Deschutes National Forest, OR
March 21-24, 2025, Fri-Mon
Intermediate and Advanced – Ungroomed Backcountry Nordic
Have you ever dreamed of spending 3 days Nordic skiing in the beautiful high elevation backcountry, but maybe you’re not up for planning all the logistics and carrying tons of gear? Then this trip could be for you!
Join us for a 3-day adventure in the breathtaking Sisters Wilderness. This hut-to-hut tour is totally dialed in and well-equipped with a warm wood-burning stove, bunks, sleeping bags, coffee/tea, beer and wine, meal plan with food and kitchen set up. You just bring yourself, 10 essentials, skis and pack, and most importantly you bring the stoke!
Requirements:
- Must be a strong intermediate skier or above, having comfortably completed a backcountry day tour of 8+ miles on ungroomed terrain with elevation gain. Must be able to negotiate variable conditions and terrain, and be able get yourself up if/when you fall.
- Nordic backcountry skis with metal edges are required, backcountry boots, poles -if needed this equipment can be rented in Portland or Sisters.
- Backpack (size 50L is recommended); Able to ski carrying your own pack approximately 20-30lbs.
- Comfortable for 3 days and 2 nights with minimal privacy in one shared coed cabin and external pit-toilet with no showers.
- Willingness to stay together as a group when traveling from hut to hut; group safety gear will be shared.
- Flexible mindset for conditions – we get what we get, and we don’t get upset. Most of the time the weather and conditions are good if not great, but anything can happen. The trip will be subject to rescheduling in the rare instance when the tour operator determines it is unsafe to proceed.
Itinerary:
- Friday March 21, meet in Sisters, Oregon. Arrive anytime, optional group dinner plans at a local restaurant in Sisters. Room block is available at Sisters Inn & Suites, $58.00 pp/double occupancy.
- Saturday March 22, 7am park our cars at Upper Three Creeks Sno-park. Pre-trip briefing, board shuttle to Dutchman Flat, start day 1 of the tour.
- Saturday and Sunday will be spent skiing the point-to-point route carrying your personal items in your pack and sleeping in a different hut each night for 2 nights.
- Monday March 24, we will ski from our 2nd hut to Upper Three Creeks Sno-park, expect to arrive back at our cars in the afternoon with plenty of time to drive home.
Cost includes 3 days and 2 nights on the trail, skins for your skis, sleeping bags and food/kitchen supplies in the huts, 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts, snacks, wine and beer.
Not included in base cost: Friday night stay in Sisters (available for $58 per person), Friday night dinner, Saturday morning breakfast and lunch, Sno-park pass, ski rentals if needed, optional extra food you may choose to bring to the huts. Carpools are encouraged.
A pre-trip planning meeting will be held via Zoom.
A full description of the trip including a short documentary OPB film of this hut to hut ski trip are included HERE.
Further information including the route map, gear needed, hut amenities and food supplies are all described HERE.
The trip leader has done this hut-to-hut tour before and is excited to share this adventure with ONC friends! If you have questions before deciding if this is right for you, feel free to email.
Trip limit: 8 participants including leader and spouse
Cost: $505/member plus items not included noted above
Travel miles: From Portland, 340 miles round trip
Trip Leader: Michele Barnett, michele.barnett@gmail.com