Days are getting shorter and I have to say, the homebody bug is nesteling in. This winter I promised myself that I wouldn’t let cabin fever get the better of me. Like many others, I thrive amidst a busy workload when I’m active and exercising. It can be hard to get your adventure on when it’s cold outside though. I think I may have found one of the best solutions though; Vermont’s public huts and cabins! Several places around Vermont leave their doors open during the winter. Some of these places even have heat or a wood stove. Awesome right? Here are a few places that I’ve been to in the past month.
Bolton, VT
On top of Bolton Valley Resort there’s a small patrol hut and a large deck. This is one of my absolute favorite places for a quick night out. It’s only about a 30 minute drive from Burlington. If you follow the wilderness lift line all the way to the wildness peak you’ll find the hut easily. It’s small enough for body heat to help warm things up a little and it does an amazing job of keeping out wind. The hike itself is about 45 minutes to an hour without snow, while boot packing or skinning takes about an hour to an hour and a half for most people.
Smugglers Notch, VT
Smugglers Notch Resort has a large cabin at the top of their trails. When we went before lifts opened there wasn’t any heat, although it has been heated in years past when the resort was running in full swing. The mountain is about 50 minutes away from Burlington. The hike up is longer than the one up Bolton, around an hour and a half to two hours (depending on how many breaks you take. Take many). Getting to this cabin is pretty straight forward. We always park at parking lot 1 and head up from there. The hut is at the top of Sterling Mountain, which is the peak furthest right as you drive into the resort.
Bolton, VT
If you’re looking for a luxury stay as far as winter camping is concerned Bryant camp is a dream. There are enough cots to sleep 8 people and a wood stove. Woods is supplied and there’s a composting toilet. Only caveat is that you have to pay to stay there. It’s well worth the $77 though. The cabin is located about a mile away from the nordic trail centers main building in Bolton.
Remember to be respectful of these places. Pack out what you bring. Leave the space better than when you found it. These huts are frequented by many people, so share the space and keep noise to a minimum. Hope you have fun getting after it this winter!