Sentinel Bay Hilton


Sentinel Bay Hilton..........
The Sentinel Bay Hilton is just east of Garibaldi Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park in British Columbia, at the foot of the Sentinel Glacier. It sits on a rocky knoll at 5000 ft. that gives it a measure of protection from avalanches. (see below) There are actually two huts. Both were built as a base to study glaciology. There was some talk of removing them. It is hoped that will not happen. They are perfectly situated.	This is the upper - and more luxurious - hut. It is more spacious, and with its windows, brighter.
	It is a long day's travel from Highway 99 up the Barrier trail to Garibaldi Lake. Most years, it will be frozen from the end of December through to May. The frozen lake makes it relatively easy to get from Battleship to Sentinel Bay. Once at the eastern end of the lake, there's only a kilometer to go and a few hundred vertical feet. On a stormy night, finding the cabin will bring a smile to one's face.
Sometime during the winter of 2003 an avalanche came from Mt Guard and damaged both cabins. The lower hut was displaced laterally 3 meters from its foundations being saved by a rock from going over a drop off. The upper hut had some roof joists cracked. If slightly larger, the slide could have done considerably more damage. This incident may give one a less than restful night during heavy storms even though it is less than a one in forty year event. Alex, Frank, Peter and I talked of possible repair scenarios. The bureaucratic problems of an official repair within a provincial park were obvious to us therefore Frank and I journeyed to Sentinel and repaired and leveled the lower hut and recabled the guy wires on a visit between October 10 to the 15 2006 on our own initiative.

	An older picture showing as the huts were originally finished.

Hiking up for a late ski.

	A warm day... airing the cabin out.

Looking up Sentinel Glacier with a cold north wind.

Sentinel Bay Hilton..........