The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) started building the oldest hut system in the USA in 1889. Sorry for confusion, […] think of the Alps but right here in North America we have a number of killer hut-to-hut traverses. They have been generous in sharing information. Appalachian Trail Hut to Hut Hiking in the White Mountains: Presidential Peaks Trek! 3. Invite us to experience the live culture of the Incas. 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. 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. When compared to either European huts or the systems in New England, Colorado’s hut systems are intentionally more rustic. Future posts will go into greater depth in characterizing the situation and outlook for hut systems in USA. If you need a bit more room, you can also buy the Osprey Kyte 46 (for women) and the Osprey Kestrel 48 (for men). Part 2: Challenges, New Zealand Country Study: Annotated Table of Contents. Hut to hut hiking in Switzerland costs. 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. 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. Almost all are unstaffed and only about half of the systems provide food services. Grande Traversee des Alps: GR5 Part 1 France Hike the GR5 from Chamonix to Pralognan-La-Vanoise See trip . . Self-guided options are available, too. The route primarily covers low-angle glaciers, but tops out with a 40-degree descent of Raven Headwall on the final day. Most huts in the Dolomites are set between 1500 and 2600 meters of altitude. For Reservations Call: 970-925-5775 huts@huts.org 1280 Ute Ave Suite 21 Aspen, CO 81611 My research is ongoing, but its time to pull together an initial brief overview. These three New England systems are all non-profits. 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. Hut systems are designed to support human-powered travel ranging from several days to months on end. I could go on and on, but this is already too long. Colorado Backcountry Hut to Hut Hiking Trip: Grab a friend and explore the extraordinary back-country of Colorado, on this hut-to-hut trip in the heart of the Rocky Mountains: Leadville – Aspen Snowmass and the famous Maroon Bells – Crested Butte. These include the three full-service huts in New England, and two that provide guided trips that include meal service. Land ownership: Ten (66%) hut systems are located all or partly on federal land, two are located solely on state land, and two are located solely on privately owned land. Hiking hut to hut, you will stay at a new hut each night, and thus enjoy the evening in a new location. This post is a step in that direction. Hut-to-hut hiking at its best and most authentic See trip . Northward, in the Sawtooth Mountains, Bench Hut and Fishhook Yurt are easy to link up with a descent of the notable Gun Barrel Couloir. They are almost entirely self-service; except for the two remarkable San Juan Huts bike trails, they provide no food for hikers. Hut-to-hut hiking in Europe: what to expect Hut-to-hut hiking involves trekking along an established trail during the day and crashing at a backcountry lodge come nightfall. The oldest are Rendezvous Huts (1981) and Mt. It also operates a five-hut hiking and skiing system in which guests carry in their food. Hut-to-hut hiking through the Alps is incredibly fun and doable for the average hiker. 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. Backcountry biking is exploding in popularity. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 10th Mountain unequivocally supports these protocols. Hut visitors are required to follow protocols on social distancing, use of face masks, handwashing, and cleaning/disinfecting the hut. svtrek.com. Source: Several outfits offer guided trips starting around $1,200 (including meals, guiding and lodging). This story first appeared in the February 2014 issue of Backcountry Magazine. Top 10 Hut-to-Hut MTB Trips Sweating your way to a rustic lodge isn’t just a wintertime activity. Table 1: Number of huts, geographic distribution, land ownership, & business models: 1. Summer 2021 Rate Changes more info. Use is growing steadily in the systems I have studied. Most hut-to-hut systems in the West are small, for-profit enterprises, run largely by locals intent on opening up the vast wilderness to more casual explorers. Amenities: Seven hut systems (47%) provide some form of food service. On our hut to hut treks, you will sacrifice some comfort, but you will explore places not reachable by any other means and the rewards of a hut to hut trek are well worth the extra effort. Discover comfortable lodging while exploring the New Hampshire White Mountains. 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. The oldest hut system in the West is the Rendezvous Huts in Washington. Source: $30 per night per person, unguided. These huts operate primarily in summer season. Most of the nations of Europe have hut systems that comprise hundreds of huts, and many other nations have significant organized infrastructure to support long distance human-powered travel. Hiking Backpack. In the Smoky Mountains, connect Tornak Hut to the brand-new Coyote Yurts for a wildfire-burned glade tour. One of the most dramatic hut-to-hut hikes in Europe. More hut-to-hut hiking in USA? Staffing: Only 5 (33%) of hut systems have staff staying with guests in their huts. Colorado is a bellwether state for outdoor recreation and education. 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. Similarly, there may be great opportunity to partner with timber companies and other large land private holders. They provide food and guided expeditions. Tahoma Trail Association is located on Washington State Department of Natural Resources land near Mt. At the root of most thru-hikers’ dislike of all things Appalachian Mountain Club is the cost associated with by Sam Demas and Wilson Josephson. The Tenth Mountain Division Huts has established a model for creating an umbrella to help support the work of smaller hut systems by jointly handling registration and marketing. Source: Guided rates are based on number of days and group size. You have listed $800 for the wallowa huts, but the website doesn’t seem to have that number, Ur right thats the old price redeemable if u book before Sept 1 The AMC now owns 70,000 acres, in the region of Maine called the 100 Mile Wilderness, and operates its lodges year-round. The two largest systems in terms of number of huts are in Colorado: San Juan Huts and the Tenth Mountain Division Huts. Not included in this analysis are individual or pairs of huts, yurts, cabins, and lodges. Nearly all hut owners cite inconsistent and onerous permitting processes as their biggest challenge. Hut-to-Hut Hiking, Wilderness Canoeing, Nature Tours, Backcountry Skiing and Snowshoeing in Wells Gray Park British Columbia (BC), Canada. By Sam Demas, hut2hut.info. 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. 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 Mt. Lets have a national conversation about huts. There is a need to review the huge body of research data on environmental impact of various forms of recreation, and to draw some firm conclusions about how hut systems can and do concentrate human use in ways that protect the lands we treasure and from unwittingly “loving them to death”. This is how we keep it clean and enjoyable for everyone . Country Studies: comparing world hut systems, More hut-to-hut hiking in USA?, Part 1 Benefits, More hut-to-hut hiking in USA? Finally, I am in the early stages of my research. 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. 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. It can provide you with the same adventure but with the convenience and comfort of cabin camping. And you can rest assured you will be returning to a comfortable hotel at the end of your journey. Source: $800 per person for four nights (includes guiding, meals, portering and shuttle). The hut owners have established a state association (. 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. New England:The non-profit AMC runs two hut systems: the AMC Huts in the Presidential Range and AMC Maine Lodge-to-Lodge Skiing. This is not the maple syrup harvest your aunt went to that one time. It appears that there is strong demand for huts where they already exist. White mountain huts are convenient and affordable. Grande Traversee des Alps GR5 France Hike the GR5 Mont Blanc to Mediterranean Sea See trip . While hiking here you will encounter steep and rugged mountains. The US Forest Service is the federal land agency with the largest number of huts, followed by BLM. The for-profit Never Summer Nordic maintains 14 self-service yurts. 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? 60 Main Street P.O. 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. 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. 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. 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. Home » Hut-to-Hut Hiking The huts are a relatively new addition to the Sunshine Coast Trail, and they have been garnering a lot of attention — not just because they are gorgeous structures placed in unforgettable locations, but because they make the Sunshine Coast Trail one of the only trails in Canada where it is possible to hike hut-to-hut. 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. 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. Source: $1,475 per person for four nights (includes meals, porters, guiding and shuttle). 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. Backcountry Magazine brings us a look at six of […]. In my research I have found Colorado hut system owners unusually open to cooperation with each other in the interest of promoting huts state-wide. New England has three hut systems but contains the largest share (737, or about 50%) of total of 1,496 beds in the national system. See Hut Systems Map of the Americas for a visual view of the distribution of US huts. New Mexico’s Southwest Nordic Center operates a system of four yurts for winter use in the Cumbres Pass region. Nine systems (60%) report that they support all three forms of recreation: hiking, biking and skiing. The non-profit Summit Huts Association operates four self-service huts near Breckenridge; their heaviest use is in winter. Hi guys! 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. They are all open in winter, but only one yurt operates in summer. Future posts will expand on this overview, adding new systems as I learn about them and presenting new data and findings. All of them are optimized for backcountry skiing, but most also accommodate hikers and bikers. 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. Plus, 21 boots, 12 bindings and 28 pieces of apparel, all of [Read More…], Like a masterfully forged katana, Igneous’s Women’s Carbon Swallowtail was gorgeous, deadly The largest concentration (12 or 75%) of the nation’s 15 hut systems is in the West. They can be subdivided into: a. Self-Service Systems (unstaffed, providing cooking facilities and utensils, outhouses, and mattresses), and b. I believe huts as a form of outdoor infrastructure have great potential for conservation, recreation, and education in the USA. US hut systems are all located in mountainous terrain. Five systems (33%) support one form only: 4 skiing only and 1 hiking only. More About Hut to Hut Treks What exactly is a “hut”? The Osprey Kyte 36 (for women) and the Osprey Kestrel 38 (for men) are the best hut-to-hut hiking backpacks on the market. This is due in part to the leadership and foresight of those running the Tenth Mountain Division Huts, and to a strong core of hut owners who see the benefit of having a common voice on land issues and other topics of cross-cutting interest. New & News. Like European counterparts, they are all within a few hours drive of major population centers and they prize the social aspect of hut-to-hut travel, featuring much larger huts with far greater capacities. As an umbrella organization, it provides booking services for another 20 privately owned and operated huts, including the Summit Huts Association. Which route to take, what the mountain huts in Slovenia are like, what to pack, what the weather is like, where can I get a good hiking map of the Julian Alps, and more. Hut to hut in the USA: situation and outlook. You’ll never feel like the pack is weighing you down, or working against you. Glacier National Park: Sperry Chalet Staying at the Sperry Chalet, you'll be treated to three meals daily and glorious views. 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). Colorado:  Colorado is the national leader in huts and yurts for backcountry skiing and biking. Oregon’s three hut systems are small, privately operated outfits. But there is plenty of room (and I would argue need) for huts in the lower elevations, and near population centers. “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. This is a preliminary overview of the 15 hut-to-hut systems in the USA. Alaska’s White Mountain National Recreation Area is a 1,000,000 acre BLM managed park with 12 cabins and 250 miles of groomed trails. One system supports two forms: skiing and biking. “A ninja in … [Read More...], Here it is, the best gear for this winter—the 2017 Editors' Choice Awards. GO stay at charming mountain huts and see oodles of marmots. Link some together, and you’ve got a Euro-style ski-touring experience (schnitzel not included). Check availability! 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. I plan to visit and study all of them eventually to build the knowledge base. Most of these huts are also open during the summer season for hiking and biking. I do not have sufficient data on the finances of hut systems to generalize about their profitability/sustainability. Mission & Aims, Beliefs, and Perspectives, Country Studies: comparing hut systems across cultures, New Zealand Huts Country Study – Overview, Country Study: Long Distance Walking in Ireland, Appalachian Trail community and shelters Laura Johnston, Fishook Hut — Sun Valley Trekking: Photo Gallery, Pacific Crest Trail Community and Shelters Laura Johnston, Pioneer Yurt — Sun Valley Trekking: Photo Gallery, Trip Report: Lower Atlas Mountains through Berber Villages, Unique Cabin Designs That Can Make A Great Getaway, Book Review: Walks of a Lifetime in America’s National Parks, Field notes: Reflections on writing a guidebook to US Huts, History, Culture & Backcountry Skiing in Norway and Sweden, Village-to-village trekking in Thailand and Laos, For its land area and population USA has very few huts (107 in hut systems). 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. Hut to hut hiking can be a fun alternative to tent camping. Because huts have largely been kept small and simple, costs tend to be low. Otherwise $1200 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). During your 6-day trip, backpack hut-to-hut in the remote backcountry of Banff National Park. Spend two nights at each shelter. All 8 of the for-profits are in the Western part of the nation. Hut systems in the West tend to emphasize adventure over ease. 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. 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. 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). Tahoma Trail Association (1990) in Washington, but most were developed in the past 15 years. But at the same time Ever wondered what's going on inside the backcountry huts? 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. Each hut provides hikers with a bed and food, as well as wood stoves for heat and social spaces. 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. They are the closest in their design and amenities to European hut systems. 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. Connecting Anchorage to Girdwood, the 38-mile Eklutna Traverse is Alaska’s premiere hut-to-hut route, usually done over five or six days. Comments and corrections welcome. Maine Huts & Trails system of 4 huts on 80 miles of trail was established in 2007. The huts are quite luxurious, the food is great, and they have a liquor license. Colorado’s huts provide shelter without diminishing the rugged appeal or adventurous spirit of hiking the Rockies. 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. 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. Planning an enjoyable hut-to-hut hiking trip in the Julian Alps can be quite a challenge. All our hut systems are in the mountains, where the views are sublime and the skiing is great. The strong growth areas reported are in biking and hiking, particularly in systems that were originally designed for skiing. 8. The federal government land management agencies now have a great deal of experience in working with hut systems. Rainier and enjoys strong support from the DNR. The two systems in Washington State are quite different from each other and each has a unique flavor and story. Seven systems provide some form of gear shuttle service for a fee. But they have yet to step back and learn from their own experience; which I observe has been very positive overall. All-inclusive trips, exceptional guides, Top-rated on Trip Advisor! Importantly, Colorado is home to the remarkable Tenth Mountain Division Huts, which is both a great hut system in itself, and a forward-thinking, inclusive organization keenly interested in the future of huts in the state. The system caters to hikers, skiers, and bikers. Recreational uses: Overall, fourteen systems (93%) support skiing, which appears to be the most popular use for hut systems. Six of these eight systems are for-profit enterprises. The Mt. 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. Unless otherwise specified, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Many can be reached by car. Last March, 80 of our … [Read More...], © 2021 Backcountry Magazine The Alliance represents the owners of over 130 huts and yurts state-wide, including four hut systems. Here's a few of our favorites. As we move West, we see fewer amenities and a dramatic decrease in the capacity and the cost of staying in the huts. Not all multi-day treks have are rough and rugged. Hiking Slovenia – join us on this epic trek through the heart of the majestic Julian Alps, Slovenia’s prime outdoor playground. And they are much cheaper to stay in than the hut systems in New England. In spite of its small size, Europe is chock-full of hut-to-hut hiking destinations. The first two systems operate only in winter and under US Forest Service permits that require them to take down their structures after ski season and put them back up in the fall. The land management agencies in Colorado have accumulated a great deal of experience in permitting and monitoring hut systems and there is much to be learned in harvesting this experience. Full Service Systems (staffed, provide beds, bathrooms, showers, and meals). 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. Again, this model could be valuable on a regional basis. 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). End a day of hiking with these 5 luxurious hut-to-hut hikes around the world. Balfour and can be skied either guided or unguided. Established in 1984, the privately operated San Juan Huts is one of the largest (in number of huts and miles of trails) and one of the oldest systems in the nation. 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). 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. 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. 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. 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. There are no hut systems in the Midwest, the South, the Great Plains, or the Mid-Atlantic states. 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 […] The buildings generally provide space for eating, sleeping, and social interaction. 2. Source: Guided rates are based on number of days and group size ($200 per person per day with a group of four). 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. There is a clear pattern of skiers preferring to stay in one place for several days and go out to ski the surrounding terrain. Jeffersonville, VT 05464 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. 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. For a fuller explication (with pictures) of the wildly inclusive term “hut” see What is a hut? Of the four hut systems in Colorado, two are for-profit and two are non-profit. Box 190 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. This altitude range covers a full range of the mountain landscapes, including the forest, alpine meadows above the treeline and rocky high-altitude terrain. GO enjoy more manageable elevation gain than other hut hiking tours in the Western Alps. These 15 hut systems include a total of 107 huts, yurts, and cabins. GO hiking for 8 days in one of France’s favorite national parks. You will almost think you're out west somewhere in the Rockies. Hut systems intentionally concentrate backcountry travel in ways that protect the environment from the wear and tear of human overuse. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. 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. Hut-to-hut hiking offers an immersive adventure into the mountains that you simply won’t find on a one-day hike. Trekking and Hiking Hut to Hut is a magical experience and we offer the best hikes in Chile, Peru, Switzerland, France, Austria and Italy. While being in Switzerland the costs is probably the most important thing Switzerland has a very high standard of living and it’s only natural that everything is quite expensive. 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. 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 to hut in the USA: situation and outlook, This is a preliminary overview of the 15 hut-to-hut systems in the USA. Highlights. 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.