Emma Lake Cabin

Notes

The fourth KAOS hut and the odd one out, sitting 35 km north of the Knuckleheads on the South Powell Divide, in an alpine bowl at the head of the Eldred River valley. The Forest Service built it in the 1990s; KWRA folded it into their agreement in 2009, put in a pellet stove and has kept it stocked since. On paper the skiing is better than anything in the Knuckleheads, with Snowy Peak (1866 m), Danelaw (1920 m), Pickles and Puzzles (1738 m) and Thunderdome (1669 m) around the lake and the South Powell Divide traverse running through, but nearly every documented visit is a summer hike and no ski trip report surfaced. The approach is why: 5.75 km and roughly 3,800 feet from the A800 road in the valley bottom, including the section locals call the Stairmaster, then over a ridge and down into the bowl. Because the road start is near 200 m, winter driving access is actually better here than at the Knucklehead branches, but you pay it all back on the climb. Recreation Sites and Trails BC still carries an undated status note saying the cabin was heavily damaged by snow over a winter with repairs planned for September; KWRA volunteers restocked propane and fitted a new hatch cover in October 2025 and rebuilt the upper trail, so it reads resolved, but email the club before you commit a weekend. No lock, no bookings, $20 CAD per person per night suggested.