Some Alpine hiking first

August 22, 2023

About 15 members of the Vancouver Island Chapter of the Alpine Club of Canada spent the week of August 13th to 20th at the Wheeler hut near Rogers Pass in the Canadian Rockies. I joined ACCVI nine years ago at the age of 75 and have enjoyed going on summer camps most years since. Many of the camps have involved flying in by helicopter to sites usually at about 6000 feet (1800 meters) and pitching ones own tent with hiking/climbing each day. Twice I have been to Lake O'Hara in the Yoho National Park between British Columbia and Alberta. This year we were able to drive into the Wheeler Hut in Glacier National Park in the Canadian Rockies. It is at 1250 meters (4000 feet).

The Arthur O. Wheeler hut is an alpine hut located four km southwest of Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park, British Columbia. Although not truly a backcountry hut, this log cabin is situated conveniently close to the Trans-Canada Highway in the Selkirk Mountains, west of the Rocky Mountains. It is often used as a base for mountaineering, hiking, and ski touring into the Asulkan Range an Illecillewaet Glacier areas south of the highway, and the Hermit Range north of the highway. The hut is maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). It is the only ACC hut which can be reached by vehicle.

During the week we hiked every day and took turns overnighting at the Asulkan Cabin which is located 6.5km up the Asulkan Brook, 300 metres beyond the end of the Asulkan Trail at an elevation of 2100 metres. It accommodates up to 12 people.

There were at least eight members whom I had hiked with before. I was able to go at my own pace each day and paired up with others who are slowing down with age. We particularly missed Albert Hestler. Albert died at the age of 89 a year ago. I had been on many trips with him to ACCVI events (annual meetings at Mount Washington and Summer Camps).

On the fourth day I was hoping to hike to the Asulkan cabin. However after hiking two thirds of the way there but only half the altitude I was slowing down - stopping when going up hill and lying down a couple of times. There were three of us together but then we met up with four others coming down from the cabin and three who had hiked to the trail head before the final ascent to the cabin. With a little persuasion from my friends and with one 53 yr old hiker grabbing my backpack and setting off down hill I gave in and descended. At the end of the hike I had covered over 11 KM. It was easy going downhill. It was a combination of heat and cardiac capability that was slowing me down.

During the week I hiked about 50 KM in total. It was very enjoyable. The area has a lot of history as there was a Glacier Hotel that was a stopping place on the railroad that existed before the building of the Connaught tunnel. All the trails and information signs have been very well maintained by Parks Canada.

Here are a few pictures from the week.