A Conversation with the Kain Hut Custodians
Editor's Note - Throughout the summer months the ACC Conrad Kain Hut is hosted by one of our two custodians; for this season our custodians will be Heidi and Alistair.
We met up with Heidi and Alistair recently for a brief interview on what it's like to be a custodian, things they'd like visitors to know and climbing in The Bugaboos.
The next time you're up at the Kain Hut, bring our custodians some good jokes and ask them to join in for some evening festivities - they'll certainly appreciate it!
Heidi
Alistair
What drew you both to be custodians?
Heidi:
I quit my full-time winter work and wanted something in the summer that could let me work seasonally in the mountains. Most of the jobs in the mountains are based around house-keeping, but as a custodian you get to spend more time moving and talking to people
Alistair:
I needed a job and the timing worked out just fine. I used to work as a pilot and saw an ad for a custodian in Canmore Clubhouse back in 2012 and talked to Rob (Shears) about it.
What does a regular day of a custodian look like?
A:
Everyday we go through the Applebee campsite – at least once a day. There’s almost always more people up there during good weather, so that takes up a fair chunk of our day, collecting money, pumping water or changing the outhouses.
H:
I generally do a quick walk through of the hut and look over the outhouses and if there’s things that need to be tidied. Also make notes of things that need to be fixed.
(note: water is pumped from a lake into a holding tank at Applebee so the campers only have a short walk to a spigot to get water instead of hiking to the pond)
What do you do outside of custodian work?
H:
I work patrol and medical response at a ski hill
A:
I'm semi-retired!
First-timers and repeat visitors, how can they best enjoy their stay up in the Bugs?
H:
It’s busy enough to book far ahead, and even though you see a lot of pretty pictures from here, be prepared to experience a lot of rain. Having that good attitude – even if you've come here to climb and it’s storming, it’s a fun place with a good community.
A:
Expect the worst of weather and be prepared for it. If you’re here to hike, it’s relatively hazardous terrain with melt-out and rockfall – accessible and amazing terrain, but it is technical.
What is something you wish visitors knew?
H:
People here are pretty good, it’s just the little things. For hut guests, they might think that we’re here to take care of them, where we’re really here to make sure they take care of the place, and sometimes they don’t know that.
A:
I wish coffee drinkers would carry out all their coffee grinds.
What is the best way for visitors to maintain access?
H:
Just keep it clean, not just their own stuff but for other things they may see too. And to be aware that everything is helicoptered in - that we don’t have any storage here, so we either have to carry the trash out or have other people carry it. If you see someone who isn’t doing their part, if you could stand up that would make a huge difference. I send garbage out with people every day.
Favourite route in the Bugaboos?
H:
I like my little rambles – I think they count too! They’re an oft forgotten fun little couple hour jaunts.
A:
I’d have to go with West Ridge of Pigeon. It’s one of the classic climbs.
H:
I want to change my answer to Pigeon!
A:
There’s this one route though, I can’t quite remember the name of it… but we’ll keep that a secret.
H:
Basically you can’t go wrong with the classics, they’re classics for a reason and why everyone walks away amazed by them.
What's something that you miss while up at the hut?
H:
Cheese is good – actually, don't put that in the interview!
A:
Something I miss a bit of fresh fruit.
H:
Or a new book! Just ask us before you leave it behind - don’t leave them around willy nilly!
A:
Handwritten letters maybe.
Any closing comments?
A:
Just come with a good attitude, it’s a great place to bring younger people and introduce them to the outdoors with the glaciers, mountains and wildflowers.
H:
Have a flexible schedule!
A:
Don’t be too obsessed with doing your rock route when you’re up here – definitely take a look at the bigger picture when the weather is bad.
Come climb splitter Bugaboo granite!
Classic routes, beautiful lines, and stunning summits: the Bugaboos have it all. The area is home to two of the famous ’50 Classic Climbs of North America.’ Our long-running Best of the Bugaboos camp is your opportunity to reach the top of classic summits, get a taste of alpine rock climbing, or come back for another shot at the climbs on your bucket list. Stand on the summit of the Crescent Towers and take in the surrounding spires and tumbling glaciers. Tiptoe around the gendarme on the classic Kain route up Bugaboo Spire. Cruise up beautiful granite cracks. Challenge yourself with exhilarating exposure as you cross exposed rock ridges.