Things to know
- Toilet paper is not provided. Do not put paper into the toilets and burn it on the day of departure.
- During snow, please throw ashes as far as possible from the Hut; the snow closer to the Hut is the one you should get to cook/drink.
- A water filter is not provided. It is recommended to bring your own.
Getting to the hut
The Peter Grubb Hut is located below Castle Peak in Round Valley, 3 miles north of the Castle Peak Trailhead near I-80. Guests should expect an elevation gain of around 800 ft. Keep an eye out for route marking to the hut which is marked by orange triangles mounted obscurely in trees at 100–200-yard intervals.
Parking
- Overnight parking is available at the California Sno-Park located at the Boreal-Castle Peak exit on I-80. Park on the road east of the Boreal Inn and walk back under the freeway to the trailhead.
- Topo map: Norden 7-1/2′ quad.
- 1. Peter Grubb Hut
Intro by Peter Grubb’s Sister, Elizabeth Grubb Lampen (2004)
This collection was written by Peter Grubb, whose name is memorialized by a ski hut built in his memory by the Sierra Club out of Clair Tappan Lodge at Norden, California near Donner Lake. The Sierra Club also named one of the mountains in the Sierra Nevada mountain range for him. Peter was born in 1919 and died, at the age of 18, in 1937.
These letter were written by Peter to his grandfather, Matthew Hall McAllister. They date from 1935 to 1937. In 1948 they were packed by his grandfather and stored in the attic of the house in Redlands, California where our grandparents lived and died. They were discovered unopened, with a quantity of other family letters and financial records, in May of this year (2004).
Letters of Peter Grubb
March 4, 1935
Dear Grandpa,
I just got back from my second trip to Norden at the Sierra Club Ski Lodge. We had a grand time skiing. I made two one mile runs on a 30 degrees grade in five minutes with only one fall. As you probably have heard from Mama, on the first day I broke my skis which I used over New Years, the ones which I made at school, luckily though they broke exactly in the center so I sawed them off to about 3 feet each and used those successfully the rest of the trip, the only disadvantage being that they sank further then ordinary skis in the soft powder snow of which we found very little this trip. As you have probably heard, this is the heaviest winter in California since 1906-1907 (300) inches then 146 inches so far snow.
I am saving up now to buy a new pair of skis for two trips which I expect to make later this year. I am including a diagram of the lodge which is just about completed. I do not know if you have heard yet about the group of small ski huts which they plan to start this year, thus making a John Muir trail of the winter, starting at five lakes near Tahoe and ending up in the grand country into which the High Trip goes this year. (The Kings River Country). I do not know if you have heard of the unsuccessful attempt of Lewis Clark, Bester Robinson, Bob Rotaliff and others to scale Mt. Lyell in mid winter.
One of the most exciting events to date of the Sierra Club is going to be the attempted assault on Mt. Wellington situated in the Selkirks of Western Canada. You probably remember the grand pictures of it in the London Illustrated News lately. The party is going to consist of: Dick Leonard and Jules Eichorn. In charge of the rock climbing Bester Robinson and Don Woods. In charge of the ice climbing plus Jack Reiguthuth, Ken May and two more so as to make a climbing party of six while two remain at the base camp. I have been talking to Dick quite often about the plans of the trip which are quite detailed and interesting.
I have not missed a rock climbing meeting now in six months. A couple of days ago I received a new schedule. It is one of the best ones we have had, as there are five over night trips; Pine Canyon, Mt. Diablo Mar.16-17 Pinnacles National Monument April 12-13 Clair Tappan Lodge April 12-21 Mt. Hamilton May 4-5 Yosemite May 30 – June 2 The Yosemite trip which you see mentioned here is going to be grand as I expect to climb up Tenaya Canyon (bivouc – without beds) which has only been done about 3 times. We are all fine and I hope you are too.
Love from Peter
To read all of Peter's letters, visit our Peter Grubb History page.