Red Mountain Backcountry Cabin

Red Mountain Cabin (Rec Sites Trails BC)
Bookings are currently available until May 1, 2025

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Longworth Lookout (Rec Sites and Trails BC)
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(Updated Nov 12, 2024)

GRIZZLY DEN IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FOR RENOVATIONS

Cabin History

Red Mountain backcountry cabin is in the mountains above the community of Penny in central British Columbia. Getting to the cabin requires a 12.5 km hike that begins through low-elevation forests that are growing back after a wildfire that burned in 1927. The hike follows the remnants of an old community-built trail from the 50’s and 60’s that has been closed to motorized traffic for over 20 years. The trail brings you through old-growth cedars that are estimated to be more than 800 years old, and through spruce and subalpine fir stands with occasional views over the Robson Valley to the south.

The cabin that looks out on the valley between Red and Green Mountain. The cabin was originally built by members of the community of Penny in 1962 and was renovated shortly after in 1968. The cabin then saw a renovation (including extra logs to raise the cabin, a new A-frame roof, and a new interior) done by the PGBRS in 2006, and new floors and a new outhouse in 2018, and then in 2022 the foundation and bottom logs were replaced and we added a new front porch, outhouse, helipad, wood shed and refurbished the exterior logs, and added a solar panel system.

The cabin continues to look out over meadows that are home to many grizzly bears, moose, pine martens, mule deer and endangered mountain caribou. A detailed report about the cabin and surrounding environment can be found here.

Red Mountain Backcountry Cabin

Photo Gallery

Cabin and Trail Details

Getting to the trailhead
  • Penny BC can be accessed by road (2WD) or by rail
  • The last 10 km to Penny are not always plowed immediately after heavy snowfalls, contact Yellowhead Road and Bridge for the most recent road conditions.
  • The official trailhead starts at the old Post Office near the sign for “Red Mt. Lake (Grizzly Bear Mountain)” (photo below). There are also a few unofficial trailheads… including at KM~13.5 on the Fraser Flats FSR that cuts off the first 4km of the trail!
Trailhead
Cabin Capacity
  • 6 people max
Cabin Maintenance
  • Cabin is user maintaned
  • PGBRS re-supplies critical items as needed (wood, propane, etc.)
  • If maintenance or re-supply is needed please contact [email protected]
  • If you break something or use important supplies, please let us know
Equipment provided at the cabin
  • Wood stove, firewood, axe, shovels
  • Sleeping mattresses (x6)
  • Winter sleeping bags (use of sleeping bag liners is mandatory) (x6)
  • Propane 2 burner cooking stove
  • Propane lights
  • Propane tanks
  • Solar panels with lights and usb ports (not guaranteed to be charged!)
  • Fully equipped kitchen with a large stovetop espresso maker 🙂
  • Dish soap, bleach, dish cloths, scrubbies
  • Outhouse
  • Hut slippers and boots
Not provided at the cabin
  • Toilet paper
  • Fire starter
Other cabin information
  • Expect to dig down to the cabin in winter, plan arrival time accordingly
  • There is cell service at and near the cabin
  • Bugs are very bad most of the spring and summer
  • It is possible to get dropped off and picked up at the trailhead in Penny by Via Rail, but booking tickets ahead of time is required. Trains are only available on certain dates in the winter and can be delayed by many hours.
Trail information
  • The trail is a non-technical but arduous 12.5 km total (each way)
  • Summer: Hiking in the summer takes approximately 3-8 hours
  • Winter: Ski touring or snowshoeing to the cabin can easily take 5-10 hours depending on snow conditions and group fitness.
  • The trail can be difficult to follow in all winter. Please be prepared to navigate without a marked trail.
  • Winter: In winter, the last section of trail once near the top of the ridge can be difficult to follow even though it is marked. Do not expect to follow a trail to the cabin or even faint signs of a trail! It is best to go with someone confident in finding the cabin if it is your first time up.
  • You may have to dig out a considerable amount of snow to get into the cabin, allow time for this, particularly in cold weather.  You can find a large shovel on the porch near the entry door – you might need to do some digging to find it though!
  • Using a GPS device is highly recommended
  • The bridge accross Red Mountain Creek (km 2.5) is in in the process of being replaced, please use caution.

Elevation profile

Maps

Booking rules

  • 100% payment is required at the time of booking by credit card
  • Free cancellation 10 days ahead, no refund if < 10 days 
  • Same day bookings are allowed, if available
  • Users must accept the risk of harm or personal injury of using these cabins
  • Users must accept the risk of contracting COVID-19 
  • Please bring a copy of your reservation with you to the cabin
  • Maximum capacity is 6
  • PGBRS does not sanitized the cabin between groups
  • Users are asked sanitize cabin on arrival/departure with their own materials
  • Please check-in after 1PM and check-out before 11AM to avoid group overlap in the cabin due to COVID-19.
  • Maximum stay is 5 nights
  • Cabin is not for commercial use without explicit permission from the PGBRS and RSTBC. Please read the commercial use policy.
  • Special interest groups are welcome to request advance booking (research groups, school groups, community groups, etc.) 

Cabin bookings