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Hiking to Abbot Pass Hut in Yoho National Park in Canada

Sadly, the Abbot Pass hut was dismantled in summer 2022 due to erosion. I still recommend doing the first part of the hike to Lake Oesa, but I am unsure if you will be able to hike to the hut site in 2023. 

You can’t always predict when you are about to embark on an adventure that will leave a lasting impression on your life. Hiking to the Abbot Pass hut in the Lake O’Hara area of Yoho National Park ended up being one of those adventures.

Maybe if we knew how crazy the weather would make it for us, we wouldn’t have even attempted it. But I’m so pleased that we did.

Sometimes going in blind is a good thing.

Abbot Pass Hut History and Information

The building of the Abbot Pass hut is a feat in Canadian engineering history. Built in 1922 using the stones from the pass, all of the materials were bought up to the pass by horseback which is unfathomable when you see how steep and perilous it is.

The Abbot Pass hut is located at almost 3000 metres of elevation, high on a saddle between Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria. It is the second-highest permanent structure in Canada, and it is located on the continental divide. The border between British Columbia and Alberta runs right through the middle of the hut.

The Abbot Pass hut can be reached from Lake Louise but that involved some technical climbing so is only suitable for experienced mountaineers of which we are not. So we were tackling the other route from Lake O’Hara.

This route may not be technical but it was only for strong hikers as getting up there involved scrambling up a near-vertical slope covered in scree and loose boulders. It wasn’t going to be easy.

Hiking to the Abbot Pass Hut

I barely slept the night before. Feelings of nervousness and excitement kept me awake until the early hours.

My alarm awoke me with a start. A groggy weariness clouded my thoughts and actions as my brother Robbie and I did some last-minute packing before driving the twenty minutes to the Lake O’Hara car park. We were catching the 8.30 am shuttle.

The morning was cold and overcast but it wasn’t raining like the forecast said it would be. At least that was something.

After a short and bumpy ride along a gravel road, we arrived at the Le Relais day shelter and from there we walked the last few minutes to Lake O’Hara. The lake was still in the frosty morning air.

Only a couple of other people were around. Dark clouds threatened from above and a low mist settled over the surface of the lake.

Lake O'Hara on the way to Abbot Pass HutIt has been said that the Lake O’Hara region of Yoho National Park is the most beautiful place in all of the Rockies. It certainly was beautiful but I couldn’t help but think it was a bit overrated.

I’m almost sure I would have felt differently had it been sunny as the color of the lake was muted under cloudy skies.

We walked about halfway around the frigid lake before taking the turn off to Lake Oesa, where we would then connect to the trail up to the Abbot Pass hut.

As the path began to gain altitude, we warmed up some due to the exertion. Stopping at a viewpoint over Lake O’Hara, I could more clearly see the color that the lake is famous for. The bright blue-green was stunning. Now I was starting to see what all the fuss was about.

After one last look at Lake O’Hara, we continued hiking and quickly reached the snow line. We had entered a winter wonderland and it was only September.

Rockies winter wonderland on the way to Abbot Pass Hut

Snow-covered yellow larches and evergreens surrounded the two small lakes we passed on the trail to Lake Oesa. The only sound was rushing water from nearby waterfalls and my camera trigger clicking every few seconds.

The trail was narrow at times. Branches heavy with snow threatening to unburden their heavy load on us whenever we brushed against them which was frequently.

Lake in Lake O'Hara area on the way to Abbot Pass Lake on way to Abbot Pass HutI was already so happy with what we had seen on the hike so far. And then we reached Lake Oesa and it only got better.

Lake Oesa is a sight to behold. Surrounded by impenetrable peaks dusted with snow, it is a haunting oasis of deep blue, stark against the blinding white all around.

All was still as we sat down to rest and contemplate the inky depths of the lake. Cheeky ground squirrels and chipmunks darted around us while we ate our snacks.

Beautiful Lake Oesa on the way to Abbot Pass HutI liked it much more than Lake O’Hara. The color was unlike any I have seen before, a richness of blues and greens against a landscape that was forbidding and desolate. It was mesmerizingly bleak and unbelievably beautiful.

We could have sat there all day but it was time to continue on. It had been a pleasant and fairly easy hike to this point, but the challenging part was just about to begin.

The trail started up a rocky ledge at a gentle incline and we started to think that maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad after all. The views of Lake Oesa below were spellbinding and we were making great time. It started to get a bit steeper and then we were hiking along narrow rock ledges.

This was slightly unnerving as one wrong move and you would be toast, tumbling a hundred meters onto sharp rocks below.

Heading up to Abbot Pass HutThe rocky path to Abbot Pass Hut above Lake Oesa

After a quick lunch overlooking the lake on a wind-ravaged rocky outcrop, the trail entered the scree field.

There was a faint pathway that we followed diagonally over the loose rocks then it disappeared and we were on our own. The only way was up, and it was steep.

Lake Oesa from the trail to Abbot Pass Hut

The Ascent to the Abbot Pass Hut

Luckily for us, there was snow covering the sheer mountain face in places which mostly made it easier as we didn’t slip back down with every step.

On the other hand, it was also a bit scary as we didn’t know how deep the snow was and how stable the rocks were underneath it.

Some steps I suddenly ended up thigh-deep in powder. We didn’t have any footsteps to follow as we were the first ones to go up that day, although we saw a few of the people that had come down that morning.

Heading up the scree field to Abbot Pass Hut Entering the scree on the way to Abbot Pass Hut

Rob was struggling and slipping a lot more than me as his shoes didn’t have good grip. I was thankful I was wearing my hiking boots with their deep tread. Turns out our hiking poles and helmets were absolutely essential for this hike as it was pretty dangerous. 

Even though it was steep and precarious, I felt like I was doing so well. I was strong and fit, perhaps in the best shape of my life from all the hiking and cleaning. I felt good.

But then it got even harder.

The last stretch was by far the most difficult part of the hike. It was impossibly steep, almost vertical in fact with even looser rock than the slope we had just come up. It was also never-ending.

Looking up we seemed so close to the top but as we pushed ourselves to the limit to get up there, it didn’t seem to be getting any closer.

Looking down from Abbot Pass Hut

It had started snowing by this point and was quite cold. I was glad to have my gloves. Rob didn’t have any and he had immense pain in his hands. I was worried he might get frostbitten if we didn’t get to the hut soon. We kept pushing on.

There was one section that I kept slipping down. I didn’t think I was going to be able to get above it but I finally managed to get some purchase on the rocks, then the top really was right there. I could finally see the hut.

I tried to take a shortcut through the scree and slipped over three times in five minutes before backtracking and taking the longer but safer route that Rob had just traversed.

The bruises that formed all over my body by the next evening reminded me of the pain I felt, falling heavily on hundreds of small sharp rocks.

Then the Abbot Pass hut was in front of me. What a sight for sore eyes.

Abbot Pass Hut

Arriving at the Abbot Pass Hut

The wind was howling and furious snow whipped around me. The valley on the other side of the pass wasn’t even visible: it was a whiteout.

I took a quick picture of the hut then quickly ducked inside. It was 3 pm. It had taken us six hours with breaks. Not too bad considering.

I loved the Abbot Pass hut. It oozed mountaineering history with its rustic interior and old photos on the walls.  It was also a lot larger than I thought it would be.

The downstairs was comprised of a large kitchen with cooking utensils and gas stove hobs, and a large dining/recreation area with two large tables with bench seating and a pot-bellied stove. Upstairs was a cosy sleeping alcove with comfortable mattresses and even blankets.

Life inside Abbot Pass Hut Sleeping alcove in Abbot Pass Hut

The outhouse was a little ways away from the hut and it was a whole other adventure to get to it with the increasingly howling wind and snow driving against me.

Abbot Pass Hut outhouse

After a half-hour by ourselves, other hikers who were staying in the Abbot Pass hut started trickling in. A group of four Canadian guys from Alberta and two older mountaineers from the US that were planning on climbing Mount Victoria.

It was late in the season so there were only the eight of us, half of the maximum occupancy of the hut.

There wasn’t much wood so we held out lighting the fire for a couple of hours. The cold quickly seeped into my bones and I sat, curled up on the couch with all of my clothing on and covered in two thick woollen blankets.

We all talked, learning more about each other. I sipped hot chocolate and read my book. I sat and soaked in the vibe with a deep sense of satisfaction that I did this and it was hard. But I nailed it anyway.

Rob and I cooked pasta for dinner and the group of four guys shared their rehydrated blueberry cobbler and popcorn with us. We only had bare-bones essentials but these guys were kitted out.

A full blizzard was raging by the time we had finished dinner and it was terrifying going outside to use the outhouse. It felt like the strength of the storm would blow me off the mountain and a large snowdrift had started to build up in front of the outhouse door. It was definitely one of my more exciting bathroom experiences.

We all turned in pretty early. I felt cozy and warm in my sleeping bag and covered by a thick blanket while the strong winds rattled the roof.

The blizzard was still going strong in the morning and it was a frosty -5 C outside. Cooking porridge and sipping coffee, we tried to wait it out but by 10.30 am the group of four were keen to head down and I wanted to go with them – safety in numbers and all that.

I wore all of my warm clothes including my scarf wrapped around my face as we prepared to brave the weather. I was scared.

Descending From the Abbot Pass Hut

As soon as I stepped out of the door of the Abbot Pass hut, the biting cold blew straight through all my layers and made my eyes water. I have never felt anything like it. It was almost unbearable.

It was terrifying starting down a vertical slope covered in a thick layer of snow, especially when you can hardly see a meter in front of you. My whole body froze within minutes. I couldn’t feel my toes or fingers.

Every step down we slipped over. I was feeling panicky but all I could do was keep going. I was really scared but also strangely exhilarated. I finally get why thrill seekers put themselves in dangerous situations. You really do feel so alive in moments like this.

A couple of the guys behind us started just sliding down the slope over thin snow and loose scree on their butts and I was so cold and we were constantly slipping over anyway so I decided to go for it too, despite the fact I was only wearing thin leggings.

We were quickly below the blizzard which was a huge relief but we weren’t out of danger, not even close.

With the steep incline and soft snow, I hurtled 400 metres down the mountain. I could usually stop myself with my feet by catching them on exposed rocks under the snow but there were times when I couldn’t and I was sliding uncontrollably down the steep mountain face, out of control.

My arms were yanked backward when my poles caught on the rocks along the way. I avoided large exposed rocks as much as I could. Pain shot through me when I slid over sharp rocks hidden under the snow, despite my butt being numb.

Halfway down I got some feeling back in my hands and the pain was unbearable for about ten minutes. It was the only time I cried that day.

Once we were at the bottom of the steep slope it was time to start hiking diagonally but the faint path from the day before was buried deep under snow.

I followed the footsteps of the guys before me in the deep snow, not knowing if I would slip sideways down the still steep slope with each step. I don’t know if I have ever concentrated so hard in my life. It was scarier than sliding down the mountain on my butt.

Everyone regrouped once we were out of the scree and snow nightmare. We were all high on adrenaline and super happy that none of us were injured when it was a very likely scenario that someone could have broken something, or much worse.

Survived the hike back down from Abbot Pass Hut

Rob lost his sleeping bag and I lost my water bottle during the butt sliding – both things had been strapped to the outside of our bags – but that is a small price to pay to be safe and uninjured.

But still, the hard stuff wasn’t yet behind us, we still had a boulder field to cross. The day before it had been no problem but now, covered in snow, it was suddenly a massive hazard.

Each step was guesswork with the possibility of falling through a deep crevice between the rocks. I think I held my breath the whole time.

Once we were safely through one obstacle, we faced another: narrow rocky ledges high above Lake Oesa.

The lake was much darker than the day before and the snow cover surrounding it was complete. A menacing pool of darkness beckoned us from below.

Lake Oesa after snow fall on the way back from Abbot Pass Hut

The trail was covered in snow so we had to trailblaze our way down to the lake, helping each other out along the way. Each step was carefully taken so as not to slip in the snow. It was slow going.

Then finally we were back at Lake Oesa. The hard part was finally over. And we even got to see blue skies for the first time in two days, although it didn’t last long.

Bit of blue sky on the way down from Abbot Pass Hut

The guys said goodbye as they were taking an alternate route down to Lake O’Hara. The rest of the hike was a breeze. There was much more snow than when we were coming up the day before.

A few hardy souls passed us on the way to Lake Oesa but there weren’t many people around.

Lake after snow fall on way back down from Abbot Pass Hut

Lake O’Hara came into sight and my spirits lifted after a few hours spent in the freezing cold. Because of the blizzard overnight, the snow level had now reached as far down as Lake O’Hara and it looked very becoming with a winter coat.

Lake O'Hara after snow fall on way back from Abbot Pass Hut

I couldn’t get to the Le Relais Day Shelter fast enough once we had fully ascended to the lake and there was a steaming hot chocolate in my hands within minutes. Feeling toasty and warm by the fire was just the best feeling. I could finally feel my extremities again.

The guys from the Abbot Pass hut joined us shortly after we arrived and we waited in the cozy shelter for the shuttle to take us back to civilization. Our adventure was over.

To say this was a tough hike would be to understate it. It was simultaneously the most challenging and most physically draining thing I have ever done, mostly because of the snow on day two and coming down from the hut in a blizzard.

It also made me realize that I am much tougher both physically and mentally than I thought, a realization that meant so much to this girl who once hated hiking and had no level of fitness whatsoever. I have come so far.

I will be pushing myself more in the future. If my next outdoor adventure is even half as incredible as the trek to Abbot Pass hut then I am in for a treat.

Wintery Lake O'Hara on way back from Abbot Pass Hut

How To Hike to the Abbot Pass Hut 

Booking the Abbot Pass Hut

The Abbot Pass hut was dismantled in summer 2022 due to erosion. You may still be able to hike to the pass, otherwise you will need to turn around at Lake Oesa.

To hike in Lake O’Hara you will need to book a shuttle online in advance for a particular time and date. Coming back out you don’t need to book, you can just jump on the next available shuttle.

Getting to Lake O’Hara

You will need to make your way to the Lake O’Hara parking lot which is just off the highway near the Alberta side of Yoho National Park. We had a rental car. From the car park you catch your pre-booked shuttle.

Length of the Abbot Pass Hut Trail

24km (15 miles) return.

Elevation Gain of the Abbot Pass Hut Trail

915m (3000 feet)

Difficulty of the Abbot Pass Hut Trail

Very difficult. Not to even be attempted unless you are a strong hiker. Seriously.

Abbot Pass Hut Hiking Tips

I highly recommend doing the Abbot Pass Hut hike with hiking poles, and wearing a helmet is a mandatory requirement. We hired ours from Wilson Mountain Sports in Lake Louise.

I don’t think I could have got up there without the poles when we were scrambling up the scree, and the helmet is a must in the event of falling rocks.

Travel Medical Insurance is also a must in my opinion because if you have to get airlifted off the mountain it will be very expensive.

Snow covered path down to Lake O'Hara on the way back from Abbot Pass Hut

What To Pack for Your Abbot Pass Hut Hike

I highly recommend the Osprey Fairview or Farpoint 40L packs – they are the perfect size for a multi-day hiking trip, are comfortable and durable, and have lots of pockets to organize your gear. Use packing cubes for further organization.

You want a lightweight sleeping bag that is suitable to at least freezing. This one by REI is great for summer camping at lower altitudes.

Pack the GRAYL Geopress Water Purifier to filter water from streams and lakes, this saves you having to carry lots of water and is better for the environment. Also, pack a CamelBak to make it easier to hydrate when you are hiking.

Definitely pack some trekking poles to help with the scree field. Hiking boots are also a must. 

It gets really cold at night so make sure to pack a thermal base layer top, a down jacket, a raincoat and poncho, sunscreen, a power bank if you want to keep your phone charged, and a head torch.

Lake in Canadian Rockies on way to Abbot Pass Hut

Where to Stay Before and After Your Hike to the Abbot Pass Hut

For camping before and after your Abbot Pass Hut hike, Kicking Horse and Monarch Campgrounds are close by in Yoho National Park.

For comfortable budget options, stay at the HI Lake Louise Hostel which has dorms and private rooms.

There are a number of bed and breakfasts and guesthouses in Field as well, many that are self-contained and have their own entrances. I recommend the Hummingbird Suite which my friends Paulina and Darren own, and Mount Stephen Guesthouse where I worked. 

If it is luxury you are after, you can’t go past the gorgeous setting of the Emerald Lake Lodge or Cathedral Mountain Lodge in Yoho National Park.

If you enjoyed this post, check out my other hiking posts:

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41 Comments on A Great Canadian Adventure: Hiking To Abbot Pass Hut

  1. Thank you for recreating my memories of my trips up to the hut, especially the great pictures.

    ICE AXE – BRING ONE and know how to self arrest. Ski poles aren’t really up to the job unless you are super skilled.

    Good gaiters are really helpful.

    Going down, the trick is plunge stepping in the loose scree. You have to go away from the hut along the saddle to the top of the loose stuff.

    Peter Fuhrmann took us down the ledge named for him to Lk. Louise. It’s pretty straightforward if you stay on track and quite a long route. There’s many photos of Mt. Lefroy where you can see the ledge and the scree cone down.

    • Thanks for your comment George, an ice ax sounds like a good idea as getting down was pretty scary in a blizzard. I had heard that going down the otherside to Lake Louise was a technical route and I don’t have the gear or experience so I skipped out on doing that.

      • Going down the other side on the Fuhrmann Ledge is straightforward. The technical part is crossing what remains of the glacier and navigating to the ledge, best done with a guide or glacier travel experience (can you get your buddy out of a crevasse?).

        Oh yes, the ledge is really wide but mostly buried in rubble with just enough room for your feet.

  2. Beautifully written and photographed essay! You’ve inspired me to try to write up my experience of hiking up to Abbott’s pass in 2007. I did it during the summer in favorable, mid-summer conditions as part of a trip organized by the Alpine Club of Canada. The ascent went well and I loved being up at the hut but when I realized that the group leader intended for us all, including relative beginners, to descend the death trap to Lake Louise, I felt deeply uneasy. It had been listed in the trip itinerary but actually seeing it and the severe angle of the icey slope was another story. The leaders refused to acccompany us down to Lake O’Hara the way we came and against my better judgement I joined the group roped into the descent to Lake Louise. The Death Trap was hours of sheer mental and physical torture. I have to wonder whether our leader who had the title of “Director of Safety” at the ACC had lost his marbles.

  3. Haha! First time in the mountains?? My mom did this “walk” in the middle of the night in the pitch black!

  4. “the outhouse is the highest in the country” False, but great article regardless.
    Neil Colgan hut has the elevation of this guy beat.

  5. Are you scared of heights? I’m an experienced hiker but highly afraid of heights. I get vertigo feelings when I even look up at tall buildings. It’s pretty rare but I’ve turned around a couple times due to height scaries, and don’t want to plan everything, make it to the hike, and have to bail once I get to the scree field. Let me know what you think!

    • Hi Anna, I’m not really scared of heights so it wasn’t a problem for me but I do think it could definitely be an issue if you are afraid of heights – coming down even more so than going up. You could always plan to do it as a day hike and stay at the Elizabeth Parker hut, that way there is no pressure to make it up there. The hike to Lake Oesa is worth doing whether you make it any further or not.

  6. Very excited to say that I am finally going to make my bucket list of doing this a reality in just over 8 weeks from now!! Booked the hut and will be securing my flight out to Calgary shortly! As things stand now, unless I find people on the trail to hook up with, I’ll be heading up on my own. Quite exciting for me! Any pointers or suggestions for clubs in the area or groups to hook up with that might help out with hooking me up with other hikers when i go would be greatly appreciated!

    • I am so excited for you! You are going at the perfect time – not likely to be any crazy snow storms like there was for me although you never know what is going to happen in the mountains. I can’t think of any clubs but look on meetup.com – there might be some on there. I would recommend staying at the Fireweed Hostel in Field beforehand – it’s a great little hostel and a lot of people who do Abbot Hut stay there before and/or after. It’s mostly an older, outdoors crowd – definitely not a party hostel.

  7. Great story 🙂 I’ll be heading out midway through the month in August, and I’m excited to get out there. Your photos are absolutely beautiful! What camera did you use?

  8. Hi Katie,

    Just wondering if you spoke to the ACC (Alberta climbing club) who owns the hut for their advise beforehand? Did they tell you how much experience was needed and the best months to go or did you just do your own research? One woman from the ACC gave me dire warnings, but that was also for June When there is still snow. Another woman told me an intermediate to strong hiker would be just fine. So they are giving me mixed signals and I’m nervous.

    Thanks!

    • Hi Julie, I’m not sure about June – I guess it would depend how much snow there is as if there is a thick layer of snow and it is melting then it could definitely be dangerous. I went at the end of the summer season and the thin layer of snow when I went up there actually helped us out as the rocks didn’t slip so much – the snow made them stick together more. Sorry I can’t be of more help – I think that they would be monitoring the situation and would be able to tell you more in June about what the snowpack is like and how safe/unsafe it is.

  9. Hey there,
    Just wondering what made you decide to do the hike knowing that it may snow that day? I’m curious because you describe it as a lot more treacherous than other bloggers who have documented it, and it’s a hike I dream of doing hopefully next summer, but not if it’s a death wish lol. I understand the reward was amazing, but were you actually scared for your life at some point? Just wanting honest advice going forward! Thanks!

    • Hi Julie, Going up was fine, even though it had been snowing. Don’t get me wrong – it was hard, but I didn’t really feel it was so dangerous. It was just coming down in the blizzard that made me actually scared and I didn’t expect weather that crazy in September! I would recommend going in the middle of summer, that way it would be very unlikely you would encounter any snow at all. Also make sure you hire a helmet and hiking sticks.

  10. This is not the Abbot Pass. You went up a scree slope to the ACC hut and back down.

    Abbot Pass (aka The Deathtrap) is beyond the hut onto that narrow glacier with overhanging ice that can kill you at any time, if you don’t fall into any deep crevices first, that is.

    Please rename this article, you’re getting undeserved traffic from people trying to prepare for the real Abbot Pass, not a day hike to the hut and back.

    • Yes, he’s wrong. This is Abbot pass. Maybe at one point the death trap was the “true” Abbot pass but I’m not sure who is preparing to go up the death pass when it is highly advised against as the glacier is softening and is a main avalanche pathway? This man must be suifidal.

      Just perusing your article again, as I have Abbot Hut booked for a night this July 14th!

  11. Wow – that sounds amazing and terrifying all at once. I totally agree that sometimes it’s best just not to know what you’re about to get yourself into. Thinking back, that’s how many of my favourite experiences have happened in my life 🙂

  12. What an amazing challenge. I was holding onto my chair as I read about all the slipping and sliding. Thankgoodness you and Rob made it in one piece. So proud. Mumxx

  13. Oh my! That sounds like one tough hike. You must feel very lucky to have survived. Hopefully, all future hikes will be a piece of cake in comparison. It sure does look beautiful, though!

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