Country studies: comparing hut systems across nations 

Over time, and with help from colleagues around the world, I hope to compile substantive overviews of how huts operate in 6-8 countries.  The idea is to study countries with differing approaches to supporting long-distance human powered travel, to  describe the unique features of each, to identify commonalities, and to consider how each nation’s approach grows out of and reflects its terrain, climate, history, recreational aims and culture.

Americans know almost nothing about huts.  As a nation I expect we will not necessarily copy others, but we can certainly learn from other nations.   Like other nations, we will create huts systems that reflect our culture, terrain and traditions.  My  aim is to help ensure that huts remain simple, affordable, environmentally sound ways of supporting people in the backcountry.  My fear is that they will be sucked into the maw of America’s ruthless system of advanced capitalism and do more harm than good.  .

My hope is that we use huts, as one small method among many others, for cultivating an ethos of biophilia among our citizens.  The aim of this work is to help ensure that we will do this with awareness of what others have learned in their work with huts, not always our strong suit!  In essence, to inform American thinking about the roles that huts might play locally in environmental stewardship by looking at how they operate globally.

So far I’ve completed a study of Ireland (which has no huts!),  New Zealand, and USA, which will be published in the form of a book coming out October 2021.  Next I plan to study huts in Iceland, and then in the European Alps, in Scandinavia, and then in Japan.  Stay tuned and let me know if you want to collaborate on international studies of huts and related accommodations systems.