An alpine hut run by the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) in Asulkan Valley, Rogers Pass, Glacier National Park
The Alpine Club of Canada operates the largest network of backcountry huts in North America.
Access to these family-friendly huts in alpine meadows, backcountry powder paradises and remote climbers’ refuges will now be cheaper for UIAA members.
To date, UIAA – International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation members were able to use the huts at ACC member rates if they paid the annual hut upgrade fee of $24.
“Effective immediately, all members of UIAA members are now invited to enjoy our huts at ACC member rates while no longer paying the annual $24 fee,” said Peter Muir of the Alpine Club of Canada and a UIAA Management Committee member.
The move, said Muir, is meant to promote the ACC’s goals of helping to increase mountain fraternity, increase UIAA members benefits and hopefully gain more reciprocal rights for its members with other UIAA members around the world.
“It is among the most beautiful and well planned hut system in the world,” said Muir, adding that the ACC is expanding with a nice new connection to the winter traverse of the Wapta Ice field (des Poilus hut) for the 2015-2015 winter season.
A Reciprocal Agreement on Mountain Huts currently exists across Europe for members of UIAA federations. They are entitled to use about 1,200 mountain huts offering accommodation for 66,000 people in the entire alpine region – from Slovenia to France, including the Pyrenees.
Use of the huts is government by the International Reciprocity Agreement on Mountain Huts which has its goal, the improvement of mountaineering through the promotion of the use of huts in the Alps and Pyrenees ranges.
The agreement is based on the application to all members of the associations of the same discounted rates for use of the huts, according to each national rule.
Canmore Clubhouse
31-person hostel with dorm-style accommodation one hour west of Calgary. Great access to all the recreation and town amenities of Canmore. Free Wi-Fi.
Pat Boswell Cabin at Canmore Clubhouse
Private family rooms in a separate self-contained cabin on the Clubhouse property in Canmore. Accommodates up to four families of three to four people. Free Wi-Fi.
Bell Cabin at Canmore Clubhouse
Self-contained cabin for up to 15 people on the Canmore Clubhouse property. Dorm-style rooms and kitchen, living, bathroom facilities. Perfect for groups. Free Wi-Fi.
HI-Lake Louise Alpine Centre
Modern timber-frame hostel with cafe and kitchen, dorm-style and private rooms. A joint venture of the Alpine Club of Canada and Hosteling International-Canada.
Elizabeth Parker Hut
The flagship of the ACC’s huts. Used as a base for spectacular day hiking and ski touring at Lake O’Hara. The EP Hut is very popular in summer and winter.
Stanley Mitchell Hut
Beautiful, family-friendly hiking hut and remote ski touring hut in the Little Yoho Valley. 3-4 hour approach from Takkakaw Falls in summer; very long approach in winter.
Elk Lakes Cabin
Family-friendly hut in summer and winter. 3-4 hour approach from Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Also accessible by mountain bike.
Abbot Pass Hut
Historic stone hut on the Continental Divide between Mts. Lefroy and Victoria, near Lake Louise. The second highest permanent structure in Canada.
Peter and Catharine Whyte (Peyto) Hut
The most northerly hut on the Wapta Icefield. Used on traverses of the Wapta in both summer and winter.
Scott Duncan Hut
The most southerly of the huts on the Wapta Icefield. Used for traverses of the Wapta in summer and winter.
A.O. Wheeler Hut
Historic log cabin hut in Rogers Pass with easy access. Used as a base for summer hiking and mountaineering and winter ski touring.
Asulkan Cabin
10-person hut at the head of Asulkan Valley in Rogers Pass. A base for exceptional backcountry skiing and mountaineering.
Sapphire Col Hut
Remote climbers’ hut in the Asulkan Range, Rogers Pass, BC. Access involves mountaineering and glacier travel.
Glacier Circle Cabin
Remote and difficult to access hut in the Dawson Range near Rogers Pass. Used for mountaineering and ski touring.
Neil Colgan Hut
Climbing hut in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, Banff. The highest permanent structure in Canada. All approaches require mountaineering and glacier travel.
Castle Mountain Hut
6-person hut on Goat Plateau, half-way up Castle Mountain in Banff National Park. It has a technical approach and is used by rock climbers only.
Bill Putnam (Fairy Meadow) Hut
World-class ski touring and spectacular summer granite mountaineering. In the Adamant range of the Selkirk Mountains. Helicopter access.
Ben Ferris (Great Cairn) Hut
Remote 6-person stone hut in the northern Selkirks. Excellent base for climbing Mt. Sir Sandford.
Conrad Kain Hut
Climbing hut in the world-famous Bugaboos. Superb granite mountaineering and alpine rock climbing in south-eastern BC.
Kokanee Glacier Cabin
Luxurious 15-person, fly-in self-catered backcountry ski lodge in winter and hiking destination in summer.
Silver Spray Cabin
Hiking and mountaineering hut in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park near Nelson, BC. Officially closed in winter.
Woodbury Cabin
Located in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park near Nelson, BC. Used by hikers and mountaineers. Officially closed in winter.
Lloyd MacKay (Mt. Alberta) Hut
6-person climbers’ hut in the Mt. Alberta area. Used as a base for climbing in summer, not used in winter. Very difficult access.
Sydney Vallance (Fryatt) Hut
Cozy base for mountaineering, hiking and ski touring in the Fryatt Valley in Jasper National Park.
Wates-Gibson Hut
Classic log cabin in the Tonquin Valley in Jasper National Park. Used for hiking and mountaineering in the Rampart peaks.
Mount Colin Centennial Hut
Small wooden hut near Mt. Colin in Jasper National Park. Used as a base for rock climbing on Mt. Colin.
Jim Haberl Hut – Vancouver Section
Modern 12-person mountaineering hut in the Tantalus Range near Squamish, BC. Accessed by 12-hour hike or helicopter from Squamish.
Tantalus Hut – Vancouver Section
Mountaineering Hut on Lake Lovely Water in the Tantalus Range near Squamish, BC. Also used to access the Jim Haberl Hut.
Wendy Thompson Hut – Whistler Section
16-person ski touring hut in the Marriott Basin north of Whistler, BC. Access is a 2-3 hour ski.
Bon Echo Hut – Toronto Section
Day hut and cook shelter for the nearby climbers’ campground on Mazinaw Lake, 300 km NE of Toronto. Boat access. Used by rock climbers.
Keene Farm – Montreal Section
Located in the Adirondack Forest Preserve State Park in New York State. Used as a base for hiking, skiing and rock climbing.
Montagne d’Argent Hut – Laurentian Section
Rock climbing and ice climbing hut near Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.
