After decades of dreaming and 8 years of planning and permitting, the first backcountry hut on the world renowned Spearhead Traverse is close to becoming a reality.
This summer, with your help, the Spearhead Huts Society will break ground on the first of 3 modern alpine huts linking the route and creating a year round adventure that will rival the classic hut-to-hut experiences offered in the Alps. In summer hiking and winter skiing will be greatly improved by access to these huts.
In order to break ground, the project needs a further $100,000 before Feb 1st to compliment a large and generous donation by the Kees Brenninkmeyer Foundation and other fundraising efforts we've made to date.
This is where you come in. By donating to this campaign, you can pre purchase hut nights, while also taking advantage of the other great gear rewards. Your donation will not only support the construction of the hut, but contribute to a rich alpine heritage here in Canada.
The first hut to be built will be the Kees & Claire Memorial Hut located at Russet Lake near the foot of the iconic Fissile Peak.
On behalf of the Spearhead Huts Society, thank you for your support. Please share this video and a link to the campaign so that we can achieve the funding goal and begin to realize a world class hut to hut experience in the Whistler Backcountry.
Guided Days and Ski with a Celeb
We know you want to get out there and what better way than having a local guide and legendary local skier with you? Local guides such as Brent Phillips, Chris Lawrence, Joe Schwartz and Simon Thomson have graciously donated their guiding services. By purchasing a day or overnight package you're guaranteed an amazing safe experience in Spearhead range. Another option is a day trip with a pro skier, like Eric Hjorleifson, this experience is guaranteed to up your level of stoke and performance to a whole new level.
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Robin O'Neill Spearhead Prints
The landscapes throughout the Spearhead Traverse are jaw-dropping. We are thankful that the talented Robin O'Neill has donated some of her world-class photography to this campaign. For the two reward levels that include art prints from Robin O'Neill, you will be able to select from these gorgeous images below, as well as the Robin O'Neill images in the slideshow at the top of the page.
The limited edition signed canvas print of one of Robin O'Neill's breathtaking images of the spearhead range is available as a 36" or 52" wide piece, depending on the donation level you choose. The image will be printed in fine art quality ink onto wallpaper canvas and mounted onto a 1.5" stretcher box. Resin is then hand poured onto the image. Price includes tax but not shipping.
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See images at the top of the page for more options.
HUGE THANKS TO ARC'TERYX
We are incredibly excited to have Arc'teryx as a partner for this fundraising campaign. Their generosity and support for the project is invaluable. If we reach our targets at each reward level, they'll end up donating $30,000 worth of gear for you all to enjoy!
To claim this portion of the reward, we will email you a coupon code at the end of the campaign. You can redeem this coupon at the Arcteryx store in Whistler, BC on your next visit.
The Arc'teryx Cierzo 18 Backpack is a bonus value that comes with the 4 night reward level. Get them while you can. Limited to first 150.
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Arc'teryx toques are a bonus value that comes with the 2 night reward level. Get them while you can. Limited to first 250.
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How Indiegogo works
Indiegogo is an internet platform which enables projects to accept online financial contributions. The principle on which crowdfunding rests is that it is possible to raise sizeable amounts of funds through a very large number of people donating small amounts of money.
You decide how much you want to pledge and choose an associated reward. When our campaign ends, IndieGoGo takes a 4% fee off the money we’ve raised. If we don't reach our goal, the fee is 9% (which is why it's very important that we reach our goal). Another 3% goes to money transfer fees. Every other dollar goes straight into building the hut.
CAMPAIGN FAQ's
Why is the Spearhead Huts Society doing this fundraiser?
After years of planning, permitting, and fundraising, we are at the final stretch to make the first of three huts a reality. As mentioned in the background information above, the project needs an additional $100,000 by February 1st 2017 in order to be able to proceed with construction this summer.
What happens if you don't reach the $100,000 goal?
Alongside this Indiegogo campaign the Spearhead Huts Society will be hosting several fundraiser events as an additional channel to secure funding for the project. Unlike Kickstarter, this Indiegogo campaign does not require the goal to be met, so regardless of the total funds raised, all proceeds will successfully go towards the project. But the more this campaign raises, the better chance of being able to build the first hut this summer. Thanks for your support!
Can I get a charitable donation tax receipt?
Not in this campaign since you're receiving a benefit. If you'd like to make a donation and get a charitable tax receipt in Canada or the United States get in touch with Andre Charland (andre.charland@gmail.com) on our fundraising committee.
How do I order order my Robin O'Neill print?
Once the campaign is complete we'll put you in touch with Robin and we'll sort out shipping, image choice etc...
How do I redeem the Arc'teryx gear?
See details above in the Arc'teryx section.
How do I redeem my hut nights?
We'll follow up after the campaign once our booking system is live. At the end of the campaign, we will email you a coupon code for the number of hut nights that you donated for. These codes will work on the online booking system for the Kees & Claire Memorial Hut once the online booking system is configured and live in time for it's first operating season.
When will the Kees and Claire Memorial Hut first open?
We can't guarantee an opening date, but we are aiming to have it ready for next winter season, i.e. January 2018.
Contact us with any other questions and we'll help you out. More info: http://www.spearheadhuts.org/contact/
SPEARHEAD HUT PROJECT DETAILS
For full details on the Spearhead Huts Project, please visit www.SpearheadHuts.org.