by Dave McCormick
I've discovered a new way to get to visit some great backcountry ski destinations.... It's the same strategy I've talked about before - volunteering for the ACC - you get to go to all sorts of great places.
I got this phone call on a Wednesday offering me a trip into Fairy Meadows for a week.... IF I could get ready in 2 days and IF I'd be prepared to do some mold cleanup and a general hut survey during my time there. And one other thing, because of a reservation mix-up, there would only be 6 people at the Hut rather than the usual 20. It only took me a couple of hours to make up my mind, a day gathering together food and equipment and a 4 hour drive to a staging area east of Rogers Pass. The helicopter picked us up around noon for a 20-minute flight north to the Hut.
The ACC's Bill Putnam Hut at Fairy Meadows is located in the Adamant Range of the Columbia Mountains, NW of Golden. The only real way there during the winter is by helicopter. Even in summer it's pretty difficult any other way than that, although I have hiked in once - the hike from hell, actually a bit wet and cold for hell, but that is another story.
The week fell quickly into a pattern. Up in the morning, mold cleaning and other work all morning, a few hours of skiing in the afternoon, a nap, supper, lots of reading and then off to sleep. The other 5 people there were experienced skiiers so they were off to challenging destinations each day. I pretty much stayed close to the hut on the practice slopes nearby. Generally, they were enough of a challenge for me.
The week passed and the helicopter came to pick us up and whisk us back to the parking lot. I think it's time to hang up the skis for the season....
Pictures of the area are available at:
No comments:
Post a Comment