Himmelsbach Hut
Contents
Introduction
As of August 2020, The Himmelsbach Hut was disassembled and moved to Mt. Sproatt to be used for Search and Rescue operations.[1] The hut is replaced by the new Kees and Claire Hut which is operated by the Spearhead Huts Society. [2] As of August 2021, the daily rate for staying in the Kees and Claire Hut is $50/person/night plus tax. Alternative camping at Russet Lake, where Himmelsbach Hut is located, can be booked through BC Parks' Discover Camping backcountry reservation website under the campground name "Russet Lake".[3]
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You might find yourself here in the Fall, having hiked up the Fitzsimmons Creek Trail (Singing pass trail). Or you might have arrived via the Musical Bumps, having purchased a single ride ticket from Whistler Lifts. You might drop in for a night while doing the Spearhead Traverse. Or you might bring the husband and kids up for a longish overnight trip in the late summer. It's a very good destination for the last days of Fall, just before it gets too snowy to hike in; you can watch the little blades of grass getting buried by the drifting snow.
The Hut is presently maintained by BC parks. It is open on a first come basis, no reservations. It can get quite scary when a group of eighteen people arrive after dark Saturday night, planning to spend the night, and there are already 14 people crammed into the Hut.
Fees are in effect for overnight stay anywhere in Garibaldi Park, you can pay online through the link on the BC Parks/Garibaldi website or go to: https://secure.camis.com/DiscoverCamping/Backcountry/Garibaldi?Map The penalty for not paying is $144 per person.
Access
While the brand new Kees and Claire hut is still under construction, the Himmelsbach remains open and standing. Once the new mega castle is completed, anticipated to be during summer 2019, the hut may be removed and flown somewhere else for more effective use.
Access is most commonly done via the Whistler Gondola system with a season pass, backcountry lift ticket ($72.50), or via hiking up the singing pass trail all the way from Whistler Village.
The erosion of the road up Fitzsimmons Creek, combined with the tendency of Whistler Lifts to make overnight parking inconvenient, has made the distance to the Hut around 5 km longer than it used to be, in the last few years. Oh well, this keeps the crowds down.
History
The Hut is named after Werner Himmelsbach, who is still very much active in the Whistler ACC, though now in his 80's. It was built by the BCMC, with Werner running the show and doing most of the work. For other huts by Werner, see the Wendy Thompson Hut.
Tip
Hike up the Singing pass trail from Whistler, stay in the hut over night and hike along the ridge (Musical Bumps) to the Gondola. This way you save 40$ on the lift ticket. *Note this no longer works for poaching a day of skiing, as most lifts on Vai... WhistlerBlackcomb now contain card scanning turnstiles. Also note that a day lift ticket for a day is now $180.
