Among the Canadian AlpsBurpee, Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone)
History
Among the Canadian Alps
Burpee, Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone)
Canadian Rockies (B.C. and Alta.)
From the summit of the pass the view is one of indescribable grandeur,
a wilderness of gigantic cliffs far and near, stretching up and up to
glittering summits. Scrambling down the steep descent, Lake Oesa comes
into view far below, at the foot of Mount Yukness. Oesa is an Indian
word meaning Ice, and the lake has been appropriately named as, on
account of its elevation, it is frozen over throughout the greater
part of the year and never quite free from ice. A climb down ledges
and talus slopes brings one to the little lake, and from here the
first glimpse is caught of the exquisitely beautiful Lake O'Hara in
the valley far below. As one gets nearer, the loveliness of this
secluded lake grows, and is all the more compelling because of the
absolute stillness, no chalet or carriages or boats or human
interlopers other than ourselves. The colouring is as perfect, as
varied and as utterly beyond description as that of Lake Louise. The
lake is an Alpine gem, in whose bright surface are reflected the green
of the forest that surrounds its shores, and the mountains that
enclose it on either side, the huge bulk of Mount Schaffer and the
curious pinnacles of the Wiwaxy Peaks. A couple of miles to the
southwest, and reached by a good trail, is Lake McArthur, another
mountain tarn only a little less charming than Lake O'Hara.
If one has only a limited time to spend in the Park, however,
unquestionably it should be devoted to the Yoho Valley, on the north
side of the railway. Several good roads and trails now lead to the
valley from Field, by way of Emerald Lake, Burgess Pass and the Yoho
River, so that the visitor has a choice of routes, and is assured of
many enchanting views both going and coming.
The valley was explored as long ago as 1897 by Jean Habel, a famous
German mountaineer, who spent seventeen days there and returned with
such enthusiastic accounts of mountains, lakes and wonderful
waterfalls that it was determined to make the valley accessible to
tourists. A trail was commenced by the Canadian Pacific Railway in
1900, and since the organisation of the district into a national park
this first attempt has been extended into a system of roads and trails
giving access to every part of the valley. A delightful drive through
"aisles of stately firs," and over a good wagon road, brings one to
Emerald Lake, where the Railway Company, with its customary
thoughtfulness, has provided a comfortable and picturesque chalet,
situated on a wooded promontory. The lake, says Outram, is a "gem of
perfect beauty, its colouring marvellously rich and vivid, and
constantly changing under the shifting lights and shades." In its
surface are mirrored the ramparts and precipices of Mount Wapta and
Mount Burgess and the snowy glaciers of President Mountain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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