By Rob Burbank
One arcane tradition in the White Mountains is the hut traverse, a hike (or a run, really) from one end of the Appalachian Mountain Club's hut system to the other — in 24 hours. Whether west to east or east to west, it's about a 56-mile trip. Throw in the aggregate elevation-gain equivalent of a trip up Mount Everest, and you've got a formidable challenge.
The list of those who have done it is short, maybe two dozen over the past half century. Luckily for those of us whose masochistic tendencies aren't quite as well developed, a hut traverse can be completed relatively easily, and rather comfortably, in a longer period of time, say eight days or so.
The historic hut system opens to the public for the full-service season each year in early June, and hikers (whether AMC members or not) are welcome to visit the huts for an overnight stay, or just to drop by to fill up a water bottle and chat with the crew.
Fashioned after the alpine huts of Europe, the AMC huts provide lodging, meals, and educational opportunities. Other hut systems exist in the western U.S., but the White Mountain huts are unique in that an overnight stay includes full-course meals cooked by resident hut employees — the hut crew.
There's one exception: At Carter Notch Hut, which is operated year 'round on a self-service basis, guests have use of the hut's stove, oven, and cookware to prepare their own meals. Lodging is provided at a reduced rate.
Carter Notch Hut, east of the Presidential Range, and tucked below Wildcat Mountain, is the easternmost hut in the chain. Hikers will find seven more huts, each spaced a day's hike apart along the Appalachian Trail. Anchoring the western end, and commanding an unbeatable view of the Franconia Ridge, is Lonesome Lake Hut. The hut is located within Franconia Notch State Park and the AMC operates it in partnership with the state. The other huts are within the White Mountain National Forest and are operated under a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service.
Hikers will find a new hut at Galehead (built in 2000), which replaces the aged structure that had stood on the site since the 1930s. As with all the huts, Galehead is operated to minimize environmental impact and sit lightly on the land. As part of the new construction, Galehead was designed with composting toilets to effectively handle human waste in the backcountry. And all huts employ clean, alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to provide electricity for indoor lighting.
Galehead is the newest hut since Mizpah Spring Hut was built in 1964. Mizpah bridged a lengthy gap between Lakes of the Clouds Hut and Zealand Falls Hut.
The vision for a connected system of backcountry huts belonged to Joe Dodge, legendary White Mountains outdoorsman and father of the modern hut system. During his tenure as AMC huts manager from 1922 to 1959, Dodge initiated and oversaw construction of huts at Zealand Falls, Galehead, and Greenleaf, renovations at Lakes of the Clouds, Pinkham Notch Camp, and Madison Spring, and worked with the state to operate a hut at Lonesome Lake.
The result was an unparalleled system of huts, available to young and old, in some of the nation's most breathtaking locations. Many of the features from Dodge's day carry on in the huts today. Each bunk provides a mattress, pillow, and three wool blankets, so guests don't have to carry heavy bedrolls. And because all-you-can-eat dinners and breakfasts are included in a hut stay, hikers can carry far less food, and don't have to carry cook stoves at all. In addition, staff and volunteer naturalists are on site to interpret the natural history of the mountains and help visitors learn more about geology, astronomy, and mountain flora and fauna.
Each hut can be accessed from a roadside trailhead. Once in the backcountry, hikers can travel from hut to hut along the Appalachian Trail. Difficulty of access trails varies. For instance, the trek to Madison Spring, where the AMC built its first hut in 1888, requires a steady uphill climb for 3.5 to 4 hours. Zealand Falls Hut is one of the easiest to get to, via the Zealand Trail, a 2.8-mile trip with slight elevation gain.
Day-trippers are welcome to stop in to a hut for a rest, or to duck out of inclement weather. Advanced registrations are required for overnight stays. Learn more about huts and check real-time availability online. Then call 603-466-2727, Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to reserve a space.
—Rob Burbank is Public Affairs Director for the AMC.
