Betty Bear (Again)

This winter, our annual 10th Mountain Hut trip was to Betty Bear, again. I decided to be bold and try making the trek into the hut on cross country skis this year. At times I thought it to be a marvelous idea and at times I wondered what the heck I was thinking. In any event, I made it to the hut in decent time.

Hut trips are always special, and this year, fresh snow fell while we were at the hut, bringing even more magic to the trip. Having a variety of gear, skill level and personalities at the hut, some members skied laps on nearby peaks; some members toured around the lakes and toward Hagerman Pass; and still others curled up by the wood stove and drank tea. 

My favorite moment and memory from this trip was drinking coffee and watching the sunrise over a blanket of fresh snow in the early morning while everyone in the hut was still sleeping. 

Betty Bear Hut

Betty Bear Hut is part of the 10th Mountain Division hut system. As one of the newer huts in the system, the design and layout is different than many others that I have been to. In this hut, the sleeping quarters are on the lower level, which makes for a cooler night's sleep.

The ski in was gradual for the first several miles, but just when I thought this might be an easy hut to access, we turned off the main road and started going up switchbacks. The switchbacks were steep and grueling; it seemed like we had been going up for over two hours when the hut finally came into view. Seeing the hut for the first time after a long day of hauling a pack on skis is always an exciting moment. We cheered and picked up our speed, since our destination was finally in sight.

We made it to the hut in the early afternoon and settled in for a celebration as friends arrived and the hut began to fill. We enjoyed a night lounging around the wood stove and singing along with a guitar. The next day, we decided to tour up to the Continental Divide to Hagerman Pass, where we discovered beautiful, expansive views of the surrounding mountains.

On our way back to the hut, some of our group decided to skin up a nearby mountain for a backcountry lap, while the rest of us meandered back through rolling hills and open meadows. Back at the hut, we enjoyed resting on the deck while the sun was out then ate a delicious, hot dinner, played cards and went to bed.

Cheers to adventure!