Elizabeth Parker Hut

GPS Coordinates: 51°21' 18"-116°20' 36" NAD83 11U 545726 5689508

For more detailed information, view these printable pages on Elizabeth Parker Hut

Elizabeth Parker Hut, Lake O'Hara, Yoho National Park. Excellent hiking, mountaineering and ski touring from one of our most easily accessed huts. Summer access involves a 20 minute hike. Winter access is a 3-5 hour ski. Class A, sleeps 24 (20 in winter).

This is the flagship of the fleet! For overall comfort and straightforward access this is the place to be! Wheeler Hut is easier to reach but "EP" has a charm and feeling of warmth that is hard to beat.

As much as any single person, Elizabeth Parker was largely responsible for the formation of the Alpine Club of Canada, and this hut sits as a wonderful tribute to her efforts. The Lake O'Hara region is a stunning masterpiece of mountain architecture which has to be seen to be believed and appreciated.

In summer the opportunities for doing fantastic hikes are endless. There are so many classic trails here that many seasons would be required to complete them all. Climbing is excellent in the area as well, with a mixture of rock and alpine routes which will keep most alpinists happy.

Reference material available

The hut is also one of the most popular in winter - one of the few ACC huts which can be reasonably reached with cross country skis. Ski touring in the area varies from easy, flat tours to serious backcountry skiing on avalanche prone slopes and glaciers.

The main cabin is spacious and has a propane system which provides the cooking and lighting. An efficient woodstove will have the place toasty warm in no time. There is even an oven in the kitchen, a feature which the ACC has provided in many of its Class A huts. A well-equipped kitchen and covered foamies help complete the picture of pure comfort! The hut sleeps 24 in summer and 20 in winter.

Approach in summer is by bus to the Le Relais Day Shelter then a quick 1 km hike to the hut. Link to info on bus schedule.

In winter the road is not plowed so the total distance is 12 km to the hut from the trailhead, but it is very straightforward skiing. Allow 3 to 4 hours for the trip in winter.

The hut is also used as a base for mountaineering and a starting point for trips to the Abbot Pass Hut.

NOTE: This facility is subject to peak rate pricing. For more on peak rate pricing and Alpine Club of Canada facility rates please click here. To receive a quote or to book please contact the Club's reservations team at 403-678-3200 (1) or email

Elizabeth Parker summer 2010 booking policies

All parties interested in booking the Elizabeth Parker Hut from the third weekend of June to the first weekend of October 2010 are encouraged to complete the online lottery application by November 19, 2009 at 5:00pm Mountain time.

• Application Deadline for bookings June 19 to October 3 2010 is 11:59 PM November 19/2009 MST
• Lottery winners will be contacted on or before December 1, 2009
• Lottery winners must confirm their booking with a 20% non-refundable deposit by December 15.
• Bookings not confirmed by December 15 will be available on a first-come first-served basis beginning December 17 at 9:00 AM
• Lottery winners are required to have a facilities upgrade option on their membership at the time of reservation.
• Once the booking is confirmed all standard cancellation and payment policies apply
• The lottery application fee is $10/date requested
• There is no limit to the number of requests you can make for the same date or different dates
• The maximum number of nights you can request is 7.
• The 2010 Lake O'Hara bus schedule has not been set by Parks Canada. Therefore bus times are subject to change and the time submitted in the lottery will be considered a request - not confirmed.

Nightly, per person fees for the months of July through September of 2010 at Elizabeth Parker Hut will be $30.00 for facility members and $41.00 for non-facility members.

Apply for the lottery online: Elizabeth Parker lottery application form

Winter bookings at the Elizabeth Parker hut are the same as standard hut booking policies, for more information please see Bookings.

Please note that there is also a new policy for ACC Section bookings at Elizabeth Parker. Click the link or contact your Section Representative or call the National Office for more details.

Send your requests for summertime hut bookings in the Elizabeth Parker hut to:

Facilities Administration
Alpine Club of Canada
P.O. Box 8040, Canmore, Alberta T1W 2T8

Ph: 403 678 3200, ext. 104
Fax: 403 678 3224