Hut-to-hut skiing involves traveling between various huts, which are warm and hospitable lodges. Skiers can choose physically demanding or relaxing routes, and can enjoy nature and improve their skiing skills. Reservations are common, and skiers are expected to leave the huts in good condition. Huts are maintained by utility groups, skiers, or private organizations. Ski vacation companies offer hut-to-hut ski tours.
Hut-to-hut skiing is a form of cross-country skiing in which skiers travel between various huts, sometimes during an extended trip. The term ‘ski lodge’ conjures up an image of a rickety old building, but in reality most lodges are warm, well insulated and quite hospitable. Many lodges are run like small hotels, with staff maintaining them through the winter months when they are in active use. Hut-to-hut skiing is quite popular in many parts of Europe and parts of the American Midwest and Northeast.
Depending on where you do it, hut-to-hut skiing can be physically demanding or it can take the form of a relaxing getaway. In both cases, skiers usually ski from hut to hut in small groups, paying attention to everyone’s safety along the way. More physically demanding trails might include difficult ski runs or areas where skiers might need to clear fallen branches or trees. Prepared or less demanding routes will feel more like a walk in the snow for skiers, and are suitable for less experienced members of a hut-to-hut ski party.
In some areas, remote regions are only accessible in the winter via skiing, so the ski hut is a fun way to get outdoors. Walking through nature, skiers can also enjoy peace and quiet on many ski trails, except in regions where snowmobiles and other motor vehicles are permitted. While skiing from hut to hut, skiers can hone their cross-country, telemark or running skills. Ski travel also gives people a chance to get to know each other better and enjoy the outdoors as a group, just like summer backpackers do.
It is common for skiers to make a reservation with a hut host before skiing. In some cases, this can be as simple as signing up to use a minimum cabin on a given day. In other cases, skiers pay for the service and arrive expecting amenities such as food, fuel refills, clean sheets, and other comforts. In either case, hut-to-hut skiers usually try to leave the hut in excellent condition and sometimes contribute to a guest book, woodpile, or some other community project.
It is traditional to offer shelter to any skiers who may arrive, especially during inclement weather. Huts are placed at intervals along the trail and maintained by utility groups, skiers or private organizations who profit from hut-to-hut skiing. During the winter, crews periodically check the heating huts to ensure everything is well stocked and in working order, and in the summer months, any necessary repairs are carried out. Many ski vacation companies offer hut-to-hut ski tours for skiers interested in experimenting, but not organizing.
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