hale irwin photo

a few photos from last weeks hut trip

driving up donner pass

a few friends and i decided to check out the Benson hut, a well known ski hut, nestle between squaw valley and sugar bowl on the sierra crest. we started from sugar bowl and opted to ride the lifts up to the ridge and continued to skin from there, a relatively easy journey. the weather was moving in and we found ourselves in the middle of a rainy cloud, blah.. the snow was like a foot of the deepest mank, and it was very hard to make nice turns… but we continued on, being out in the weather can be a very special experience in its own right.
we going up into that rain cloud?

the lifts dropped us right near the roof of the cloud layer and it kept bursting over the ridge in waves.. the views were amazing, but it was also pretty wet

cold stream canyon, the snow levels are pretty dire in the sierra at low elevations

cornice and terrain

johnm taking a little break and enjoying the views.

the view of mt. anderson, the hut is nestled between a few trees in the upper left portion of the saddle, just nestled in the bottom of the clouds.

a little dinner and some rest by the fire.. the hut is pretty rad, and has some great access right out the door.. or window depending on snow levels. unfortunately for us the front door was very accessible .

hungry?

the next morning we were greeted by an amazing sunrise, the views are amazing up there, the hut rests at around 8300 feet and from a short walk from the door one is greeted with spectacular views.

the changing light on some untouched snow..

john m, enjoying the morning light

and by the time we had finished the relatively short tour back another we watched another storm roll up royal gorge and slam into the side of us.. it was nuking when made it out and back to the top of sugar bowl

john m and i taking shelter from the wind and snow behind a little cornice while we wait for the others to make it up the boot pack