A good friend of mine celebrated her 40th B-day in style: Three days of skiing, good food, wine and friends up at McNamara Hut just outside of Aspen, CO.

The trip started off under a blanket of those wonderful winter blue skies I’ve grown to love so much in Colorado. An easy traverse up the Hunter Creek Drainage.

Jeep road along the Hunter Creek drainage

After a while, I started cruising along and oblivious to the fact my friends were behind me.

Finally made it to the hut and gratefully shouldered off my much heavier than normal pack.

McNamara Hut

What was in said pack? Enough food (and then some!) for 16 people on Saturday’s dinner. Call it Italian Food Panic Mode, but in my pack, I had:

• 10 lbs of pork loin
• 5 lbs of spinach
• 1.5 lbs of dried salami
• mushrooms, onions and black olives
• A lot of carrots and potatoes
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• COFFEE !!!!

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I love hut trips.

Hut trips combine many things in life I enjoy: Being outdoors in the fresh air, getting together with friends, enjoying good food and wine and just enjoying the simple pleasure of life. I've always thought of hut trips as dinner party with a ski trip attached.

My friend Judy e-mailed me one day and said there was a last minute invite to a hut. Was I interested? My answer was a resounding YES!

On Friday after work, I drove up to Silverthorne and stayed at Mark and Judy's (shared) vacation condo. After a hearty meal and a movie, we all retired to bed.

Woke up Saturday, had an equally yummy breakfast and drove to the trailhead. The Mag Wag is not the best vehicle in snowy and icy conditions as the fishtailing on I-70 proved. :O

But, we made it to the trailhead. Suited up and enjoyed the falling snow and beautiful terrain of the valley.

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“Hut Trip”.

Those two words conjure up so many vivid memories for me. A wintery landscape with softly swirling snow. Intense blue skies framing the mountains covered in white. Tracks of coyote and elk leading off into the soft white powder. Long meals by the fire accompanied by equal amounts of wine and laughter.

Every time I go on one of these hut trips, I am again reminded of why I live in Colorado. Not just for the ample outdoor pursuits or even the beautiful scenery, but for the fact that I can experience and share these memories with like minded people. That I can experience and share memories that will be talked about long after the last sip of cocoa is drank; long after the last ember has cooled in the stove.

The trip for this past weekend  “luxuriously rustic” and nestled in a picturesque setting. Skiing in the mountains by day; sitting by the fire by night.

Continue reading Harry Gates Hut Trip at PMags.com.

I used to go on fair amount of winter backpacking trips.

Winter is a wonderful time of the year to be outdoors. Especially in Colorado where it seems to be always sunny.

Cold and crisp air. The mountains covered in snow and framed by a bright, blue sky. Fresh powder that is so white it does not seem real. What could be better?

To enjoy multiple days, winter camping is required.

Now, winter camping can be fun. A snug and warm snow cave. A few good friends. Some laughter and lots of talking.

But, winter camping is much work. Ski/snowshoe in for a few miles. Spend a lot of time making your shelter. It is hard (but can be fun) work. Not much time for traditional RnR.

In the past few years, I've "discovered" hut trips! Rustic luxury in the back country!

The Tenth Mountain Hut system was created my veterans of the famous 10th Mountain
Division of World War Two fame.

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