This warden's cabin will become available for backcountry users in Waterton Lakes National Park/Parks Canada

Visitors to Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada will soon have a new adventure awaiting them: A Parks Canada warden cabin at Cameron Lake will be available as a backcountry hut operated by the Alpine Club of Canada for overnight stays.

The ACC is widely respected for the consistently high quality of its system of backcountry huts and cabins throughout Canada'™s mountain national parks. The Cameron Lake Cabin will provide accommodation for up to six guests in an area that is easily accessible by people of all ages on snowshoes or skis. Renovations for this project, which will protect the oldest surviving backcountry cabin in Waterton Lakes National Park, will be fully funded by the ACC.

'œThe Alpine Club of Canada is excited to work with Waterton Lakes National Park to offer a unique winter experience in rustic accommodation at the Waterton Lakes Cabin. This world-class destination compliments our world-class operation of backcountry huts and cabins; the largest network in North America," said Lawrence White, executive director of the Alpine Club of Canada.

The approved 2010 Waterton Lakes National Park Management Plan identified the Cameron Valley as a focal point of visitor use during the winter months. The plan further calls for enhanced and expanded winter recreational opportunities, and identifies the renewal of overnight backcountry accommodation as an important objective. The project was well received by the public during a consultation held earlier this year.

Heavy snows blanket Cameron Lake in winter/Parks Canada

Through initiatives like these, Parks Canada is supporting Canada's National Conservation Plan by taking concrete action to connect Canadians to nature. In addition, the ongoing work of Parks Canada and programs like the Xplorers program, Learn-to Camp and special events and exciting new activities and programs across the country, are enhancing visitor experience and facilitating personal connections with Parks Canada places.

'œOur government is proud of this project, which will provide an exciting new way for visitors to connect with and enjoy Waterton Lakes National Park. The Alpine Club of Canada proposal will bring new life to a historic warden cabin and enhance opportunities for interested visitors to experience the Waterton Lakes backcountry in the winter," said Jim Hillyer, member of Parliament for Lethbridge.

Quick Facts

Skiing at Waterton Lakes National Park/Parks Canada

* The cabin will be renovated during this summer to accommodate up to six guests; during the winter it will operate between December 1 and April 30 each year, starting this December. 

* The Cameron Lake area of Waterton has some of the deepest snow pack in Alberta, receiving between three and four metres annually.

* The ACC was founded in 1906 and is a not-for-profit, charitable amateur athletic association with approximately 10,000 members in Canada. The Club currently operates several other cabins in the mountain national parks.