Last updated on May 7th, 2022 at 03:37 pm
The Jumbo Pass Cabin has been somewhere I have wanted to stay at for a while now and our two night trip did not disappoint! This place is remote and in early October as the larches dropped their needles there was complete silence on the pass like I’ve never experienced before. The hike up is steep but once you break through the trees, the views are incredible.
The cabin is cozy and well maintained, making a perfect base for exploring regardless of the season. Even though we didn’t have the best weather…it was October in the mountains after all, this was still one of my favorite trips of the summer. I can’t wait to go back!
Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission on any purchase made, at no additional cost to you. This helps me keep the blog running, so thank you for your support!
The Trailhead
Make no mistake, after you leave the paved road to Panorama Mountain Resort, the road gets rough! Following the Toby Creek Forestry Road for approximately 18km, it’s a beautiful stretch of road following close to the creek, then a right hand turn takes you on to the Jumbo Pass Forestry Road.
The Jumbo road is mostly single track and in places very rough, our friends got their van to the trail head but it was slow moving involving some pretty big dips and a river crossing. A four wheel drive or high clearance vehicle would be highly recommended, especially if the road conditions are anything but optimal, there were some serious ruts on the road where you could see people had experienced issues!
The trailhead is signposted and hard to miss, parking is along the side of the road where it is a little wider than anywhere else along the road! The trailhead is on the left side of the road and is marked by a small wooden post with the words Jumbo Pass Trail, shortly up the trail is a larger main trailhead sign.
The Hike to Jumbo Pass Cabin
Distance: 5.5km
Elevation gain: 680m
If I could sum up the hike to the Jumbo Pass Cabin, it would be relentlessly steep. We had packed incredibly heavy, with wine and good food, it was the last trip of summer and none of us could stomach another dehydrated dinner, what I think we all failed to take into account was just how much elevation gain was involved in such a short distance! Hiking poles for this trip, were a life saver along with solid and comfortable boots!
The first half of the trail winds up through the forest, with odd glimpses of ridges and sky, teasing us into thinking we were closer than we were! Eventually a slide path appears allowing for incredible views across the valley, showing just how high we had managed to climb!
Eventually the trees thin somewhat, small creeks and more rocky terrain appears, as do the larch trees. I have no doubt in mid to late September this trail is bright gold, during our hike, most of the needles had dropped making the floor a sea of yellow to hike through.
The gradient lessened eventually and by then we were all tired and hoping the hut was close, look out to the right at every opportunity, eventually the hut was spotted in the far distance. At the junction on the pass, makeshift signs point right for the Jumbo Pass Cabin, a short and mostly level stretch leads to the cabin.
You can also hike to the Jumbo Pass Cabin from the other side of the pass, apparently an equally rough drive to the trailhead, followed by an equally steep climb!
The Jumbo Pass Cabin
Tucked away on the pass the Jumbo Pass Cabin is cozy…read small! The website suggests you can sleep 6 comfortably and 8 at a squeeze and they probably aren’t wrong! There are two double beds on the ground floor, although they are cozy for two, so they are more suited to couples! Up the ladder and into the loft there are four single foam mattresses lined up side by side.
We were a group of five and we all had lots of space and privacy. Besides the sleeping area there is a table with three benches around it and a kitchen counter area against one wall with a sink, double propane burner and kitchen items such as plates, mugs, pots and pans.
We also packed propane canisters, for the stove and a lantern, sleeping bags and sleeping pads, just in case the foam pads were not very comfortable! The Columbia Valley Hut Society also suggests due to the pandemic to pack a sheet for the foam mattresses and bring disinfectant to clean the surfaces when you arrive and leave. Along with this, there isn’t running, treated water at the hut, so we packed our gravity filter plus sponges and washing liquid for the dishes.
The washroom is located just to the side and behind the main hut and is a barrel toilet, if it’s full it is on the current occupants of the hut to follow the instructions on the back of the door and change the barrel out for a new empty one.
The water source is a tarn close to the hut, a clearly defined path runs down to it, it’s fairly shallow and muddy on the bottom, it was a little hard to fill our gravity filter bag without getting a heap of mud in there as well to block our filter. A more traditional pump filter may have been a better option this late in the season.
The Jumbo Pass Cabin can be booked through the Columbia Valley Hut Society here.
Huts Etiquette During The Pandemic
I had bookings for early summer 2020 but the cabins got closed due to the pandemic and no new reservations were being taken. The Columbia Valley Hut Society has now reopened their huts as of September 2020 with extra measures in place to keep everyone safe.
When booking a Columbia Valley Society Hut expect to fill in an online waiver stating who is in your party and their contact details.
They have also requested that you don’t arrive at the hut before 4pm and depart by 10am, giving lots of time between groups.
Don’t forget to pack sanitizer, we packed wipes, the society asks that you sanitize all surfaces when you arrive and depart, don’t forget the outhouse. We also cleaned down the mattresses.
If you are looking for an amazing hut trip with just your group, the Jumbo Pass Cabin really does tick all the boxes. Spacious enough for 6 people and with all the amenities you could require along with stunning views and endless peace and quiet, there is no way you can leave Jumbo Pass Cabin without feeling utterly content.
