Luck of the Draw (Day 1)

I have to be one of the luckiest girls on earth!  I got to reap the reward of someone else's luck of the draw.  If this evening was any kind of indication of what I was in for, for the next two days, then I am in for a treat of a lifetime in paradise!

The Elizabeth Parker Hut which is an Alpine Club of Canada Hut, is located in the middle of an alpine meadow just a 15 minute walk from Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park, just over the Alberta border into British Columbia.  I have been to this area twice in the past but only on day trips.  

From mid June to early October, only 24 people a night get to stay at the Hut and those people are chosen through a lottery that takes place in the previous November.  It was Happy Hiker's (who is the other luckiest girl on earth) friend whose reward we got to reap! The luck of the draw went in her favour but timing was not in her favour.  We were happy to relieve her of her lottery winnings!

The anticipation was killing me and I was thankful today finally arrived. We had a two hour drive to the parking lot, an 11 kilometer bus ride from the parking lot to the center of this Unesco World Heritage Site and then a 600 meter hike to my home away from home for two nights.  When I rounded the last corner this was my view!  It was more beautiful then I imagined it would be!  We quickly claimed our bunk spot and then we were right back out the door to enjoy an early evening hike around Lake O'Hara. 

We found a bench with a view, then cracked open the wine and made a toast!

The timing of our hike was in our favour for reflections!

After the hike, after the views, after the wine and after the reflections we attended the slide presentation by Larry Stanier at the Le Relais Day Shelter.  While we are no where even remotely close to being capable of experiencing the adventures that he does, we certainly would be seeing lots of the same sights that he showed us.  It was a taste of what we were in for and that just increased my level of anticipation.

Lake O'Hara and Elizabeth Parker Hut take up a very small part of this vast area in Yoho.  Tomorrow we will venture off and seek out many of these other colorful lakes.  Until then, this is to be my first time sleeping in an Alpine Hut!

STAY TUNED !