Ben Eiseman Hut

A few years back, Guy got to know a really fun bunch of people who also happen to be fabulous back country skiers. Last year, he invited me along on a ski trip to one of the 10th Mountain Division Huts outside Leadville. This year, the group reserved the Ben Eiseman Hut about 7 miles north of Vail.

This group has been doing hut trips together for some time. They have their system down. Several people bring in the food, a few more bring in beer, and everyone has their contribution. We meet in small clusters at the trailhead and ski or snowshoe in together. Everyone has their own pace based on experience, fitness, and amount of goodies carried. Being a weenie on all counts, I tend to gravitate toward the slower groups. This is not always a good thing.

For this trip, several folks went in the day before we were to head in. The great thing about this arrangement is that the hut is warm and inviting when you finally get there. Another group of hard core backcountry guys departed in the morning. We met with a whole bunch of people at the trailhead and started off together knowing we’d break up into various groups. Somehow those who knew the route were faster and got out well ahead of us. The rest of us were left to get lost in the snowy wonderland … or perhaps that should be wanderland.

After adding a couple miles to our trek, we backtracked to find the real trail. We managed to help two of the others find the turn off we had missed as they were about to pass it. These were very important people carrying Saturday’s dinner. From that point onward, the trail was fairly straightforward. If easier to find, there was nothing easy about the trail. It seemed to climb endlessly and gradually skyward. Funny thing about these mountain trails.

My feet were already beginning to blister pretty badly. I stopped at the creek crossing to tape a few blisters on my ankles and toes. Relief was minimal but at least I wouldn’t have bloody stumps in my ski boots by the end. And so we climbed.

At one point, the trail was on a side hill. For about ½ mile we skied with one leg short. It was tempting to turn around just for the relief on the legs but then that wouldn’t have served the purpose, now would it? The trail map said there would be an “abrupt change in terrain” with steep switchbacks thereafter. Trail from there was supposed to be two miles. But, since the trail from the creek to there was obviously longer than 2 miles, there was no telling. We kept thinking we found an “abrupt change” but apparently it wasn’t the right one.

When the light faded completely, we stopped to put on headlamps. Sunset was at about 7:30. We had set out at about 12:30. Youch! Two of the early arrivals had headed out to assist the skiers behind us. A short time further down trail a few more gallant souls would come out to help us get our gear up the steeper parts. I was very grateful for the help. By then, my movement seemed barely more than a shuffle. “Relentless forward motion” was the mantra from Ultrarunning that kept going through my head.

When we arrived at the hut, there was a warm fire (though we were roasting from the exertion most of the day) and hot chili. Shortly after that, I passed out, missing the night’s festivities.

Saturday was a bit cloudy but warmish. Everyone went out to ski. My feet were not cooperating with the idea of putting on boots so I stayed behind and took a nap. When everyone came back from their respective ski fun, we had happy hour… which became happy evening… which became happy wee hours. Most of the group started out with Texas Hold’em or cribbage. Once enough schnapps had been consumed and no one could play cards well, the games deteriorated to F**K your neighbor and Thumper… flashback to college days and those old drinking games.

The abundance of empty listerine (schnapps) bottles, wine bags, beer cans, etc didn’t bode well for a good morning. Nonetheless everyone woke cheery to breakfast burritos, a quick cleanup of the hut, and some more ski time. Knowing I would have to skin out anyway, I braved the boots and got in a run behind the cabin. The powder was spectacular.

On the ski out we were amazed by how much up hill we had to climb. How is it these trails are uphill both ways? Those downhills had been barely noticed on the way in. Overall, it was mostly easy and beautiful downhill on the way out.

Until next year. Ben Eiseman 2008.