Skiing Hut-to-Hut in Maine’s North Woods

Expectations color all of our travel adventures. For example, 45 years ago we rented skis to try our hand at cross-country skiing. We navigated mostly flat trails that had clear tracks left by other skiers and didn’t fall (much), so we felt pretty successful. It was a moderate challenge and we were young. We also read the recent New York Times article which highlighted the romance and beauty of skiing hut-to-hut in Maine’s northern woods and came away thinking that we could manage such an adventure. We expected some challenges from our older bodies, but were confident cycling and exercise classes at the gym would see us through the hard parts, if there were hard parts. Uh… not quite true.

Nothing short of an Olympic training regimen could have prepared us for our February 1 cross-country skiing adventure however. The trip spanned 4 days, 28 miles of trails which connected 3 huts managed by the Maine Huts and Trails organization. We had great conditions and plenty of snow, deposited by a blizzard the week before. The Maine woods were beautiful and we learned a lot… but the skiing was surprisingly hard. We encountered some incredibly steep climbs. There were times that we both thought we might not be able to make it to the next hut.

We did get through it and the experience was so exhilarating that we would probably do this trip again. With different expectations.

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We had been to northern Maine the previous summer for a guided canoe trip on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. The same guide service, Allagash Canoe Trips, promotes hut-to-hut ski trips, so they were our natural choice for this adventure. Our guides, Lani and Chip, live in the Carrabassett Valley, which is also home to Sugarloaf Mountain and the Bigelow Preserve, where Maine Huts and Trails maintains miles of trails and 4 huts.

Maine Huts and Trails is a worthy non-profit organization with an ambitious vision of establishing 12 huts and maintaining trails as far as Moosehead Lake to the north. Currently they have 4 eco-lodges (only 3 are open this year) and 80 miles of trail that they operate year-round. The huts are all “off the grid” self-sustaining facilities and the trails are groomed.

TRIP OVERVIEW

Our trip started at the Airport Trailhead (see video clip below). We skied approximately 5 miles to Stratton Brook Hut the first night, which had an elevation gain of about 1100 feet on some incredibly steep climbs. On the second day, we skied a different route back down past our starting point, then proceeded back up (500 foot elevation gain) to a second hut at Poplar Stream, an 8-mile ski. Day 3 was the long day (11 miles) that featured a 400-foot gain before we finished the day with a mostly-downhill tract. We skied out to a different trailhead, where we were met our ride, on the fourth day. (A full map is available for download at Mainehuts.org.)

We skied with only a day pack on our backs. Our gear was shuttled by snow machine to each of the huts by one of our guides.

INITIAL VIEW FROM THE TRAILHEAD

ELEVATION MAP

THE TRAILS

We were fortunate to have a good depth of snow and well-maintained trails to ski. Some of the climbs were daunting, but we should have expected that, being in the mountains. On the second day, once we navigated the steep descents we were privileged to ski the Narrow Gauge Pathway, an old rail bed that is maintained by the town of Carrabassett Valey. It was largely flat with tracks available for skiers. (Most of the time we skied undulating – or steep – groomed trails without tracks.) On our third day we skied an 11-mile route that featured a steady climb to a yurt midway to the next hut. The yurt provided a great rest stop and had a wood stove and firewood that was cut and split, ready to light. Better yet, the trail was mostly a mild downhill from there to the third hut. Despite some rigors, it was a pleasure being able to share this winter wonderland.

MAINE TRAILS: A PHOTO GALLERY

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THE HUTS

The three huts we visited had different footprints and individual personalities but had one thing in common; they offered a welcome oasis to the tired or hungry skier. From the welcome posted on the blackboard at the main entrance, the hot drinks and cookies that were offered, the fire going in the wood stove, to the friendly staff that kept the huts clean and their systems functioning, every facet of these lodges was positive and thoughtfully conceived.

Each hut offered a drying room, hot showers, numerous composting toilets, a comfortable common room for dining or visiting and clean hostel-like bunk rooms for sleeping. The staff prepared meals on weekends in a commercial kitchen that was also available to skiers and hikers during the week. Since we were on a guided trip, our guides provided our meals, having transported all the ingredients along with our gear. We had some delicious meals!

Each hut is self-sustaining, solar-powered and environmentally sound. All materials, we were told, are drawn from a 50-mile radius (save for the foam used to clean the special toilets) and there is a backup generator should it be needed. Maine Huts and Trails is very proud of its facilities and the staff gives tours of their infrastructure. Wood is the main heat source, warming a pool of water that is used for radiant heat throughout the lodge and bedrooms.

The huts were designed by a single architect, but there was an obvious evolution in their design. Poplar was built first and has a two-floor design with a cozy reading room on the second floor. Flagstaff was built next and appeared to have more housing capability as well as a separate reading area. Stratton was built most recently and had a more open style with two wood stoves and a bigger kitchen. Each was comfortable but everyone we met seemed to have a favorite.

MAINE HUTS: A PHOTO GALLERY

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THE PEOPLE

We were fortunate to have shared this experience with some wonderful people, some by design and others by coincidence. Our guides, Lani and Chip, were capable, talented and understanding of our inexperience as skiers. They provided more food than we could possibly eat and all of it was fantastic.

There was another couple on the trip, newlyweds from New York. We could not have asked for better skiing companions and nicer individuals. They were warm, engaging and thoroughly nice people. They were also understanding of the couple more than twice their age who lagged behind.

Purely by coincidence, we ran into 3 men from home on our first night at Stratton Brook Hut. They had all worked on projects with Jani, but more importantly, they were a lot of fun and blended into our group seamlessly. They were the only other occupants of the hut that first night, which was great.

The second night, we had Poplar Hut to ourselves, and on the third night we shared Flagstaff Hut with about 20 guests.