VOC Sphinx (Burton) Hut
History:
Built by the Varsity Outdoor Club in 1969. The cost of flying in the hut was borne by the BC Parks Service. At that time, the VOC had a Spring ski trip into Garibaldi Lake. Originally VOC stayed at the Airways Cabin at the present Battleship Islands campsite, but when the Cabin was taken over by the BC Parks Service, the camp moved to the far end of the lake, in tents, until the Hut was built.Because the hut is in a sensitive area of Garibaldi Park, the Parks Service has frequently threatened to remove the hut if it provides them with any inconvenience, specifically if garbage is left there.
Purpose:
To provide access to excellent backcountry skiing. Access is long and difficult in the summer, but easy (13 km total) across the frozen lake. From here you can ski up the Sphinx or Sentinel glaciers, climb Guard, Deception Pinnacles, Sphinx, The Bookworms, Mt Carr, Phyllis' Engine, Castle Towers. Or you can cross the Neve to Diamond Head, possibly climbing Garibaldi en route.
Design and Details:
A small gothic A-frame, sleeping a maximum of 20 people under emergency conditions. Ten is comfortable. The Hut has been described as an icebox in the winter, as it gets fairly buried, but almost always sticks out of the snow. A Coleman stove, a Coleman lamp, and a kerosene heater are provided, but you have to bring your own fuel. There is a pit toilet. Water may be obtained from the lake or from melting snow if you are lazy.
Location and Access:
Easy to find, at the Sphinx end of Garibaldi Lake, at 004307, near where the Sphinx drainage stream runs into the Lake. Access in the summer is long (via Gentian Pass) and there is no trail, so this discourages the average visitor, and there is no reason to go there in the summer. In the winter, Garibaldi Lake provides convenient access on skis, either up the summer (Barrier) trail, or over the Garibaldi Neve. Garibaldi Lake must be frozen for this to work, and it seems to be safe from early February to mid April, but you have to take the responsibility for this decision.Hut is in a fairly high snow location. Typically winter access is via the upstairs window, but the door should be shoveled out if you are staying for a while. The hut was completely buried in spring of 1999, an exceptional snow year. The roof was found half a meter below the snow surface, and the hut was dug out and used. No damage to the hut resulted.
In the late spring, at least most years, the water table around the hut rises, and several feet of water have been reported in the hut at this time, based on the stains on the walls. As nobody has ever been there at this time, this is somewhat mysterious, and in any case, not as important as it might seem.
Availability:
The hut is open to all, there is no reservation system. Users should send $5/person/night to the Varsity Outdoor Club, Student Union Building, UBC, to help pay for upkeep. Please report problems to the above address.These huts were built and are maintained by volunteers from the Varsity Outdoor Club. Please take care of them and of yourselves.