Winter 2025/26 Newsletter Vol. 2
Hello Friends of Summit Huts,
As we move deeper into the winter hut season, it’s actually starting to feel more like winter! Despite a historically low snow year, routes and access to our cabins have been good, and we continue to receive wonderful trip reports each week. We all look forward to fresh tracks and the hope of a great powder day with a warm hut to return to, but hut trips are so much more than that. Shared meals, countless stories, playing games, reconnecting with friends, meeting new ones, and warming by the fire are at the heart of the hut experience. It has been energizing for us to hear about all the great trips so far this season!
Behind the scenes, our staff, Hutmasters, and a few dedicated volunteers have been busy maintaining the cabins and trails and things are looking good! As we enter the core of winter, I wanted to share a few reminders. First, Trip Leaders (the person who made the reservation) will receive an email 10 days prior to their trip with a waiver to sign and a request to enter information for their party. Once completed, the Trip Leader will receive the door code. Please note that Trip Leaders are the only ones who receive the door code.
Second, while we’ve had very few cancellations this season, any that do occur are immediately returned to availability on our website. You can browse the calendar at any time to check for openings. At this time, we do not maintain a waiting list.
Lastly, summer reservations will open on April 1st. Summit Huts Members will be able to book one summer trip during our early booking window from April 1st–15th, with summer reservations opening to the public on April 15th. We’ll be sharing much more information about summer reservations in the coming weeks.
I hope you enjoy this newsletter. You’ll find great information about our Hutmasters, as well as the announcement that one of our longtime employees, Karen, will be retiring.
Thank you for being part of the Summit Huts community and for the care you show…both to one another and to the places that make these experiences possible. Whether it’s your first hut trip or one of many, we’re grateful to share another winter season with you. Wishing you safe travels, good snow, and many memorable nights in the huts.
Greg Guevara
Executive Director
2024-25 Annual Report
As you read through this annual report and click through our new website, we hope you’ll see some of the great projects and work we have accomplished. We also have some exciting announcements to share in the near future! We are grateful for your continued trust and support, and we look forward to another year of shared adventures in the mountains.
Happy Retirement Karen!
Thank you for your incredible contributions and dedication to Summit Huts. Over the past eight years, Karen has been a pillar of our organization, supporting fundraising, administration, guest services, volunteer coordination, and so much more. We will miss her greatly, but we look forward to following her adventures in retirement!
Thank you for your support!
Thank you to every donor who supported Summit Huts this holiday giving season. Thanks to your generosity, we raised $14,415 to support Summit Huts and provide student educational backcountry hut trips in the coming year. Your support makes these opportunities possible!
Hutmaster Spotlight: Ryan Burr (Hutmaster since 2020)
What’s it like to do a Hutmaster shift?
Every Hutmaster shift is unique and different. There are many variables that go into your assigned shift. Sometimes weather conditions play a huge part and just getting into the hut can be a challenge. Last year, I had a shift at Section House and it was -16 at the trailhead and when I returned back to the TH it had warmed up to -14. This year I had an early season trip to Janet’s before the West Side of Copper was open to the public. It took me 7 hours to get to the hut breaking trail in two feet of new snow, the entire way. Obviously, we work hard in keeping the hut running smoothly. The hut has many systems. From propane, solar to every Hutmaster’s favorite system….the composting toilet, we do it all.
What is your favorite part of being a Hutmaster?
By far, the best part of being a Hutmaster for me is the interaction we have with our guests. Summit Huts has an amazing product and that translates into happy people! As a Summit County School District teacher, I love seeing kids at the huts! I’m really proud to be a part of our programming to bring Summit County kids to Francie’s Cabin. Let’s continue to get kids off of screens and into the woods!
What do you wish visitors knew about Hutmasters?
We are a really tight knit group of people that love doing what we do. We all have our “Real Jobs”, but being a Hutmaster is such an honor to be a part of an amazing organization of people. It’s kind of like we are this tight knit family who really takes care of each other.
Summit Huts X Patagonia
Summit Huts has teamed up with Patagonia to announce the relaunch of The PowSlayer Kit.
It’s a bold goal to make the best better. Over the past 13 years, Patagonia’s PowSlayer series has earned a near mythical status among those seeking the steepest, deepest powder in the biggest mountains. These aren’t the ones bragging at the end of the day; they are the ones who let their tracks do the talking, who start before sunrise and leave behind lines as proud as they are nameless. The new PowSlayer Freeride Kit is built for those riders.
Heard at the Hut
“Very responsive staff, wood stove and sauna were huge, well-maintained hut, beautiful scenery (the creek and other tributaries are beautiful) challenging trip distance-wise for youth and older adults, which made it feel like a big accomplishment (but not too much!)” (Francie’s)
“The well-stocked kitchen was amazing, and having a cistern pump at the kitchen sink a dream. The indoor composting toilet was luxury for back-country stays. The beautiful dining/living area was splendid with the woodstove.” (Sisters)
