Category Archives: Hut systems

Plan for Adirondack Hut-to-Hut System

This report is required reading for those interested in what it takes to site and develop a new hut-to-hut system in cooperation with state officials and trail communities.

After months of research and community consultations, Leading E.D.G.E. LLC has released its “Conceptual Plan for a Hut-to-Hut Destination-based Trail System for the Five Towns of Long Lake, Newcomb, Indian Lake, Minerva, and North Hudson”.  The plan proposes 26 possible routes for consideration by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  It thoroughly explores options for developing a trails and lodging system in the Five Towns region within the Adirondack Park (the largest park east of the Mississippi River).  It is based on the work of the Adirondacks Community Based Trails and Lodging System.

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Tent-to-tent as hut-to-hut in the N. Cascades National Park

Tent-to-tent

Photos in this post are courtesy of Stehekin Outfitters

Stehekin Outfitters has a unique business model: tent-to-tent hiking in a U.S. National Park.  This unique form of “hut-to-hut” seems like a great way to support hikers who want to go out for several days and don’t have the gear or experience to do full-on backpacking.

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Alpine huts for Scotland? News of a possible pilot project…

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Larig Leacach Bothy Courtesy Wikipedia

Is Scotland missing out on a key mountain tourism niche?

The Ramblers in Scotland think this may be true, and are proposing a pilot project to test this assumption.

While the Scots have “Bothies” — unimproved  backpacker shelters — European-style huts are not part of the accommodations infrastructure for walkers in Scotland, Wales, England.  They rely on a robust network of B&B’s and hostels.  This leaves gaps in mountainous regions.

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Hut-to-hut in USA: situation and outlook

Hut to hut in the USA: situation and outlook

by  Sam Demas and Wilson Josephson

[Note: This 2015 post is out of date.  See our book for more recent analysis of huts in USA.  Will update later.]

Sam August 2021

This is a preliminary overview of the 15 hut-to-hut systems in the USA.  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.  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 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. 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.  hut to hut in usa

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Brief History of the Rendezvous Huts, oldest in the West!

Brief History of the Rendezvous Huts, oldest in the West!

By Sam Demas and Charles Hickenbottom

This is a companion piece to  history of the Methow Valley Trails system, which operates hand in glove with Rendezvous Huts and other businesses and organizations in the area. Together they maintain and operate a remarkable Nordic skiing trail and lodging system in the East Cascades, which is based on an unusually high degree of cooperation across the community.

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Hut-to-hut skiing: a tale of two Mt. Tahoma Huts

Featured Huts: A tale of two Mt Tahoma Huts

by Sam Demas

 

 

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News: Oregon Bike-Hut Trail Planning

Oregon Bike Trail and Hut System in Planning Stages

Travel Oregon is in the conceptual stage of planning a hut-to-hut single track biking system that they hope will eventually go from the Oregon/California border to the Oregon/Washington border. The initial planning involves coordination with the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the International Mountain Biking Association, as well as a number of Oregon organizations and businesses.  The proposed trail will not go through federally designated wilderness or tribal lands. I’ll report further on this project over time as the concept develops.

– Sam Demas

State of the Huts – Tenth Mountain Division – 2015

The state of hut operations outlined by Ben Dodge, Executive Director of Tenth Mountain Division Huts, is reprinted from their Summer 2015 Newsletter with permission.  Hut maintenance is featured.  Retiring Hawk Greenaway’s contributions as hutmaster are acknowledged and Morgan Boyles is introduced as his successor.

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More hut-to-hut hiking in USA? Part 2: Challenges

by Sam Demas

Creating more opportunities for people to use huts to support long distance hiking, biking, skiing is a complex undertaking.  If not done well, the potential for doing environmental harm is as great as the potential for doing educational and recreational good.

Part 1 of this article outlined the potential benefits. Part 2 outlines the challenges in thoughtfully regulating, siting, creating, and operating hut systems. Future posts will provide greater detail in many of these areas, and the operational profiles on this site provide information on how specific hut systems handle these challenges.  The audience for this piece is young people planning or dreaming of starting a hut system; it may also interest recreation planners and land managers.

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Trip Report: Hut to Hut Hiking in the San Juan Huts

Where: San Juan Huts, Ridgway, Colorado, http://sanjuanhuts.com Hiked the Sneffels Traverse in late August, from Last Dollar Hut to Silverton, staying in four huts.

Amenities: The huts are basic, but comfortable. They have good cooking facilities, wood stove (which we didn’t need in August), nice areas for seating outside, and great outdoor settings.

Trip description: Four of us made the delightful 30 mile trek and thoroughly enjoyed hiking day after day at tree-line, circling around Mt. Sneffels though the woodlands and pastures. On the first two days we gathered lots of Chantrelle mushrooms, which enriched our risotto and other meals. We happened to be hiking in parallel with two couples, who were great company. The huts offer basic comfort, conviviality, and a chance to rest and recreate after a nice days walk.

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