Jim Haberl Hut, Vancouver Section

Jim Haberl Hut, Tantalus Range, British Columbia

Grand Opening Summer 2006!

Many years of effort and love have gone into making this new hut by the ACC-Vancouver Section a welcoming and comfortable base for mountaineering in the Tantalus Range and a fine memorial to Jim Haberl.

LOCATION

The Jim Haberl Hut is located in the Tantalus Range, just northwest of Squamish, BC. It is located at 6800’ elevation in the Serratus-Dione Col, about a 6-hour hike above Lake Lovely Water and the Tantalus Hut or a full 14 hours (usually done over two days) from the Squamish River. The site is located on the edge of Tantalus Provincial Park at 551600 northerly/477800 easterly on map 92G/14 (Cheakamus River).

ACCESS & APPROACH

Access On Foot: Cross the Squamish River and take the trail to Lake Lovelywater. Carry on past Lambda Lake to the “Russian Army Camp”, then follow a mountaineering route up steep scree & snow to the Ionia-Serratus Col. Cross a small glacier northwards to the Serratus-Dione Col and the hut. For jetboat service across the Squamish River, call Jay Bricknell at 604-898-3356. Cost for Summer 2006 is $40 per person. Typically leaves Brackendale at 9 am & returns 4-5 pm.

Access by Helicopter: Squamish Airport direct to hut. Contact Omega Aviation 604-898-1067 or Black Tusk Helicopters 604-898-4800.

BOOKINGS

Open: Year round, beginning July 1, 2006.

Reservations: Required as the hut is kept locked. To book your stay, please contact the hut custodian to arrange access and pay the overnight fees.

Hut Custodian: Ron Royston, call him at
work: 604.687.2711 (preferred) or at
home: 604.921.8164
fax: 604.685.6569
email:

Fees:

• ACC members: $15 per person per night (Please send Ron a photocopy of your membership card.)
• Non-members: $25 per person per night
• Day-users: $10 per person is requested.
• Commercial Guides with Clients: $20 per person per night with the guide going free

FACILITIES

The Jim Haberl Hut is a single storey wood frame structure with metal roofing and cladding. There is a large kitchen and sitting room with wonderful views to the north, south and west. There are also two sleeping rooms with bunks for 6 people each. While the hut is kept locked, there is an unlocked vestibule for emergency use.

Cooking: The kitchen is fully equipped with 2 propane cooktops and full cooking and eating utensils.

Fresh Water: Snow must be melted in winter and spring. In early summer, water can be collected where it runs in rivulets across rocks. A fairly major ‘creek’ forms on the glacier to the north about 10 minutes away. A water collection system off the roof is installed to store water in a tank in the crawlspace. This water must be filtered and/or boiled for drinking.

Garbage: Please take all garbage out with you.

Heating: A propane heater keeps the hut cozy on cool days.

Lighting: Wiring has been roughed in for future lighting. A wind or solar power system is being considered. For now, visitors are advised to bring headlamps. Candles and other open flames are not permitted in the hut.

OPPORTUNITIES

The terrain around the hut is dramatic and most suitable for intermediate and advanced climbers. There is a wide variety of mixed snow and rock routes of various grades on peaks such as: Tantalus 2603m (8540'); Dione 2590m (8500'); Alpha 2305m (7562'); Serratus 2326m (7632') and others. The hut is conveniently located for climbers doing the full traverse of the Tantalus Range. Climbing in the area is covered in Climbing and Hiking in Southwestern B.C. by Bruce Fairley, and in Alpine Select by Kevin McLane.

The terrain is not suitable for general ski touring due to the avalanche hazard, however steep skiing and snowboarding is possible by experienced parties during spring months. Several paragliders have enjoyed flights from the Serratus-Dione Col to the Squamish Valley.

Jim Haberl

Jim was an internationally certified full mountain guide, freelance photojournalist, national best-selling author, motivational speaker and a loving husband, son, brother, uncle, friend and mentor. He was killed in an avalanche while mountaineering in Alaska on April 29, 1999. The Jim Haberl Hut has been built in the Tantalus Range to celebrate Jim’s spirit and to remind us what a gift he was to this world.