I had my chance this past week to do a 3 day hut trip to the hut that is named "The 10th Mountain Hut" with 8 of my friends from Vail Club 50 who pretty much do a hut trip annually. The weather gods smiled on us and we skied in just under 4 miles under bluebird then had a picture perfect high country powder falling all the next day and skied through a pristine winter landscape to exit. Yes, this is serious back country travel and we were under a high avalanche warning at the time in Colorado but research showed that the trail in did not pass on or beneath any questionable slopes and our play day in at the hut we stayed off of any slopes that may have posed danger. We did cheat a bit and utilize snowmobiles to pack the food in, and if you know me not being a "purist" was a bit hard. But I felt a little better when the snowmobiles got bogged down so badly that we decided the skiers would go first to pack the trail for the snowmobiles--now that's a turn about! I borrowed a pair of back country x-c skis for this trip but have decided a pair(free heel, wider than regular x-c skis, metal edges, beefier bindings, fish scales in the camber and climbing skins for steep slopes) need to be in my ski quiver.I created a little movie of our trip I hope you enjoy, click on the link and it will take you to Youtube: 10th Mtn Hut Trip February 2015
Thought the info posted in the hut was interesting but it didn't fit well in the movie I made.
Notice the 122 lbs per person these ski troopers carried! Wonder what an emergency thong was? |