Harrison Hut
| Harrison Hut | |
|---|---|
 Harrison Hut during construction | |
| Overnight Capacity | 15 |
| Coordinates |
|
| Elevation | 1725m |
| Fee | $10/night |
| Reservations | No |
| Locked | No |
| Built | 1983 |
| Caretaker | Varsity Outdoor Club |
About
The Julian Harrison Hut is a large gothic A-frame, sleeping 15 friendly people. It has a very efficient wood stove, and is surprisingly cozy and warm. Clothes and boots may be dried. Dead wood for fuel can be obtained from a small forest 50 m away; the use of the stove for the past 15 or so years does not seem to have damaged the forest. If you are using the hut during winter season (usually accessed by helicopter or snowmobile), please bring your own firewood. A Coleman stove and a Coleman lamp are provided, but you have to bring your own fuel (white gas). There is an outhouse. Water may be obtained from a nearby creek.
You will find the hut on the northernmost part of the Pemberton Icefield (south of Meager Creek valley), in the headwaters of Barr (a.k.a. Madhorse) Creek and near the peaks of Overseer, Frozen Boot, Zygo and the Three Stooges.
History
The Harrison Hut was erected on the Thanksgiving weekend in the fall of 1983. For more information see History of VOC Huts
Library
- VOCJ '69 to VOCJ '07-'08, except VOCJ25 ('82), VOCJ28 ('85), VOCJ29 ('86), VOCJ43 ('00-'01) to VOCJ49 ('06-'07)
Registration
No reservations are taken, but please see the VOC Hut Registration page to help coordinate use.
For the most up to date information on the Hut see the Bulletins on the Hut Registration Page.
VOC huts are open to all non-motorized, non-commercial users. A $15 per person per night fee applies to pay for hut maintenance. The fee can be sent in to the VOC via our Showpass Donation Page or can be left at the hut in the blue drop box. If neither of these work, you can send it to the VOC by mail. VOC trips have priority during fall and winter holidays (New Years, Reading Week, Easter) so please contact the VOC before planning a trip during this time. Commercial groups are requested to contact the VOC before using any of the huts. There is a lost and found page for items in and around the VOC huts.
See the bulletin below for up to date information.
Activities
Winter
There are several glaciers within easy ski access from the Hut, and several peaks are nearby, offering suitable destinations for day trips. The Harrison hut is often used as the start or end point of the Pemberton Icefield Ski Traverse
Summer
There are several possibilities for hiking, scrambling and mountaineering in the area. The most popular routes are on Overseer Mountain, Frozen boot, and the Three Stooges.
Frozen Boot (Mount Breshnev)
- The North Ridge is a nice scramble. Mostly hiking with a few class 2-3 steps.
- The South Ridge is also a class 2-3 scramble, accessed from the col at the top of the Roller Coaster Glacier.
Overseer
Overseer is the highest summit on the Pemberton Icefield. There are two routes to get to the mountain from the hut. The first option is to ascend to the top of the Roller Coaster Glacier, cross over to the Madhorse Glacier and descend towards Overseer. The other option is to cross the north ridge of Frozen Boot (steep grassy slopes) and come up along the Madhorse Glacier.
- The South Ridge is a moderately difficult scramble with some loose rock. The rock is better on the ridge crest, but the climbing is more difficult (up to class 3). Difficulties can be avoided (at first on the left, then on the right), but the rock gets much worse away from the ridge.
Access
Summer: Use the Harrison Hut route.
Winter: Access during mid winter is problematic. The Lillooet River (North side) FSR is usually not plowed, and commonly gated at km 9 (just past Hurley FSR turn-off) due to avalanche danger, and in any case doesn't get you back to the S side of the Lilloet River as the bridge is gone. The new South Side route is not plowed past the last farm. This makes mid-winter access a long and arduous affair, adding roughly 40-45km of travel along logging roads, but people have skied to/from the hut over the Pemberton Icecap from either South Creek or even the Brew Hut. Generally it is not accessed, in winter, as a simple weekend trip.
Facilities
The Hut has a wood burning stove, but as of September 2016, there is not much wood left in the Hut to burn but there is a fair amount of deadfall around the Hut that could be gathered with some scavenging.
Equipment
>> 1 Propane Coleman Stove that burns 1 lb propane cylinders.
>> 2 naphtha-burning stoves are still up there as of 3 Sept, but we are unsure at this time if they still work.
>> 2 white gas Coleman lamps in good working condition are also present at the Hut.
Inventory
See the Hut Inventory Page for information on tools and materials at the Hut
Bulletins
If you have information on the condition of the huts or trails, post an update to the bulletin above the bulletin previous.
Official Update
- GeorgeHill (talk) 12:09, 21 June 2016 (PDT): Trail is OPEN. Use EXTREME CAUTION on 4wd Spur. See the Official Post here: Harrison Hut 2016 Summer Update.
User Updates
- Post an update!
- --GeorgeHill (talk) 21:51, 23 September 2016 (PDT): After the logging road and before Barr Creek there are more than a few large trees napping on the trail. When the next work-hike is organized for Harrison a chainsaw should be brought up to get them out of the way. To see the complete list of tools available to VOCers planning work hikes go to the Tool Inventory page.
Bulletin Archive
- CoraSkaien 17:06, 1 June 2016 (PDT): For the summer of 2016, please note there is logging on the trail from June 1st-October 1st, 2016 which means the trail is CLOSED during this time until we have further details about whether there could be access outside of operating hours or on weekends. Exercise caution if you are planning to go into the area, respect the trail closure and please be cognizant of the industrial activity on the road and in the forest.
External Links
UBC Chronicles Archives (pdf file) mentioning the death of Julian Harrison (Fall 1983, p.14)
American Alpine Club accident Report on Julian Harrison's death