Around 5pm, I checked into Whiskey Jack wilderness hostel at the trailhead to Yoho Lake, while Vinit was packing up his backpack for 2 nights at Yoho Lake. It started to rain, and then poured. Not for long, but enough so Vinit abandoned his camping permit, and also settled into the hostel. This is, maybe my favorite hostel, just for its location. 
Great setting: view of Takakkaw Falls, and distant mountains to the north right from the porch. Hot shower (water volume is very small, turns to trickle when someone washes dishes in the kitchen)! Electric outlet. No cell service here. 3 dorm room, each with 4 bunk beds (triple layered, so unable to sit up), a bathroom. No common toilet. So waiting for toilet is a problem.8/7, Tuesday. Vinit headed off to Iceline Trail (as planned) at 7am. I took his car, drove to Lake O'Hara parking lot(s). Yes, I managed to buy 1 bus ticket, only 1, about a week ago, as a plan B, on the day I received an email about possible closure of the entire Rockwall trail). Lots of cars.
I arrived at the bus stop with my day pack 20 min before the 8:30 bus, as instructed. Checked in (I brought a copy of my confirmation email). I took a photo of this map, which I can buy at Le Relais (the terminus) for $5 cash only. I also have printed a trail map from https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/yoho/activ/randonnee-hike/ohara/~/media/CE3FC64ECB6940C090EB3D3CB53103E4.ashx. A Chinese family of 4 had been waiting there for any last minute cancellation. But everyone with reservation showed up. So they started walking before our buses started rolling. A ranger got on the bus giving a short speech, and answered questions. 2 buses. One bus was for campers. My bus had only 5 campers. The road is a bit rocky. Saw about 15 walkers and 2 runners on the road. All treed, not a fun trail to walk for 11Km. The driver handed out a green plastic token for the return trip (2:30, 4:30, 6:30pm). 
I sat in the first row with another Chinese family of 3 from Boston. No trekking poles, tennis shoes. ~9am, the bus dropped us off at Le Relais (Day Lodge), a couple of minutes walk from the lake. I headed to the lake as soon as I got off the bus. Lake O'Hara is true to its reputable, beautiful in the middle of towering mountains, made especially pleasant thanks to the lack of crowd. However, if you don't hike up, you miss a lot. 
At 9:08, my first trail junction. I headed up Wiwaxy Gap for my version of Alpine Circuit (highlighted in pink on the previous map. trail description of the area). Pretty steep going up. The higher you are, the further you can see. Lake O'Hara lay beneath for I to admire every time I need to catch my breath. Half way up, one of the runners I saw from the bus passed me! He was gracious, stopped for quite a few minutes to point me the various routes, which he had run through many times before. 
At 10:28, I reached the gap. I sat there for 20 minutes, took off my boots and socks, and snacked. View of both side of the gap is gorgeous.
Now I was fully rested, continued the trail (via Huber Ledges Alpine Route), loosing elevation slowly first before dropping down to Oesa Lake. Before the lake, I my second trail junction: to Abbot Pass, you scramble up. That trail isn't on my map. But boot track is obvious. Saw 3 girls resting by the sign. They just returned from Abbot Pass. At Lake Oesa, I saw the most people today. There is a trail coming to the lake directly from O'Hara. The lake is lovely, a typical glacier blue. Green grass and yellow flowers adorn the shore. I sat here again, with my boo
ts off, for ~15 minutes. The young couple in the photo (yellow and blue) are Dutch. I'd see them again and again today. The trail then goes slowly down to a number of smaller lakes, all quite pretty, ringed with grassy shore and flowers. They don't have the glacier color.
Once past this trail junction, less people. 12:30pm. I headed up again to Opabin Plateau, via Yukness Ledge. Met a family of 4 going the opposite direction, overtook one couple.
At Hungabee Lake, I headed up to Opabin Lake. Met only one guy coming up from East Opabin Trail. Opabin is glacier blue. Very pretty. When the 2 Dutch arrived 10 minutes later, I put back on my socks and boots, headed down West Opabin Trail, instead of looping the lake. ~12:45pm. 
Once back at Hungabee Lake, saw a few more people. Hungabee and Moor Lakes are pretty, but they are of regular forest green. Quite some flowers here. There's a small tarn that has a glacier blue. The setting is all lovely.
At 14:20, I headed left to All Souls Alpine Route. I didn't meet anyone all the way to All Soles' Prospect. View is outstanding. Real 360°. Can clearly see the zigzag up to Wiwaxy Gap. I sat by the big cairn all alone for maybe 10 minutes. A young couple came up from Schaffer Lake. I learned that Lake McArthur is worth the detour. 
~15:30, When the 2 Dutch arrived, I headed down to Schaffer Lake. It's very steep, but the trail is clearly laid, and safe enough. In 30 minutes, I was down at trail junction with Big Larch trail.
Schaffer Lake is pleasant, but not worthwhile destination. I went up towards McArthur Pass. Met 3 people coming down from some peak. They told me that the lake is about 45 minutes, and the faster trail is to my left (the high route). So I corrected my trajectory. I went up on some short flowering slope, met 4 ladies, who told me that the lake is 1 hour away. I continued until 4:30, and turned around only about 1/4 in, without getting anywhere worthy of my effort. I may be able to get to the lake, if all the trail signs could include distances.
~5pm, I walked by Elizabeth Parker Huts. The two wooden cabins sit on a flat grassy meadow. Quite lovely. You have to book this last autumn.
I had more time to spare until the bus. So went to Mary Lake, and took a dip. Cold. I only managed to sit in the lake on some big slippery rock. Refreshing. 
Walking back to the bus stop along the lake shore of Lake O'Hara. Lake O'Hara Lodge sits on water. Very pretty setting. You need to call them to reserve. Always totally booked out all summer, whenever I called.6:30pm bus was ~half full, only one bus. A group of 4 without token waiting to board the bus. So if you are unable to obtain a bus ticket, can always hike in early, and pay $10 to the driver on the last bus out. I heard that the 4:30 bus is often full.
On the drive back, I stopped at the Upper Spiral Tunnel viewpoint at the beginning of the Yoho Valley road. The French couple from the hostel were there, and a number of others. A train was passing by, and you could see the ~180 degree turn of the train. Then a brief stop at the confluence of Kicking Horse River and Yoho River. Kicking Horse is clear, and Yoho is silty. There's a short but steep path to go down for a better look.
Back at Whiskey Jack, Vinit was buried in the map adding up miles. He did Iceline trail all the way to Little Yoho Cabin, and some side trails, broke all his hiking records, added 2 blisters on his toes.
After dinner, I walked to Takakkaw Falls. ~10-15 flat minutes. Need a rain jacket to get closer. A plaque says "Takakkaw" = magnificent in Cree. 254m drop. It's fed by Daly Glacier, 350m from the brink, which in turn, is fed by Waputik Icefield. I left my phone charging in the kitchen, so no photos.Nice sunset from the hostel.
My phone registered 39657 steps (before the walk to Takakkaw Falls).
8/8, Wednesday. I went to Takakkaw Falls for sunrise. Not any better than from the hostel's porch. The valley is too narrow, nothing but the highest tip of the mountains is lit. 
The walk is pleasant, and I wore my rain jacket. Yes, there was a pair of red chairs, with its own big platform! I did scramble up the rock debris to sit on a big flat one looking down the river. Sat there for maybe 20 minutes. 
Drove to Emerald Lake. The large parking lot was half full. Already quite a crowd. A short line formed in front of canoe rental, which wasn't open yet. A bit hazy. Very pretty. Didn't walk here. Only used the restroom.~9am, headed towards Banff. Temperature rising.
