The idea for this trip was sparked when Michele & Berkeley participated in an ONC trip to Methow Valley in 2023 and skied to the Rendezvous Hut during one of the daily ski outings. We had to return to this spectacular spot and stay the night!
After almost two years of preparation, planning, and gathering courage, we set out for the huts overnight trip. Our group of 8 ONC adventurers arrived in Winthrop on Sunday evening at a riverside cabin within walking distance to the local restaurants.
The next morning, we dropped our overnight bags and food supplies at the trailhead with the snowmobile sled and we all skied to Cassal Hut (say “Castle”) by mid afternoon. Mother Nature provided a gloriously clear blue sky for our destination at the most “seriously epic view” in the entire hut system. No matter which way you looked, the scenery was breathtaking, which was a good thing because the hut was as tiny as promised on the website description. We all happily squeezed in for a starry night.
Tuesday morning, after loading our supplies onto the snowmobile for transfer to Rendezvous Hut, we began skiing. By then we were beyond giddy, beholding our good fortune for superb snowpack, meticulous grooming, and dramatic fog rolling in and out, revealing even more stunning views as the day went on. We were fully consumed in the magic of the Rendezvous Trails: moonlight, chocolate, stars, sunshine, endless skiing, unreal views, downhills, uphills, even poetry!
On Wednesday we skied to the Heifer Hut where we felt even more off the beaten path, in our own corner of paradise. Some chose to add in Cougar Mountain loop, Grizzly Mountain loop, or other side trails. By Thursday we were a bit sleep-deprived and looking forward to showers. Some of us had minor mishaps on the way down the mountain, but we all made it safely back to the trailhead. We returned to the Methow Valley and checked into our trailside house in Mazama, where the view from the house facing Goat Wall Loop was once again breathtaking. We spent the next two nights and days venturing right from our door to the trails, deciding each time we stepped out if we wanted to ski 2 miles or 20. Some of us rented different types of skis to try, Berkeley gave skate skiing lessons. Everyone shared delicious desserts including local berry pie and many versions of chocolate goodies. We couldn’t stop skiing on the picturesque trails. Was it real, this slice of heaven?
– Michele Barnett, Trip Leader