Peter Grubb Hut

A place to explore the natural setting (geology, flora & fauna), people, constructed infrastructure and historical events that play and have played a part in shaping the Sierra Nevada as we know it today.
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Vaca Russ
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Peter Grubb Hut

Post by Vaca Russ »

Last Saturday we traveled up to near Donner Summit. We had planned on bagging a couple of nearby peaks. We exited I-80 at Boreal and followed a dirt road north to the bottom of Castle Pass.

It was there we found a stack of bags of concrete mix.
1 Bags.JPG
There was also a suggestion…
2 Note.JPG
We climbed to the top of the pass and found the lumber pile.
3 Lumber.JPG
We resolved to carry a bag up after we had bagged our peaks (report coming soon). We continued on into Round Valley where we found the Peter Grubb Hut.
4 Hut.JPG
Here is a story I copied from another source (with a few slight edits):

“Peter Grubb was born in 1919 to a San Francisco family who lived quite comfortably. An avid outdoorsman, he hiked and skied much of Americas west. An active boy scout and with excellent academics he died of exposure at the age of eighteen in 1937 while on a bicycle tour of Italy. He was a popular member of the Sierra Club and in 1939 the Sierra Club built a hut and named it for him deep in the Sierra. This hut, situated on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), has been a source of comfort for cross country hikers and skiers for over 75 years.

The two story hut can comfortably hold about fifteen people and is equipped with green basics. There is solar powered lighting with switches on timers. There are two burner solar powered electric stove, a wood burning stove, and a nice supply of wood and a wood splitter. Emergency food supplied by Sierra Search and Rescue. There are also some flashlights, card games and a picnic table. Sleeping arrangements are on the floor.

In the summer it is available on a first come basis but in the winter time it is so popular it is by reservation only. It is very popular with snow skiers and snow shoe hikers. They ask for a $10.00 donation per person for an overnight to cover expenses and pick up after yourself. There is also a modern pit toilet next to the hut. Notice in the pictures there is a winter entrance to the hut and a summer entrance to the hut at ground level giving you an idea of how much snow falls here in the winter. The same applies to the toilet, summer access and winter access up high.”

Dick Simpson of the Sierra club is managing the repairs. He wrote this about the hut:

“The Sierra Club re-opened the Peter Grubb Hut in mid-December, after completing the first round of a multi-year upgrade. The iconic building, three miles north of I-80 at Donner Summit, had been closed since March 2013, when concerns were raised about its structural integrity after providing rustic shelter to backcountry skiers and snowshoers for 75 years.”
5 Outhouse.JPG
We did finish bagging two peaks and then met a wonderful young volunteer, Veronica, carrying 65 pound concrete bags up the pass. We also passed Dick Simpson on the trail.

We got to the truck, emptied our day packs and Veronica helped each of us put a bag of concrete in our packs. We were happy to help her and happy to have met such a wonderful volunteer.
6 Door.JPG
7 Flamingo.JPG
This is a picture I found of the hut in the winter.
8 PeterGrubb1[1].png
Dick Simpson took this picture. Is there anybody here who can remember when it use to snow like this? :(
9 Dick Simpson.jpg
We continued on our hike to our first peak of the day.
10 Basin.JPG
Thanks for reading our post.

-Russ
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"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
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rlown
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Re: Peter Grubb Hut

Post by rlown »

Thanks for the report, Russ. I haven't been there since the early 90's. Glad to see they're keeping it up and to see that people are happy to help like you and yours did!

I only visited in the winter and appreciated the outhouse design. We only ran across it by accident.
Shawn
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Re: Peter Grubb Hut

Post by Shawn »

Wow! :notworthy:
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Vaca Russ
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Re: Peter Grubb Hut

Post by Vaca Russ »

For an update on the Peter Grubb Hut check out this new post:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15423

Thanks,

-Russ
"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
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