Bill Putnam (Fairy Meadow Hut)

Bill Putnam (Fairy Meadow Hut)

Built 1965

Fairy Meadow is one of the great backcountry ski destinations in North America, with outstanding ski mountaineering and ski touring. In summer the hut is a base for excellent granite mountaineering. The hut is well equipped with a wood sauna, extensive kitchen and bunks. Access is via Helicopter or a very long and very difficult hike (trail passable/cleared in June 2024). The Great Cairn Hut is a day’s mountaineering travel to the south.

Hut Facilities

Bill Putnam (Fairy Meadow Hut) Features

Open All Year

Features

World Class Granite Mountaineering

There is a very good reason why the ACC has held its General Mountaineering Camp in the Fairy Meadow area on four separate occasions since 1981 – the place is awesome! The Adamant Group of the Selkirk Mountains provides climbers and backcountry skiers with a wealth of fantastic opportunities. The peaks here are mainly granitic and there are several classic routes of various lengths and difficulty to challenge all types of climbers.

Built in 1965 by the ACC as a project proposed and largely overseen by William Putnam, the hut has since seen extensive renovations which have transformed the two-storey wooden building into a deluxe backcountry destination. With a complete propane system which includes an oven for baking, a very efficient wood stove and a fully stocked cooking area, comfort is guaranteed. There is sleeping space for 20 on the second level and a spacious common room with adequate space for hanging gear. A large and very hot wood-burning sauna is an absolute treat on those clear, cold nights!

Trail Access

Access is via Helicopter or a very long and very difficult hike (hiking is absolutely not recommended).

Member Rates

  • Standard $50

Non Member Rates

  • Standard $60

Features

World famous backcountry powder

In winter the snow comes early and in huge quantities, allowing for a myriad of touring and ski-mountaineering possibilities that are second to none. As Chic Scott writes in Summit & Icefields – Columbia Mountains: “The ski terrain at Fairy Meadow is superb and the snow in this part of the Selkirks is deep, so the area has become a favourite destination for backcountry skiers.”

The possible tours from the hut are numerous and include everything from tree skiing and quick moraine runs close to the hut to tours over glaciers, passes and around stunning peaks.

Note: Due to high demand, ski weeks at Fairy Meadow are booked through a lottery system. Applications are accepted in the spring for the following winter (see Bookings, below).

Lottery Details

Traveling in the Fairy Meadow area in winter is recommended only for advanced-intermediate and expert skiers with backcountry experience. Rates are $27,500 – $31,000 for an exclusive hut booking, including return flights, 7 nights accommodation, and taxes. Travel days are Saturdays.

The maximum hut capacity of Fairy Meadow is 20 guests. The maximum weight for all items (other than people) is 100 lbs per person. All baggage will be weighed and your group may be asked to leave gear behind if your group is over the weight limit. Your group will be charged for additional helicopter flights that are required due to excessive weight or bulk.

Lottery applications are accepted only for the weeks which are shown during the application process, there may be additional weeks added during the lottery application period. Lottery application fee is $20/entry.

The winning applicant in the lottery must have an active ACC Membership to secure the booking. Once reserved, a ski-week trip date may not be changed, deferred or transferred to another person. All payments must be received according to the payment schedule, failure to make a payment will result in the forfeiture of the reservation. All payments once made are non-refundable.

Trail Access

Access is via helicopter and included in the rates shown below.

Ski Week Rates

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Hut History

In 1965, the Fairy Meadow Hut was constructed by the Alpine Club of Canada as a project proposed and overseen by Bill Putnam. In 1973 the first structure, which was woefully inadequate for the heavy snowfall of the area, was totally renovated and enlarged, a project once again largely funded and overseen by Bill Putnam . Bill Putnam devoted his life to the mountains. He was the President of the American Alpine Club for years and was on their Board of Directors for decades. Putnam has also contributed heavily to Canadian mountaineering history. He spent half a lifetime exploring the Selkirks, Purcells and Rocky Mountains, and took part in writing guidebooks for the same areas (Rocky Mountains of Canada – South and North, Columbia Mountains of Canada – Central, and West and South). In addition to these, he has written several history books about the same mountains.

The hut is regularly used in the winter months for ski camps, both by the national Club as well as by various Club sections. The Club’s General Mountaineering Camp, although not utilizing the hut itself, has been held in the Fairy Meadow area on three separate occasions since 1981. The hut renovations in the summer on 1992 included complete gutting and refurbishing of the interior, new outhouses and the addition of a propane stove. The hut is presently in excellent condition.

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