2017 month-by-month hut maintenance review

 
Silver Spray Cabin. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Silver Spray Cabin. Photo by Nicole Larson.

For The Alpine Club of Canada's maintenance team, 2017 was full of success and challenges. The winter season had lower than normal temperatures, which resulted in an increased consumption of firewood and the need for the maintenance team to re-stock firewood at several locations during the winter months, which we don't always do in a normal year.

The rest of the year consisted of annual services and smaller projects such as staining, painting and fixing or replacing hut fixtures. The Fairy Meadow trail clearing was a new experience for an ACC maintenance team. 

Are you keen to know exactly what work was done at each hut? Read below for a detailed list of all of our maintenance activities this year, month by month.

January

Asulkan

  • Part of the team went up to the hut for an early season check-up
  • Replaced broken stove timer
  • Serviced light fixtures
  • Full clean of hut
Asulkan Cabin. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Asulkan Cabin. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Guy Hut

  • Began construction of the new furniture at the clubhouse

Elizabeth ParkeR

  • Full hut assessment
  • Deep clean
  • Serviced the light fixtures

February

FryatT

  • Annual service done at this time of year due to a firewood shortage. This trip had a lot of challenges and reminded us why we don’t want to do services during the winter months.
  • 9 full outhouse barrels
  • 2 x 400lb pigs flown in and empties flown out
  • 4 cords of firewood
  • 1 ash barrel
  • 2 volunteers
The roads to Fryatt Hut staging area were very icy which created some setbacks that morning. Photo by Nicole Larson.

The roads to Fryatt Hut staging area were very icy which created some setbacks that morning. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Wheeler

• Re-stocked firewood with just under 1 cord via snowmobile

March

Elizabeth Parker

  • Re-stocked firewood
  • 2 cords of split wood flown in
  • 1 volunteer 
Elizabeth Parker Hut. Photo by Leigh McClurg.

Elizabeth Parker Hut. Photo by Leigh McClurg.

Fairy Meadow

  • Re-stocked firewood – 11 cords

Stanley Mitchell

  • Re-stocked firewood – 2 cords 1 volunteer  

April

Bow/Peyto/Balfour

  • 2 cords of firewood flown to Bow
  • Assessments were done of all 3 locations
  • Inventory of all supplies were documented in preparation for the annual service
  • All huts were full each night which was beneficial for the team in creating a better understanding of hut operations at full capacities.
  • Conditions were whiteout most of the time which was great for team building and strengthening our knowledge and experiences with glacier travel and whiteout navigation.
Balfour Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Balfour Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

May

Wates-Gibson

  • Annual service
  • Propane – 2 empty
  • Outhouse barrels – 10 full, 0 empty, added 2 extra barrels
  • Firewood – 6 cords
  • Ash barrels – 1 full
  • Full hut assessment done
  • All lanterns serviced
  • Chimney and woodstove cleaned
  • Replaced broken woodstove glass with metal insert
  • 2 volunteers
Wates-Gibson Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Wates-Gibson Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Clubhouse

  • Installed safety fencing on road between clubhouse and bell cabin

June

Bow HuT

  • The team spent 7 days at Bow hut working and living in a construction zone
  • Painted entire kitchen/living space and ceiling
  • Painted the breezeway using a water resistant paint
  • Ripped the old dirty carpet off the benches, added some plywood and a stain 
  • Added new chairs
  • Replaced broken windows (trim is yet to be completed)
  • Cleaned the mould off of everything
  • Deep clean of the living area, kitchen and outhouses
  • Cleaned the woodstoves
  • Added coat hooks
  • Installed isolation valves on all propane fixtures
  • Vacuumed the mattresses
  • New fire extinguishers
  • Hut assessment done
  • Annual service done on last day of the trip
  • Outhouse barrels – 24 full, 14 empty (38 total, took out 8 empties so there are now 30 barrels at Bow)
  • Firewood – 4 cords
  • Propane – 1 empty, 1 at 10%
  • 2 volunteers
Bow Hut with a fresh coat of paint + renos. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Bow Hut with a fresh coat of paint + renos. Photo by Nicole Larson.

Bow2.png

Elizabeth Parker

  • Annual service
  • Outhouse barrels – 21 full, 3 empty
  • Propane – 4 empty, 1 at 40%
  • New fire extinguishers
  • Hut assessment done
  • 4 volunteers  

Balfour

  • Annual service
  • Outhouse barrels – 3 full, 5 empty, 1 at 10%
  • Propane – 1 empty, 1 at 10%
  • New fire extinguishers
  • Hut assessment done
  • 1 volunteer  

Peyto

  • Annual service
  • Outhouse barrels – 5 full, 3 empty, 1 at 10%
  • Propane – 1 full, 1 at 10%
  • New fire extinguishers
  • Hut assessment done
  • 1 volunteer  

Abbot

  • Annual service
  • Outhouse barrels – 9 full, added 2 extra for a total of 11
  • Propane – 1 empty, 1 full
  • New fire extinguishers
  • Hut assessment done
  • 4 volunteers  

Glacier Circle

  • This was the first time any of the team had visited this hut so assessments were done of the cabin structure, area and interior supplies and amenities.
  • It was very difficult to find a landing spot because the hut is nestled in between many tall trees. We ended up landing about 200m from the hut which then required carrying all of our bags, food and other supplies across a partially snow covered boulder field, creek and up through the forest.   
Glacier Circle Cabin from the helicopter. Where to land? Photo by Nicole Larson.

Glacier Circle Cabin from the helicopter. Where to land? Photo by Nicole Larson.

Kain

  • Annual seasonal opening of the hut
  • Dug out micro-hydro system
  • Fixed break in the line
  • Started the generator – Thomson & Howe brothers
  • Set up better grey water filtering to reduce clogging and overflowing at the grey water field
  • Converted urinal
  • Dug out barrel deck and steps to lower outhouse
  • Set up computer
  • New hot water tanks installed
  • Set up satellite dish
  • Set up water filtration system, however, the 3rd filter was not working

Wheeler

  • Annual service
  • Firewood – 5.5 cords
  • New cooking stove installed
  • Both chimneys cleaned
  • New fire extinguishers
  • Hut assessment done  

Asulkan

  • Annual service
  • Outhouse barrels – 14 full, 7 empty
  • Propane – 9 tanks flown out to be filled and flown back in, 1 extra brought in for a total of 10
  • New fire extinguishers

 

    July

    Kokanee

    • Flew into Kokanee – 3 megabags and 1 small netload (supplies)
    • BC Parks – 6 loads into campground and 1 load to hut
    • Thomson & Howe worked on micro-hydro system
    • Propane – 8 empty out, 8 full in
    • Stained the whole hut – 4 days total (2.5 with 2 volunteers), approximately 200 total man hours
    Kokanee Cabin. Photo by Nicole Larson.

    Kokanee Cabin. Photo by Nicole Larson.

    Woodbury

    • Hut assessment done
    • No long-lining was done
    • Outhouse barrels – 3.5 empty barrels out of 4
    • Propane – 50% of 1 pig left

    Fryatt

    • Replaced 1 light fixture
    • Hut assessment done
    • Dismantled illegal fire pit
    • 1 Volunteer

    Stanley Mitchell

    • Annual service
    • Firewood – 4 cords
    • Propane – 1 full, 1 empty, 1 at 65
    • Outhouse barrels – 6 full, 12 empty

    Silver Spray

    • Outhouse barrels – 3 full, 7 empty
    • Propane – 1 empty, 1 at 60%

     

    Great Cairn

    • 1 load of supplies flown in and out
    • 2.5 full barrels of wagbags
    • Replaced rotted floor
    • Stained everything
    • Repaired window screens and trim
    • Replaced broken stoves
    • Replaced mattresses
    • Fixed outhouse throne and floor
    • Cleaned/organized all supplies, dishes, etc
    • 1 volunteer         
    Great Cairn Hut after maintenance and repairs. Photo by Nicole Larson.

    Great Cairn Hut after maintenance and repairs. Photo by Nicole Larson.

    August

      Fairy Meadow 

      • Annual service
      • Firewood – 10 cords total
      • Propane – 4 empty, 1 full, 1 extra brought up
      • Outhouse barrels – 19 full, 2 empty
      • Ash barrel – 1 full
      • Re-built 1 section of the lower kitchen shelves
      • Sanded/stained all lower shelves
      • Cleaned/organized the rest of the kitchen and upper shelves
      • Replaced all plastic dishes with ceramic and glass
      • Stained woodsheds and sauna
      • Woodstoves cleaned  
      Fairy Meadow wood pile. Photo by Nicole Larson.

      Fairy Meadow wood pile. Photo by Nicole Larson.

      Fairy Meadow Trail Clearing

      • 2 days at 8 hours/day
      • 2 volunteers and 3 staff  
      Clearing the Fairy Meadow trail. Photo by Nicole Larson.

      Clearing the Fairy Meadow trail. Photo by Nicole Larson.

      Asulkan/Wheeler

      • Deep clean of Wheeler kitchen and sleeping areas
      • Propane hose replacement at Asulkan
      • 1 volunteer

      Elizabeth Parker

      • Put up cupboard above sinks that had fallen down
      • Reinforced other cupboards
      • Hiked in temporary replacement dishes

      September

        Kain

        • Annual closing of the hut
        • Annual service
        • Outhouse barrels – 11 full from hut, 1 from urinal at hut, 1 from Boulder, 25 from Applebee, 1 from BS col, 1 from Pigeon/Howser col, 1 from East Creek
        • Propane – 3 empty 100-lb propane tanks
        • Dismantled micro hydro system
        • Dismantled and winterized water filtration system
        • Converted urinal
        • Dismantled satellite dish and computer
        • Dug silt out of the micro hydro pond
        • Boarded up the windows
        Cleaning silt out of the pond at Kain Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

        Cleaning silt out of the pond at Kain Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

        Bow

        • Annual service
        • Firewood – 4 cords
        • Propane – 3 full, 1 empty
        • Outhouse barrels – 21 full, 9 empty
        • Window trim installed
        • Coat racks installed  

        Wheeler

        • Firewood – 4 cords  

        October

        Stanley Mitchell

        • Annual fall service 
        • Overstocked woodsheds to ensure wood does not run out over the winter
        • Fireban helped reduce the wood consumption
        • Built new woodshed
        • Fixed the oven - pilot wasn’t lighting 
        • Firewood – 4 cords
        • Propane – 2 empty
        • Outhouse barrels – 8 full
        • 3 volunteers  
        The new woodshed at Stanley Mitchell Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

        The new woodshed at Stanley Mitchell Hut. Photo by Nicole Larson.

        Elizabeth Parker

        • Annual fall service 
        • Overstocked woodsheds to ensure wood does not run out over the winter.
        • Fireban helped reduce the wood consumption
        • Firewood – 2 cords
        • Propane – 3 empty
        • Outhouse barrels – 17 full

        Wheeler

        • Firewood – 2 cords  

        November

        Wheeler

        • Replaced glass in woodstove at Wheeler

        Kokanee

        • Training of systems at Kokanee – septic and hydro

        Guy Hut

        • Opened the hut for the season  

        That's all folks!

        As you can see, we were quite a busy bunch this year. Please let us know what you think of the renovations and upgrades in the comments below. 

         
        HutsNicole Larsonfairy meadow, great cairn, stanley mitchell, glacier circle3 Comments