Abbot Pass Hut National Historic Site of Canada plaque states

Built in 1922, this sturdy shelter is a unique and endur ing monument to the Swiss guides, who first came to the Rocky Mountains in 1899 under the auspices of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was patter ned on examples in the Swiss Alps. All mater ials, apart from the stone, were car r ied by pack horses past the Lower Victor ia Glacier, then by the guides to the pass summit. Never again was such an arduous feat undertaken in the national parks. The shelter has served as a high-altitude base for generations of climbers, here in the cradle of Canadian mountaineer ing.