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Spending dough for the Snow - Dough for winter Snow Sports |
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Written by Erin Frustaci
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Thursday, 02 November 2006 |
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Page 9 of 12
 HUT TRIPS
Hut treks offer more serenity, fewer people
Few things are more idyllic than peering out the window of a remote mountain cabin as the new day’s sun blindingly reflects off the blanket of fresh snow that fell during the night.
 Nothing, that is, except getting out and skiing endless lines of fresh tracks.
That’s the beauty of hut skiing — beautiful settings, powder skiing and no one else intruding on your serenity.
Colorado is one of the best places in the world to enjoy backcountry hut trips, with dozens of huts scattered around the state.
One of the most popular is the 10th Mountain Division Hut system situated between Vail and Aspen. There are a number of huts above Crested Butte as well, and in our own backyard, Cameron Pass has a small but comfortable array of yurts.
Hikes to the huts can be as short as a mile, or as long as 12 miles. At 10th Mountain, it is even possible to ski from hut to hut. The farther in you ski, the more removed you become from the world — and that’s the whole idea.
One of the best things about a hut trip is that when the day is done, you only return to the hut, not the car.
The food tastes better, the hot cocoa richer and that heavy bottle of wine you lugged in seems more than worth all the griping.
Plus, when else can you hang out in your long johns with your best friends?
Glenn BurnSilver
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ESSENTIALS
Maps/guide books
($9.99 and up)
Two backpacks:
Larger for the trip in
($120 and up)
smaller for day trips
($60 and up)
Avalanche gear:
Beacon, shovel, probe
($350-$800, for all)
Climbing skins
($90-$160)
Portable camp stove and fuel — just in case!
($99 and up)
Skis, boots and adjustable poles
($600 and up)
Prices from online research and area sports shops reflect a representative amount.
RENT IT
At Mountain Sports in Fort Collins:
Skis, boots and poles
• $30 first day
• $12 additional days
Skis or boots $20/$10
Climbing skins $6/$3
Probes, poles or shovel $4/$2
At REI:
Skis, boots and poles
Members:
• $20 first day, $6 additional
Non-members:
• $25 first day, $9 additional
Skis, boots, climbing skins
Members: $10/$3
Non-members: $13/$4
WHERE TO GO
Some hot destinations include: Cameron Pass Yurts, 10th Mountain Division Huts, Alfred Braun & Friends Huts, and Summit Huts.
MAPS
National Geographic produces maps for all hut zones. Colorado State Forest topographic maps are good too.
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|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
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I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
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|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
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| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
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