, and fall for the larches and fall colors.   it is also a favorite spot for photographers and artists.    A Kamloops artist, David Langevin,   has featured some Lake O’Hara paintings in his book and website:      http://www.davidlangevin.com/