PNW Ski Huts

I agree with Robert, more or less. Plus there are already touring centric huts in the state, Scottish Lakes, Rendezvous, and Tahoma Trails all cater to that need. We need a high mountain ski touring hut. Something like the VOC huts in Canada, or at the very least, the Tilly Jane A Frame.

The hard part is going to be finding a site that

a) is not in a wilderness area (new permanent structures are not allowed and overcoming that rule will be near impossible)
b) is at a high elevation (4000+)
c) is not in an area frequented by snowmobiles
d) is within a day's ski

I have done a LOT of topo map research on this idea and there really aren't that many places that fit that criteria. The Teanaway might have something but that area has a lot of sled traffic. Closer in, Kendall Peak Lakes, Mt Snoqualmie / Cave Ridge, and Mt Margaret all are outside the boundary but high enough for good snow, and the former two are non-motorized. That's already a high use area though (maybe that's a good thing?) and none of them are far from the road (IE, they are already fine for day touring).

The Sasse Ridge / Red Mt non-motorized zone might be worth discussing.

The other idea might be to approach the forest service about temporary winter structures within the wilderness. A yurt could be set up on top of the snow surface each season, with a simple privy nearby similar to the ones used at heavy use campsites within the wilderness. In fact, if we site it near campsite that already has one, all we would need is a small a-frame (Scottish Lakes has these, they are really basic but work well) over the privy to keep it usable in winter. A group would pack it all in after the hiking season, and pack it out in the spring.

But I keep coming back to the lookouts. They are all high elevation but many are reachable on skis. There is a need to preserve them for historic purposes. Many are are in wilderness areas, so there is no motorized access. And they are the right size for the job.

Maybe we should look into what has been done with Winchester Lookout and Park Butte ... both of those are maintained by volunteers.

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The Sasse Ridge / Red Mt non-motorized zone might be worth discussing.
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That's an area that I've been thinking about as well -- there are some newer clearcuts on the east side of the ridgeline above Salmon Le Sac that are pretty ideal intermediate slopes.   Advanced options are more limited -- but the western side of Jolly mtn itself is good glade/tree skiing.

This location is accessed by a gated logging road in the summer, which would certainly facilitate setting up a camp.

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The other idea might be to approach the forest service about temporary winter structures within the wilderness. 
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I know that Wing Ridge huts in the Wallowas used to have camp within the Eagle Cap Wilderness boundary in the Bonny Lakes area -- but they dropped that camp a while ago -- the frequency of usage was quite a bit less.  A friend of mine toured there once when it was open and found the camp completely buried by snow -- there had been several large storms since the last users.

But it would be pretty interesting to have a camp at a location like Peggy's Pond, Lake Vivian in the Enchantments or Headlight Basin.

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But I keep coming back to the lookouts. They are all high elevation but many are reachable  on skis. There is a need to preserve them for historic purposes. Many are are in wilderness areas, so there is no motorized access. And they are the right size for the job.

Maybe we should look into what has been done with Winchester Lookout and Park Butte ... both of those are maintained by volunteers. 

I believe the Burley Mtn Lookout (near Randle,wa) is still rented as it the Table Mountain A-Frame near Blewett Pass -- unfortunately both areas are heavily used by the motorized crowd.

The Thorp Mtn lookout seems interesting -- The slopes surrounding the lookout look like they might offer some decent skiing.   In mid-winter it is a bit far from the plowed road and the area is a bit overrun by snow machines -- perhaps using a snow-machine to reach the summer trailhead would make this location feasible.

It looks like there might be options east of the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, but I can't find an accurate map of it online. Anyone know where I could find one?

I do like the lookout idea.

That's an area that I've been thinking about as well -- there are some newer clearcuts on the east side of the ridgeline above Salmon Le Sac that are pretty ideal intermediate slopes.   Advanced options are more limited -- but the western side of Jolly mtn itself is good glade/tree skiing.

This location is accessed by a gated logging road in the summer, which would certainly facilitate setting up a camp.

I've only toured each of these places once, but I found Red Mt to have some nice varied terrain, both steep and not so steep Any one of the basins on the upper part of the mountain would make a nice camp, but the southern one has an old road in it, which would make building such a project more feasible.

I know that Wing Ridge huts in the Wallowas used to have camp within the Eagle Cap Wilderness boundary in the Bonny Lakes area -- but they dropped that camp a while ago -- the frequency of usage was quite a bit less.  A friend of mine toured there once when it was open and found the camp completely buried by snow -- there had been several large storms since the last users.

Do you know if that was a permanent or temporary camp (did they break it down annually)

But it would be pretty interesting to have a camp at a location like Peggy's Pond, Lake Vivian in the Enchantments or Headlight Basin.

Interesting, yes. Realistic, no so much. And since most of us don't have access to a sled, places like Peggy's and Headlight would really only be useful after the roads melt out.

I believe the Burley Mtn Lookout (near Randle,wa) is still rented as it the Table Mountain A-Frame near Blewett Pass -- unfortunately both areas are heavily used by the motorized crowd.

I skied to and stayed at Table Mt over Xmas last season. It was a great hut but could use some sprucing up. Had there been more snow the slopes below the cliffs nearby woudl haveoffered some nice skiing ... but as it was, conditions were too boney. We approached via Liberty and didnt see much in the way of snowmachines, though it was early.

The Thorp Mtn lookout seems interesting -- The slopes surrounding the lookout look like they might offer some decent skiing.   In mid-winter it is a bit far from the plowed road and the area is a bit overrun by snow machines -- perhaps using a snow-machine to reach the summer trailhead would make this location feasible.

It is far, but should be doable in a solid day. Most of it is flat and packed by snowmobiles. I have no idea how overrun the upper basins are but I doubt sleds go beyond the ridgeline, there should be decent turns in the north and west basins.

I've only toured each of these places once, but I found Red Mt to have some nice varied terrain, both steep and not so steep Any one of the basins on the upper part of the mountain would make a nice camp, but the southern one has an old road in it, which would make building such a project more feasible.

Yeah -- I need get out and ski in the Red mountain area this winter -- it looks interesting.

Do you know if that was a permanent or temporary camp (did they break it down annually)

I'm pretty sure they had to disasemble the camp -- I.E. Take down the timbers used to support the A-Frame over the tent and remove the tent and wood stove.

Interesting, yes. Realistic, no so much.  And since most of us don't have access to a sled, places like Peggy's and Headlight would really only be useful after the roads melt out.

Yeah -- a bigger undertaking -- I think any camp that the forest service would issue a special use permit for is going to require a non-profit organization to support it.  And with enough interest and membership -- a snow-machine could be owned and operated by the non-profit to haul skiiers up the road to the summer trailhead.

It is far, but should be doable in a solid day. Most of it is flat and packed by snowmobiles. I have no idea how overrun the upper basins are but I doubt sleds go beyond the ridgeline, there should be decent turns in the north and west basins.

Agreed -- the trick would getting the Forest Service to permit usage -- nice views from the top of Thorp.

I think the ideal setup would allow you to drive to the trailhead Friday afternoon and ski a well marked trail by headlamp to the hut -- allowing two full days of skiing out of the hut on a weekend. Thorp wouldn't fit that bill.

In 2006, while completing my Cascade Crest ski linkup, I visited Naches Pass a couple of times on skis. The USGS topo map shows a "Camp Urich" at the NW edge of Government Meadow just west of the pass. This is a cabin built by snowmobile clubs in 1992. During my visits I found the cabin unlocked and relatively bare inside. The area is a popular stopping place for snowmobilers. They looked at me like I was from another planet, but everybody was friendly.

Anyone interested in pursuing the hut idea should contact the Forest Service and find out what it took to build the Urich cabin. This is an area crisscrossed by roads. I think most places you might build a cabin outside a wilderness area these days would be accessible to snowmobiles, which would spoil the experience somewhat.