Barbara B.'s Adventures: Abbot Pass

For the last couple of years I've wanted to head up to Abbot Pass. I think it started when I first stood at Lake Oesa a couple of years ago and knew that there is a hut up there. Then I saw photos by Paul Zizka (amazing photographer based out of Banff) and I think I was hooked. I've had a couple of years to build up on scrambles and photography, so this trip was a step up - a big step up. So big that a couple of days ago I felt pushed to my scrambling limits, but today feel like I could repeat it.

We took the 10:30am bus in to Lake O'Hara and then, without even taking a photo anywhere near the crowds, headed on - quite fast. I think we were all so excited to get to Abbot Pass! We did have a lengthy lunch at Lake Oesa, watched some people come down from the pass, and then made our way up. The first stretch to the bottom of the scree slope was still easy - really just a steep hike. But the real challenge was the last slog of a slope. It's only been mostly snow-free for the last week, which, unbeknownst to me - but which totally makes sense now - meant that due to all the snow, avalanche debris, etc., the bottom of the trail was washed out. Just think how much fun it is to travel across hard-packed ground with pebble-like stones and a 45-degree slope. Add to that one member's fall right at the beginning, and we were all a little nervous. She was a trooper though and said she figured she'll stop eventually. Blood and bruises in tow, she nicknamed this the blood, sweat and tears event, but greeted me at the top with a big hug. Rockfall was the other challenge. An unexperienced party of four was above us and kept kicking down microwave-sized rocks. With luck on our side, just after B's fall an ACMG guide arrived and led the way, cutting steps where needed. He loved to yell, even to his client. 'Well, if your socks weren't soaked - they're useless'. 'Well, if you had an ice axe...'. And thankfully to one of his calls of 'Rock!!!', I managed to run out of the path of one. So, finally making it off the first chunk of the steep slope, we almost kissed the snow patches we found a little further up for those allowed us to easily make some steps. And for the record, what a difference a few people make. Once that path had been traveled 10 - 20 times, it really was no big deal the next day. We did agree, though, that this slog makes Temple and the West Coast Trail look easy.

Lake Oesa

Ascent up to Abbot Pass

Yes, it's that steep

Abbot Hut

Main room

Gear corner

Kitchen

Sleeping loft - very comfy mattresses

We had a feast for our communal dinner and crawled into our sleeping bags at 9pm tired and exhausted. The alarms were set for midnight to catch the meteor shower. Midnight rolled around, I was on window duty, and had to break the news that it was 90 - 95% cloudy. We drifted back to sleep, and at 1am I feel a poke, and look up to see a big smiling face telling me to head outside because it's so good! Three of us sat there, just in stuff we've been sleeping in for it was so warm, calm, and clear. I got the photos I wanted. And it was an unreal experience to sit so up high, in a spot so few people reach, so lucky to be there.

Abbot Hut at 1:30am

Next alarm goes off at 3am and this time it's the guys' turn to head outside. It has clouded over again, so I stay in bed. At 5am I wake up to the smell of pancakes. I figured as it's virtually impossible to get much sleep up there anyways, I might as well head downstairs and see what it's like for all the mountaineering people to be doing their stuff. One had planned on climbing Lefroy from 2-5am, then heading for Victoria at 5am. As I was outside I saw the most amazing thing, and something that I had so far only seen in movies and photos: on each side of the pass, mountaineering parties were heading up Mounts Lefroy and Victoria and I followed their progress by watching their headlamps move. What a sight! And what a sound I was greeted with at the outhouse at 7am - big metal claws that were our friendly hut custodian and his buddy come down from Victoria in crampons. They chose to turn around for they didn't feel conditions were safe. The night was too warm, which meant there really was no freeze to head up the steep slopes. The guide with his two clients also returned after a couple of hours on Lefroy, but to our amazement the team of older women pushed on and I captured them on the summit ridge at 7am. I thought how neat it might have been for them to be able to see those photos, and as luck would have it, I see them again on the last bus out from Lake O'Hara. They do have their photos now.

After Abbot Pass we decided to make the most of our time in the Lake O'Hara area and hiked the Yukness Ledges, over to Opabin Prospect, and down the West Opabin side. Overall it was about 18km, and 1,200m of elevation gain with a 35 pound backpack. Today I felt beat, but at the same time I've never felt such a sense of achievement. I'm already itching for another adventure like this next weekend, but where to?