McMurdo Cabin Fast Facts
Summer hiking to Cabin: 1.4 km (1 Creek crossing – difficult in spring)
Elevation Gain: 80m (260′)
Winter sledding: 34 km
Cabin Elevation: 1760m (5775′)
Maximum stay: 4 nights
Sleeps 5 comfortably, in 2 double bunks and a short 5’5″ single bunk.
Photos
Check out the McMurdo Cabin photo gallery.
Map Reference
82 N/3 Mount Wheeler
CAA bulletin
Latitude & Longitude Coordinates
51° 3′ 08″ N 117° 8′ 56″ W
Topographical maps may be ordered from Service BC.
Or try an online intereactive map showing extensive detail, *use the Tutorial on your first visit!
Critical Tips
It is advisable to check with the CanFor office in Parson (250 348-2211) on the status of the roads, and on our Access Updates tab prior to heading in.
The woodshed is LOCKED. No summer use of firewood permitted.
** In winter YOU NOW NEED to unlock the woodshed to access firewood. Once your reservation is booked on-line, a REMINDER email is sent 6 days prior to arrival with the current combination. Please lock the woodshed before departure.
**If you have booked less than 6 days prior to your trip, please email lets.toure@gmail.com for the combination.
The McMurdo hut is a hiking and ski touring paradise. It’s location provides access to a vast amount of skiable terrain for seasoned winter backcountry users and high elevation hiking opportunities during summer months.
This rustic Forest Service cabin is located near the top end of McMurdo Creek. Set in a small meadow surrounded by a spruce forest, it was built in the early 1900’s to accommodate miners working at the site nearby. Over the years minor renovations have been in keeping with the original style of the cabin and it has retained its quaint, rustic charm. For the experienced hiker and skier, cross-country excursions include the divide above International Basin and east of David Peak, the old mine site to the south, and high level crossovers to Silent Lake at Silent Pass. The pass is a scenic panorama of lake, glaciers and alpine meadows. With the building of the CVHS’s Kingsbury Hut, hikers and skiers now use McMurdo Hut as a jumping off point for travel to International Basin as well.
Summer Access
Drive west from highway 95 at Parson on the Spillimacheen-North Fork and turn onto the McMurdo road at km 45.8. An avalanche ruined bridge at km 56.0 requires walking from this point. Hike beyond the bridge and turn left at km 57, up a steep narrow dirt road for 800 meters to a very wet meadow. The cabin is a 600-meter walk further south across the meadow.
Note: The meadow is wet throughout the summer and is closed to ATV’s.
Winter Access
Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Arts has determined that snowmobile access will be closed at 200 metres from the cabin beginning winter 2009/2010. A ski and snowshoe trail will allow all foot traffic beyond.
The Spillimacheen road is usually ploughed to the McMurdo road until mid December after which snowmobile staging/parking is either at km 27 or 21 for the duration of the winter. The access over 30 kms of un-ploughed road negates any possibility of skiing in; helicoptering from Golden (20 minutes) is possible. The Spillimacheen road is a high-use, timber haul road and the recreationalist must use caution when driving throughout the year.
Formal Government Objectives
“Manage the McMurdo Cabin recreation site for a forested, semi primitive non-motorized recreation experience. The cabin will be maintained; the natural vegetation will be conserved. Opportunities for cabin accommodation to support ski touring, hiking, and mountaineering will be available at the site. Cabin reservations required. The site will be managed for a semi-primitive non-motorized experience with semi-primitive motorized access allowable during winter months to facilitate overnight use only.”