Hike to Abbott Pass Hut on the BC- AB Border
I was invited by the media group representing Travel Alberta to join a group on a two day hike to Abbott Pass Hut on the Alberta – BC border. Their goal was to produce a three to four minute video of the journey for the Travel Alberta website for release later in the fall. Part of the hike to Abbott Pass is a serious scree climb and the hut is precariously through beautifully situated.
Please note: The Abbott Pass Hut is permanently closed as of 2022 – and in fact the hut was taken down for safety reasons in July 2022. Apparently there was more slope erosion than originally thought and some cracks in the masonry. An end of an era though in 2023 I heard talk of a rebuild. Who knows?
Our group consisted of four hikers, three mountain guides and ten others – including crew, client and agency people.
In our hiking group – talent is what we were called – none of us had been in anything but a home video before. We had to agree before going that we would cooperate at all times with photos, videos and interviews. Sure – no problem I figured. And fortunately, the on camera sessions got easier over the course of the two days.
When you see a picture of Abbott Pass Hut you might ask yourself why in God’s name anyone would want to hike there.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Hike to Abbott Pass Hut for the challenge
I love the mountains. I revel in their beauty and delight in the solitude. That’s not to say that I’m not intimidated at times and in fact occasionally terrified on a talus slope when the boulders underneath you start to move. Trust me, I am.
But with the security of a mountain guide and their expertise with route finding, I had no problem agreeing to go.
Out of the four hikers, I was the oldest by far. In fact I could have been their mother. What I had going for me was experience and I figured I was in shape enough to make it up the close to 3,000 feet of vertical with a pack on my back.
And as it turned out there were many in the group of ten who had never done anything like this before. In fact our guide Tamara said that she thinks it was probably the first time Abbott Pass Hut had anyone walk through the door in jeans. (Thank heavens the weather cooperated because not all were dressed appropriately!)
The Abbott Pass hike starts easily
Over the course of about an hour you make your way up on a wide trail from the incredibly hued Lake O’Hara to the equally gorgeous Lake Oesa.
Read: Hiking to Lake Oesa in Yoho National Park
Time to get serious on the Abbott Pass hike
Above Lake Oesa it’s time to don helmets and get serious. Initially the scree slopes are easy to cross; it’s the final 2,000 feet of climbing that gets gnarly.
Once you get into the section of unstable boulders you need to focus on every footstep. You don’t want to get a leg or a hand caught under a boulder. And you certainly don’t want to dislodge one and send it bouncing down the mountain.
The only part of the climb I really disliked was the middle section. Through here the boulders were larger and more mobile. At times it felt like you were on a sliding mountain. Whenever a boulder started to go my adrenaline surged. One step at a time was my mantra.
As we got close to the top the grade seemed to steepen even more – but solid outcrop appeared so you felt a sense of safety grabbing onto it.
Once you get to the Pass views are out of this world – as is your sense of accomplishment
The backside of the saddle that takes you down to Lake Louise is called The Death Trap. One of the guides said he’d done it once before and never again. Ice randomly breaks off from the glacier plus there are numerous crevasses to traverse.
Would I do it again?? Maybe – but there are so many great hikes in the Rockies I’d like to do, that I think for now I’d rather explore new country.
Tips for the hike to Abbott Pass
The hike to Abbott Pass Hut is a serious one. Accidents happen regularly on the scree slopes and people have been killed. Follow these tips for a safe hike.
Helmets: Wear a helmet at all times through the scree.
Poles: Use a pole. It helps tremendously for balance. Keep it in the uphill hand.
Where to hike: Stay to the middle of the scree slope. More accidents from rockfall occur close to the mountain.
Rocks: Never pull on a rock. They are way too easy to dislodge.Be very aware of who is climbing ahead of you and behind you. Yell ROCK if one starts bouncing down.
Don’t forget: Take the proper clothing and the 10 hiking essentials. There’s a huge temperature change from bottom to top and it’s cold at night; it was below freezing in mid August.
Guide: Hire a guide if you’re route finding skills aren’t great. We used Yamnuska Guides out of Canmore. They do the cooking too.
Time needed: Allow 3-6 hours to hike to the hut in the summer. The hut is rarely visited in the winter.
People staying in the hut: The hut was used by the real mountaineering crowd – those out to climb nearby Mount Victoria and Mount Lefroy.
Another gorgeous scenery and hike! You constantly amaze me with these challenging hikes you do and this just looks scary. Love the reflection shots. That Abbot House outhouse may have to go on the record books for having the best views. Glad you made it through and looking forward to the video.
@Mary It was a tad scary a few times but that makes you feel very alive. And I loved the sense of accomplishment I got from this hike.
Another gorgeous scenery and hike! You constantly amaze me with these challenging hikes you do and this just looks scary. Love the reflection shots. That Abbot House outhouse may have to go on the record books for having the best views. Glad you made it through and looking forward to the video.
I loved your reference to “being old enough to be. . .” I don’t know how many times when we ask some ‘youngin’ behind a hotel reception desk where something is and are told in a hushed cautionary tone, “Well, it IS several blocks away. . .” Which usually prompts Joel to say to me minutes later, “How old do they think we ARE??!!”
Keep up the good adventures Leigh. . .this is one I am glad you did so that we could enjoy it through your photos.
@Jackie I was pleased that I had no problem keeping up with anyone in the group. I’m not sure how many of my readers would be keen to do this one – not many is my guess though people seem to be enjoying the photos.
I loved your reference to “being old enough to be. . .” I don’t know how many times when we ask some ‘youngin’ behind a hotel reception desk where something is and are told in a hushed cautionary tone, “Well, it IS several blocks away. . .” Which usually prompts Joel to say to me minutes later, “How old do they think we ARE??!!”
Keep up the good adventures Leigh. . .this is one I am glad you did so that we could enjoy it through your photos.
What a very brave accomplishment. I’m not sure I would have made it.
@Mette I didn’t have a choice – committed to going up once you start on the scree which is actually good mentally because you know you 100% have to do it.
What a very brave accomplishment. I’m not sure I would have made it.
Wow! I’m not sure that some of that would actually count as ‘trail’. What a hike! Good for you Leigh!
Wow! I’m not sure that some of that would actually count as ‘trail’. What a hike! Good for you Leigh!
It’d be lovely to do , just to say I’ve done it. The views are just incredible. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Now can you imagine carrying the materials to build the hut in 1922? I wonder how many guides didn’t make it.
@Marcia I can’t even imagine the difficulties that lay in building this hut. They had to come up the Death Zone with all the materials. And they certainly didn’t have the lightweight equipment we have. These men (I’m assuming men) had to have been a courageous lot.
It’d be lovely to do , just to say I’ve done it. The views are just incredible. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Now can you imagine carrying the materials to build the hut in 1922? I wonder how many guides didn’t make it.
That looks amazing. I’m tempted to find some climbing/hiking partners.
Good for you Margaret. Go for it.
That looks amazing. I’m tempted to find some climbing/hiking partners.
You got me on this one! I think I’ll enjoy this hike through your pictures and video. The beauty of Alberta continues to amaze me.
@Debbie One summer when the weather is fine I hope you come to visit.
You got me on this one! I think I’ll enjoy this hike through your pictures and video. The beauty of Alberta continues to amaze me.
Can’t wait to see the video when it’s released. I’d love to check out Abbott Pass Hut, but I’m afraid the steep grades might get the better of me. I wish I had some of your adventurous hiking skills and experience. The lake and mountains are quite stunning. Beautiful shots.
@Cathy I can’t wait to see the video either. I’m not one to look for the limelight so I hope my speaking is kept to only a few sound bites here and there. And it was a positively breathtaking experience. My legs took three days to fully recover.
Can’t wait to see the video when it’s released. I’d love to check out Abbott Pass Hut, but I’m afraid the steep grades might get the better of me. I wish I had some of your adventurous hiking skills and experience. The lake and mountains are quite stunning. Beautiful shots.
That certainly looks like a very daunting mountain hike. And I’m glad you are safe and sound to share the tale. Bravo!
@Michael I can’t tell you how happy I was yo make it make to Terra Firma!!
That certainly looks like a very daunting mountain hike. And I’m glad you are safe and sound to share the tale. Bravo!
What a unique experience and how brave you are! I love hiking and I guess I would do almost everything to have such an amazing view. The part that scares me is the rocky route (related to bad children memories), but maybe with a mountain guide I would overcome my fears.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story of a really special place.
@Simon Having a guide does give you confidence as you do rely on their route-finding experience. I know John and I could have done it on my own but I would have definitely been more uptight.
This is stunning! Gorgeous photos. Now I really want to do this hike!