Last spring Outreach Manager Cameron (@offyonder) and his family braved the snowy backcountry to spend a few days at a hut.
All of the skiing with the kids was put to the test on this trip and they did great. We booked the Lost Wander Hut near Monarch pass with a few other families for a few days to enjoy the bliss of hut life off of the grid.
The approach is about three miles with 1,200 feet of vertical gain. Most of the older kids, around 8 years old, had some sort of alpine touring setup. My daughter, Rosie, was on Contour's StartUp kit which is essentially an add-on frame binding kit and a pair of short skins for her 100cm skis. My son Rey, 4 years old, was too small to fit in the StartUp, so he just hoofed it with a pair of extra small kid's Snowline Chainsen Light Traction Spikes. We were all amazed he hiked the whole three miles! The saving grace was the walkie-talkie which kept him entertained along the way.
At the hut, the adults took turns going out skiing and exploring the area. The kids alternated between outdoor play in the sun and snow and coming inside for hot coco and snuggles by the wood stove.
For the ski out, I brought Rey's alpine skis and he was all giggles.
