Elevation 1,720 m Phone +1 403-678-3200 | Province British Columbia Capacity 10 | |
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Address Elk Pass, East Kootenay A, BC V0B 1H0, Canada Similar Elk Lakes Provincial Park, Peter Lougheed Provincial, William Watson Lodge, Kananas Country Campgro, Mount Sarrail Campgro | ||
Elk lakes cabin trip 2013
The Elk Lakes cabin is an alpine hut located between the French and Italian Military Groups in the Canadian Rockies, set near the Continental Divide among massive cliff faces, waterfalls, lakes, craggy summits, and hanging icefalls in Elk Lakes Provincial Park, British Columbia. It is 62 km south of the Trans-Canada Highway in Kananaskis Country, Alberta and 104 km north of Sparwood, British Columbia. The area has many easy trails for hiking, while also providing access to more serious mountaineering objectives. In winter, ice climbs abound, and backcountry skiers will find great terrain with lots of powder. Overall, the terrain around the Elk Lakes cabin is quite similar to that near the Elizabeth Parker hut. The hut is maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada.
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History
The Elk Lakes cabin was built in 1992 to house BC Parks rangers. In 2003, BC Parks issued a request for proposals for the operation of the cabin for public use. The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) was awarded operation of the cabin as part of its extensive alpine hut system, and began operating it in the summer of 2004.
The Elk Lakes cabin was a welcome addition to the ACC's hut system. It has easy access, and a wide range of hiking, skiing and climbing opportunities in the area.
From Alberta
Parking for hiking, biking, skiing or snowshoeing into the Elk Lakes cabin is at the Elk Pass trailhead, near Upper Kananaskis Lake in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Coming from Calgary or Canmore, drive 50 km south of the Trans-Canada Highway on Alberta Highway 40. Coming from the south, drive 17 km north from Highwood Pass on Highway 40. Either way, turn left (west) onto the Kananaskis Lakes Trail, and follow the road south for 12 km to the Elk Pass trailhead.
If hiking to the cabin, from the parking lot, head south on the gated gravel road right of the outhouse. Ignore several trails which leave the main trail, and follow the hiker signs 4.8 km to the Park boundaries/West Elk Pass summit. From West Elk Pass it is a 4.2 km downhill hike to the cabin.
If biking, skiing or snowshoeing, follow the hiking trail for 2 km, but take the left (east) trail immediately after crossing the Fox Creek bridge. This trail ascends to the overhead powerline which leads over Elk Pass all the way to the Elk River Forest Service Road. Once at the forest service road, turn right (west) and reach the cabin in a few hundred metres. Please note that mountain biking is not allowed elsewhere in the park. In winter, the trail is trackset as far as Elk Pass. There is no avalanche hazard on or near the trail.
From British Columbia
From the Crowsnest Highway (British Columbia Highway 3), turn off at Sparwood and drive north on the Elk Valley Highway (British Columbia Highway 43) until you reach the community of Elkford, a distance of 35 km. From here, travel the gravel road on the west side of the Elk River. Approximately 47 km north of Elkford the road crosses the Elk River and joins the Kananaskis Power Line Road. It is 5.8;km from the crossing to the Cadorna Creek trailhead; the Elk Lakes trailhead is a further 16.1 km. The Elk Lakes Cabin is 150 m from the parking area. The drive takes approximately six hours from Calgary or 2.5 hours from Fernie. Much of it is over rough gravel or dirt roads and cars with low clearance are not recommended.
Facilities
The cabin consists of a kitchen area and living room with tables and a wood burning stove. The sleeping quarters are in a loft above the main floor. The cabin sleeps up to 14 people on four-inch thick, covered foam mattresses found on two long bunks, and one shorter one.
The kitchen is supplied with dishes, cutlery, utensils, pots and pans and bake ware (including roasting pans, cookie sheets, bread pans and muffin pans). There is a full size propane oven, as well as some two-burner propane stoves for cooking. The hut is lit by several propane lights. Propane is supplied by the Alpine Club via a large outdoor tank.
Heat is supplied by a wood-burning stove in the cabin. Firewood is stored in the nearby wood shed. Users are requested to replace all firewood used with cut and split wood from the pile. The hut has a good supply of tools including water buckets, axes, saws, shovels, etc.
Drinking water is available 10 m to the west of the hut from a tributary of Elkan Creek. In winter, water is from snowmelt, however, the creek is often accessible even in winter. It is recommended that all water be boiled or filtered before drinking.
Grey water disposal is in a ground sump next to the hut. Grey water can be drained directly down the sinks, but the strainer must be in place under the drain. Food scraps (including coffee grounds) should not be allowed to enter the grey water sump or it will become plugged. The strainer contents should be emptied into the fireplace periodically. The grey water sump occasionally freezes in the winter, in which case grey water (strained of food particles) should be dumped within a three-metre radius of the outhouse.
For human waste, the outhouse is located 10 m east of the cabin. Garbage should not be disposed of in the outhouse. All paper garbage and food scraps should be burned, and all other garbage and unused food packed out.
Requirements
Activities
Located within the western ranges of the southern Rocky Mountains, Elk Lakes Provincial Park is an easily accessible wilderness park characterized by outstanding subalpine landscapes, remnant glaciers, rugged peaks and productive lakes.
The Elk Lakes area has a wide variety of hiking options. Hikers of all abilities and interests will be entertained for several days in the area. Many of the trails are appropriate for all family members with some experience in backcountry hiking. Other trails are longer, tougher, more exposed and involve some route-finding. Everyone will be rewarded with spectacular views of craggy peaks, alpine tarns, waterfalls, glaciers, alpine flowers and mountain fauna.
Several mountaineering objectives and a couple of difficult scrambles can be reached from the Elk Lakes cabin. Mounts Fox, Aosta, Petain, Nivelle and Castelnau can all be summited in a moderate to long day from the cabin. There is good access to Mount Joffre from the Elk Lakes side, but a high camp is recommended if you are planning on climbing it. Guidebook information on the area is contained in the out-of-print Rocky Mountains of Canada – South, by Boles, Kruszyna and Putnam.
The Elk Lakes Cabin is very popular for backcountry skiing in winter. It is one of the few Canadian Alpine huts that can be reached with cross country skis by reasonably advanced skiers. Those on alpine touring or telemark gear should find the trip easy. The ski touring in the area ranges from easy, flat tours to advanced ski mountaineering. The ski touring is not described in any guidebooks, so you will have to use a map and your imagination to find your own trails and slopes.
The area has several high quality waterfall ice routes and at least one established mixed climb.
Nearby
Parks Information
Elk Lakes Provincial Park is a BC park, and access from the Alberta side is through Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, an Alberta park. Each park has rules about dogs, fishing, bicycles and other things. In particular, dogs are not allowed on the ski trails, nor are they allowed inside the cabin at any time. Bikes are allowed on the trail to Elk Pass (in Peter Lougheed Park) and along the power line to the cabin, but are not allowed elsewhere in Elk Lakes Park.
There are several campgrounds in both parks, including one that is a kilometre from Elk Lakes cabin. The fees for the lower Elk Lake campground are $5 per person, per night, and it is first-come, first-served.
For more information, see the parks references.