CANADIAN ROCKIES - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 490

The torrent, issuing from an icy cavern, rushes tempestuously down a
deep, winding chasm till it gains the verge of the unbroken cliff, leaps
forth in sudden wildness for a hundred and fifty feet, and then in a stu-
pendous column of pure white sparkling water, broken by giant jets des-
cending rocketlike and wreathed in volumed spray, dashes upon the rocks
almost a thousand feet below, and, breaking into a milky series of cascad-
ing rushes for five hundred feet more, swirls into the swift current of the
Yoho River.
Getting There
It's possible to walk to Lake O'Hara, but most visitors take the shuttle bus along a road
closed to the public. The departure point is a signed parking lot 15 kilometers (9.3 miles)
east of Field and three kilometers (1.9 miles) west of the Continental Divide. Buses for
day visitors depart between mid-June and early October at 8:30am and 10:30am, returning
at 2:30pm, 4:30pm, and 6:30pm. To book a seat, call the dedicated reservations line (250/
343-6433). Reservations are taken up to three months in advance, but as numbers are lim-
ited, you will need to call exactly three months prior to be assured of a seat; even then, you
should call as early in the day as possible. Phone lines are open 8am-4pm Monday-Friday
April-May and 8am-4pm daily June-September. The reservation fee is $12 per booking, and
the bus fare is $15 per person round-trip. The procedure is simple enough, but to be assured
a seat, it's important to get it right: For example, to visit on September 25 (when the larch
are at their colorful peak), start dialing at 8am on June 25 (with a credit card ready). Reser-
vations are only required for the inbound shuttle; outgoing buses fill on demand.
All times—bus departures and reservation center hours—are mountain standard time.
Practicalities
After the 20-minute bus trip to the lake, day hikers are dropped off at Le Relais, a homely
log shelter where books and maps are sold, including the recommended Gem Trek Lake
Louise and Yoho map. Hot drinks and light snacks are served—something to look forward
to at the end of the day, as this is also the afternoon meeting place for the return trip (no
reservations necessary).
Several overnight options are available at the lake—including a lodge, a campground,
and a rustic hut—but each should be booked well in advance.