hut to hut in usa. Three Sisters Backcountry operates 3 huts for winter use in the Southern Cascades near Bend, OR. Colorado:  Colorado is the national leader in huts and yurts for backcountry skiing and biking. ; Exploring Bled, one of Europe’s most scenic spots.The bell tower of the 12th century pilgrimage church rises proudly from a tiny storybook islet in the middle of the lake, guarded by the medieval castle perched high atop a cliff. Many can be reached by car. Because huts have largely been kept small and simple, costs tend to be low. “A ninja in … [Read More...], Here it is, the best gear for this winter—the 2017 Editors' Choice Awards. View our resort skinning policies guide », This is the year to go remote, and our 2021 Gear Guide has all the skis, boards, boots and bindings to get you there. Hiking hut to hut, you will stay at a new hut each night, and thus enjoy the evening in a new location. sanjuanhuts.com, Out of Jackson Hole, Teton Backcountry Guides operates Wyoming’s sole backcountry hut system and manages three wintertime yurts (plus a summer-only yurt) in the Tetons. Nine systems (60%) report that they support all three forms of recreation: hiking, biking and skiing. Similarly, there may be great opportunity to partner with timber companies and other large land private holders. Tahoma Trail Association is located on Washington State Department of Natural Resources land near Mt. When compared to either European huts or the systems in New England, Colorado’s hut systems are intentionally more rustic. The eight AMC Huts in the Presidential Range, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, are built on federal and state lands, and the AMC takes great care to monitor and limit the ecological impact of its huts. Hut systems intentionally concentrate backcountry travel in ways that protect the environment from the wear and tear of human overuse. While hiking here you will encounter steep and rugged mountains. The system caters to hikers, skiers, and bikers. The strong growth areas reported are in biking and hiking, particularly in systems that were originally designed for skiing. Its time for a national conversation about the role of huts in recreation and education. More hut-to-hut hiking in USA? 2. Wallowa Alpine Huts is a for-profit enterprise offering guided trips, with food provided, to its four yurts near the Eagle Cap Wilderness of Eastern Washington. GO stay at charming mountain huts and see oodles of marmots. Hut systems are designed to support human-powered travel ranging from several days to months on end. The for-profit Rendezvous Huts works in close partnership with the remarkable Methow Valley Trails, which grooms a 120 mile trail system in Winthrop, WA on the East side of the Cascades. We are building thousands of miles of new trails, but we simply don’t think about whether some small fraction of new and existing trails might be suitable for hut systems. Highlights. Cascade Huts operates five huts/yurts near Hood River, OR in the Columbia River Valley. All 8 of the for-profits are in the Western part of the nation. Glacier National Park: Sperry Chalet Staying at the Sperry Chalet, you'll be treated to three meals daily and glorious views. And while North America can’t hold a candle to Europe’s extensive mountain-chalet infrastructure and deep hut heritage, there are more than 200 backcountry huts, lodges and yurts throughout the U.S. and Canada. And while North America can’t hold a candle to Europe’s extensive mountain-chalet infrastructure and deep hut heritage, there are more than 200 backcountry huts, lodges and yurts throughout the U.S. and Canada. Invite us to experience the live culture of the Incas. Built using existing private cabin infrastructure on land purchased from the International Paper Company, the system of 3 lodges in the AMC Maine Wilderness Lodges opened under AMC management in 2003. Self-guided options are available, too. At some point I’ll return to the original question that set me on the path of researching hut systems: why does the USA have such limited infrastructure to support long distance human powered travel compared with Europe and New Zealand? svtrek.com. The system of trails and huts is very well organized and allows you to hike for days on end with just a daypack of clothing and essential toiletries. There seems to be significant opportunity to locate hut systems on state lands. Discover comfortable lodging while exploring the New Hampshire White Mountains. We need to get ahead of the curve in meeting the needs of bikers and also protecting our lands from environmental damage that could be caused by irresponsible biking and sub-standard trails. GO hiking for 8 days in one of France’s favorite national parks. You’ll never feel like the pack is weighing you down, or working against you. It also operates a five-hut hiking and skiing system in which guests carry in their food. There are trails linking some of these private huts, which effectively makes many of them part of a very large hut system (however these partially linked huts are not included in the data used for this report). The largest concentration (12 or 75%) of the nation’s 15 hut systems is in the West. With a variety of landscapes to explore, there is no better way to see the immaculate European backcountry than on foot. tetonbackcountryguides.com, The 28-mile trek across Banff and Yoho National Parks’ Wapta and Waputik Icefields is North America’s premiere hut-to-hut route, linking four Alpine Club of Canada huts (Peyto, Bow, Balfour and Scott Duncan). The US Forest Service is the federal land agency with the largest number of huts, followed by BLM. Check availability! Hut to hut hiking can be a fun alternative to tent camping. The Rest of the West: This huge region includes eight systems: three in Oregon, two in Washington, and one each in Idaho, New Mexico, and Alaska. The oldest are Rendezvous Huts (1981) and Mt. Government operated, some of the cabins are open year-round, but the emphasis is on skiing. The Tour du Mont Blanc and Alta Via 1 may be the best known hut to hut hiking tours in the Alps, but there are hundreds of possibilities to choose from. I could go on and on, but this is already too long. The hut owners have established a state association (. Future posts will go into greater depth in characterizing the situation and outlook for hut systems in USA. Planning an enjoyable hut-to-hut hiking trip in the Julian Alps can be quite a challenge. Source: $30 per night per person, unguided. It operates two premier bike trails of 215 miles apiece, each with six, eight-person huts that are provisioned with food (guests do their own cooking) and beverages. It is time for the federal land agencies to study their experience with huts so far, and to develop standardized and streamlined approaches to working with hut system owners, and to think about how hut systems might fit into national recreational planning and priorities. The Alliance represents the owners of over 130 huts and yurts state-wide, including four hut systems. These include the three full-service huts in New England, and two that provide guided trips that include meal service. is a vast wilderness of 1.4 million acres (540,000 hectares). There are a number of systems under development or expanding, and I’m hoping readers will tip me off to others that should be included. As an umbrella organization, it provides booking services for another 20 privately owned and operated huts, including the Summit Huts Association. These eight systems are relatively small in size, comprising 47 huts (44% of the national total) with 297 beds, about 20% of the national total. stockalpine.com. alpineclubofcanada.ca, Sun Valley Trekking has been guiding throughout central Idaho for more than three decades, and several of their six huts lie close enough together to travel between. Join us on a Banff Canada Hiking + Hut-to-Hut Backpacking Adventure for women only! Most huts in the Dolomites are set between 1500 and 2600 meters of altitude. For women who aren’t completely into roughing it in tents or have a child in tow, but still like their girlfriends getaway adventures on the rugged side, the US hut to hut hiking systems provide a nice in-between option. Not included in this analysis are individual or pairs of huts, yurts, cabins, and lodges. Based on the data presented, it concludes with some musings about the future of hut systems supporting long distance human-powered travelers in the USA. The federal government land management agencies now have a great deal of experience in working with hut systems. However, anecdotally I do know from the operators that many of them are experiencing significant annual growth in business (this includes all three systems in New England, Tenth Mountain Division, San Juan Huts, Mt Tahoma, and Rendezvous). In spite of its small size, Europe is chock-full of hut-to-hut hiking destinations. And they are much cheaper to stay in than the hut systems in New England. One of the most dramatic hut-to-hut hikes in Europe. The outfit offers a five-day, four-night trip that travels between their Big Sheep Hut (6,400 feet) and McCulley Camp (7,500 feet). As a stand-alone system, it owns and operates 14 backcountry ski huts connected by ski trails in the Aspen/Leadville area. Cosy, picturesque, and most of all, remote, the mountain huts in Switzerland offer a chance to rest your head and refuel without having to descend to the nearest town or village. This sketch of hut-to-hut infrastructure in the USA provides an overview by region, and very briefly discusses: business models, recreational uses, staffing, and some. 802.644.6606, Ski Mountaineering Skills with Andrew McLean – Season 2, Ski Mountaineering Skills with Andrew McLean – Season 1, Backcountry Magazine: 6 North American Hut-to-Hut Traverses, Igneous Women’s Carbon Swallowtail Splitboard, 2017 Editors’ Choice Awards: Skis 104-115mm. They provide food and guided expeditions. Grande Traversee des Alps GR5 France Hike the GR5 Mont Blanc to Mediterranean Sea See trip . Lets have a national conversation about huts. Hut to Hut Hiking In most of the world, backpacking means a rugged pair of boots, a heavy pack, a sleeping pad on the ground, and freeze-dried food. The non-profit Summit Huts Association operates four self-service huts near Breckenridge; their heaviest use is in winter. This altitude range covers a full range of the mountain landscapes, including the forest, alpine meadows above the treeline and rocky high-altitude terrain. These huts operate primarily in summer season. Situated at the junction of France, Italy and Switzerland, the glaciated massif of Mont Blanc is circled by one of the greatest and most popular hut-to-hut hikes in Europe – the Tour du Mont Blanc. Hiking Backpack. Last March, 80 of our … [Read More...], © 2021 Backcountry Magazine Top 10 Hut-to-Hut MTB Trips Sweating your way to a rustic lodge isn’t just a wintertime activity. One system supports two forms: skiing and biking. Shelters along the way include Pichler’s Perch, Rosie’s Roost and Hans’s Hut, each built in the ’60s and managed by the Mountaineering Club of Alaska. Source: $1,475 per person for four nights (includes meals, porters, guiding and shuttle). My research is ongoing, but its time to pull together an initial brief overview. Huts can include South American refugios, Himalayan teahouses, national park structures such as those in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, or quite elaborate backcountry hotels such as those in Norway and the Alps. During your 6-day trip, backpack hut-to-hut in the remote backcountry of Banff National Park. Whether you head to the Alps, the Pyrenees or elsewhere plenty of adventure awaits on your next hut-to … It is worth noting that though the three New England combined only account for 15 of the 107 huts in the U.S. (14%), they comprise nearly 50% of the total beds nationally. They are the closest in their design and amenities to European hut systems. Also excluded here are shelter systems, which are usually not enclosed buildings and do not include amenities for cooking food (such as stoves and utensils) and sleeping (such as mattresses). Not all multi-day treks have are rough and rugged. They can be subdivided into: a. Self-Service Systems (unstaffed, providing cooking facilities and utensils, outhouses, and mattresses), and b. Ever wondered what's going on inside the backcountry huts? The huts are quite luxurious, the food is great, and they have a liquor license. End a day of hiking with these 5 luxurious hut-to-hut hikes around the world. Hut-to-hut hiking offers an immersive adventure into the mountains that you simply won’t find on a one-day hike. The weight is distributed perfectly. The oldest hut system in the West is the Rendezvous Huts in Washington. Source: Several outfits offer guided trips starting around $1,200 (including meals, guiding and lodging). Sorry for confusion, […] think of the Alps but right here in North America we have a number of killer hut-to-hut traverses. “North America’s Haute Route,” as it’s often called, takes four to six days, tops out at more than 10,000 feet on Mt. The Mt. Jeffersonville, VT 05464 The AMC now owns 70,000 acres, in the region of Maine called the 100 Mile Wilderness, and operates its lodges year-round. Learn how your comment data is processed. Like the AMC huts, Maine Huts & Trails provide both food and a well-trained staff in each hut to support travelers. Source: Guided rates are based on number of days and group size. This post is a step in that direction. Source: $800 per person for four nights (includes guiding, meals, portering and shuttle). Hi guys! It can provide you with the same adventure but with the convenience and comfort of cabin camping. They are also the most expensive hut systems in the USA. Hut-to-Hut Hiking, Wilderness Canoeing, Nature Tours, Backcountry Skiing and Snowshoeing in Wells Gray Park British Columbia (BC), Canada. We use mountain lodging on the western edge of the John Muir Wilderness to allow a guided, point to point, multiday Sierra adventure with nothing but a light running pack and the clothes on your back. Hut to hut in the USA: situation and outlook. At the root of most thru-hikers’ dislike of all things Appalachian Mountain Club is the cost associated with Another interesting characteristic of most Colorado hut systems is that they are not used nearly as much for hut-to-hut travel as they are as base camps for skiing weekends. Most of us associate hut-to-hut hiking with Switzerland, and while a trip to the Swiss Alps is certainly on our bucket list, there are places to go nearer to home. They have more huts and yurts than any other state and the only statewide association — the Colorado Alliance of Huts and Yurts. Enjoy day hikes through the towering mountains and glacier fed lakes of the Canadian Rockies. wallowahuts.com, The route runs east/west along the San Juan Mountains’ Sneffels Range below notable 13,000-foot peaks like Teakettle Mountain, Last Dollar Mountain and Mears Peak. Their five-day, four-night hut-to-hut trip stretches between Baldy Knoll Hut (8,800 feet) and Plummer Canyon Hut (8,400 feet) at the southern end of the Tetons. Maine Huts & Trails system of 4 huts on 80 miles of trail was established in 2007. New & News. Part 1: Benefits. The two largest systems in terms of number of huts are in Colorado: San Juan Huts and the Tenth Mountain Division Huts. Seven systems provide some form of gear shuttle service for a fee. Currently these 15 systems comprise 107 huts, yurts, and cabins, and offer 1,496 beds for long distance hut-to-hut hikers, bikers and skiers. This cooperative ethos is most evident in the membership and activities of the Colorado Alliance of Huts and Yurts, in its regular meetings that bring hut owners together to discuss common cause, and in its web site offering information about Colorado huts and yurts. “Hut” is a general term we use for any remote, off-the-grid, basic accommodation. US hut systems are all located in mountainous terrain. Tahoma Trails Association presents a model worth emulating on several counts: it is volunteer operated, it has the lowest overnight cost in the USA, it is in sound financial condition, and it enjoys close and productive cooperation with the state DNR. Hut-to-hut hiking at its best and most authentic See trip . We’ve compiled a database of U.S. resorts with a little about each individual policy—where and when skinning is allowed, whether or not it’s free during operating hours and the link directly to the resort’s guidelines. But there is plenty of room (and I would argue need) for huts in the lower elevations, and near population centers. Table 2: Type of buildings, number of beds, types of recreational activities, and selected amenities: Business models: Nationally, 8 hut systems are for-profit enterprises and 7 are non-profit. The route primarily covers low-angle glaciers, but tops out with a 40-degree descent of Raven Headwall on the final day. There are a number of systems under development or expanding, and I’m hoping readers will tip me off to others that should be included. Spend two nights at each shelter. Of course, these are not all strictly apples to apples comparisons, but you get the picture: there is room for growth in hut systems in the USA. Six of these eight systems are for-profit enterprises. Source: Guided rates are based on number of days and group size ($200 per person per day with a group of four). Box 190 Full Service Systems (staffed, provide beds, bathrooms, showers, and meals). Hut traverses were born in Europe, where groups like the Swiss Alpine Club began building and managing high-mountain shelters as early as the mid 19th century. Wells Gray Park B.C. 3. There are hundreds and possibly thousands of these unconnected huts; they are often used as base camps for day excursions. Mountain huts are scattered across Europe, from the Alps to the Dolomites and beyond, and range from basic shacks with shared sleeping areas to elaborate lodges with private quarters and hot showers. Amenities: Seven hut systems (47%) provide some form of food service. Linking each hut—Last Dollar, North Pole, Blue Lakes, Ridgway and Burn—covers some 35 miles, and the distance between huts varies between five and nine miles. Five systems (33%) support one form only: 4 skiing only and 1 hiking only. Rainier and enjoys strong support from the DNR. Summer 2021 Rate Changes more info. New Mexico’s Southwest Nordic Center operates a system of four yurts for winter use in the Cumbres Pass region. If you're looking for a unique hiking experience, look no further than backpacking hut to hut in the White Mountains National Forest in New Hampshire. The three New England systems cook and serve breakfasts and dinner, while three others either stock the hut with food to be cooked by guests or have guides do the cooking. New England:The non-profit AMC runs two hut systems: the AMC Huts in the Presidential Range and AMC Maine Lodge-to-Lodge Skiing. Hut-to-hut hiking through the Alps is incredibly fun and doable for the average hiker. If you need a bit more room, you can also buy the Osprey Kyte 46 (for women) and the Osprey Kestrel 48 (for men). GO enjoy more manageable elevation gain than other hut hiking tours in the Western Alps. There is a clear pattern of skiers preferring to stay in one place for several days and go out to ski the surrounding terrain. Links are provided here to the detailed operational profiles of the U.S. systems I have visited, studied, and written up: Tenth Mountain Division Huts, AMC Huts, Mt Tahoma Trail Association, and San Juan Huts. Hut visitors are required to follow protocols on social distancing, use of face masks, handwashing, and cleaning/disinfecting the hut. All of them are optimized for backcountry skiing, but most also accommodate hikers and bikers. While skiing is the most popular way of visiting huts, long distance hiking and biking are growing in popularity and provide opportunities for generating revenues in the shoulder seasons for hut owners. Whether you’re looking for your first backcountry setup or just updating those well-loved planks, we’ve got unbiased and in-depth reviews of 51 skis and 29 splitboards that will take you where you want to go, wherever that may be. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And you can rest assured you will be returning to a comfortable hotel at the end of your journey. For Reservations Call: 970-925-5775 huts@huts.org 1280 Ute Ave Suite 21 Aspen, CO 81611 See Hut Systems Map of the Americas for a visual view of the distribution of US huts. Link some together, and you’ve got a Euro-style ski-touring experience (schnitzel not included). Unless otherwise specified, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Connecting Anchorage to Girdwood, the 38-mile Eklutna Traverse is Alaska’s premiere hut-to-hut route, usually done over five or six days. These outfits seem very independent and have been the hardest to get detailed information about. Eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains are known as America’s “Little Switzerland” for their jagged alpine terrain, and Wallowa Alpine Huts manages four shelters throughout the range. Based on the data above and a bit of what I’ve learned so far, here are some preliminary observations on the situation and outlook: Huts are not on the radar screen of either American recreation professionals or the general public interested in outdoor recreation. Hut to hut in the USA: situation and outlook, This is a preliminary overview of the 15 hut-to-hut systems in the USA. In this article, you’ll be learning what hut to hut hiking is, a few examples of some hut to hut trails, and the advantages of this […] Hut to hut hiking in Switzerland costs. Three quick points of comparison: the New Zealand Department of Conservation manages a system of over 950 huts of all shapes and sizes; the Swiss Alpine Club manages a system of 250 huts, and there are several hundred privately-operated huts in addition; Norway’s DNT operates about 350 huts.