There are a number of sections of the Great Divide Trail and hiking most of them is a multi-year challenge.    One summer, we backpacked from the Kootenay National Park to Lake O’Hara, a 4 day journey to Floe Lake, through Numa Pass, Tumbling Pass, under the Rockwall, and beyond to Helmet Creek, Goodsir Pass, and then up McArthur Pass to Lake O’Hara.   This will be detailed in another series of posts, but in this series on Lake O’Hara, some information is provided on the McArthur Pass route.

McArthur Pass is long, steep, and not very rewarding if approaching from the west.    But, it is the right route if hiking the Great Divide Trail to Lake O’Hara is the goal.    The trail starts at a junction on the Ottertail River.   There is a (10 pad) backcountry campsite there and a warden cabin, but by itself is not much of a destination.   As a point of access to Goodsir Pass or Ottertail Pass, it makes a good basecamp.    It is possible to mountain bike or cross-country ski into this point, but going up McArthur Pass on bike or xc skis is not an option.   In summer, McArthur Pass is often “closed” since it is a wildlife (grizzly bear) corridor.    We passed through without spotting any bears on our last trip.    The route follows McArthur Creek without much elevation gain for the first 2/3 of the hike, then it begins a steep climb.   We found the route unrewarding until we crested a headwall just below the pass.    Larch trees and tarns greeted us, and the rest of the way to the campground is such a beautiful area that our backpacks suddenly felt lighter.

This is not a recommended route into Lake O’Hara, but as finish point for a trek on the Great Divide Trail, McArthur Pass is another route into this special area.