Pinnacle Living....

REDEFINING HUT
LUXURIOUS STAYS AND GOURMET MEALS AT SNOWSHOE

I'm lucky enough to spend part of winter with both my mothers--the mother that bore me and Mother Nature.

When West Virginia winter visitors talk about ‘hitting the hut,’ they’re making their way to Snowshoe Mountain’s Sunrise Backcountry Hut, an ideal place to spend at least a part of the holidays with your loved ones.

Modeled after the ‘huts’ found in Colorado with the 10th Mountain Division hut system and similar ones found in the European Alps, Snowshoe’s Sunrise Backcountry Hut is a favorite winter experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Nestled two miles out in the backcountry on Cheat Mountain, the Hut is reached by foot, the new Argo six-passenger ATVs equipped with tracks (a ‘mini-snowcat’), snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or snowmobiling, depending on conditions and your condition or desire.

The bustling new resort complex and people at Snowshoe Mountain are quickly left behind, with the pines, the views, and maybe a loved one or three as your only company.

Upon arrival, guests are greeted like family members by the resident Hut Master, who will likely we waiting on the front porch. It’s quickly clear to first-timers that the two-story cabin is anything but what you might think of as a ‘hut.’

Constructed of native spruce and situated in a small clearing, the cabin features an awe-inspiring eastern mountaintop view. Inside, there’s a private bedroom (the ‘oldest’ or most in need of romance typically get this room), plus a large upstairs loft with four beds that brings the sleeping capacity to a total of 10. There’s also a gourmet backcountry kitchen that cranks out some serious food and a small private room for the Hut Master.

The current Hut Master, Ben Brannon, is your host, chef, activities director, and a typical all-around native West Virginia outdoors guy. After a quick tour of the rustic cabin’s facilities, you’re on your own for the length of your stay. Aside from simply reading by the constant fire, other popular activities include winter hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and big bonfires on cold winter nights.

The Hut can be booked by individual accommodations or as a whole (10 people). After checking with your mother and other significant others, I’d definitely recommend booking the entire thing for $750 a night, which includes dinner and breakfast for each night booked. If you do the math, this is a great deal for a special winter experience!

If it’s just the two of you (don’t tell your mother), the private room is $240 per night and a loft bed is $215 (either option includes dinner and breakfast). For reservations (they book quickly), visit www.snowshoemtn.com or call (304) 572-5477.