Course Description:

Join us for an early spring hut trip designed for women and non-binary people to connect with one another and the beauty of the backcountry. This unique experience is designed to empower you to experience a backcountry hut trip and discover what it takes to plan and implement your own excursion in the future. Whether you’re new to winter adventures or looking to expand your skills, this trip offers a perfect blend of outdoor exploration, learning, and camaraderie. This course combines snowshoeing through pristine landscapes, avalanche awareness education, and hands-on winter recreation skill building. Enjoy nourishing, wholesome meals prepared in community to fuel your adventure, and relax with intentional downtime to rest, reflect, and connect with others!

The journey to Broome Hut, located near Winter Park and operated by the Grand Huts Association, begins with a 1-mile hike featuring a 750-foot ascent. Once there, we’ll enjoy two nights of cozy accommodations, including a fully stocked kitchen, comfortable mattresses and pillows, a pellet stove for heat, indoor composting toilets, solar-powered lighting, games and cards, books, and a spacious open-concept kitchen, living, and dining area. The large outdoor deck offers stunning views of the Front Range to the east and Vasquez Ridge to the west.

Participants should be prepared to carry a large backpack while hiking in snowshoes. Packs will include personal gear (e.g. clothing, toiletries, sleeping bag) along with group food and supplies. After settling in and resting on the first night, we’ll embark on an adventurous day exploring the stunning subalpine and alpine terrain around the hut on snowshoes. Our afternoon will afford downtime. Our last day will include a delicious breakfast before we clean up the hut and pack up our packs to make our descent back to our vehicles.

Please note that this is not a guided backcountry ski trip; participants will only be able to wear snowshoes (no skis or splitboards) during this experience.

Details:

🗓️ Date: Monday, April 7 – Wednesday, April 9, 2025
⌛ Time: 10 AM (Monday) – 3 PM (Wednesday)
🎟️ Price: $400/450/500 sliding scale
📍 Location: Broome Hut (near Winter Park); Carpool meeting location will be sent once registered
⛰️ Activity level: Moderate: Some prior experience is recommended, but not required; ability to exert/push self but not overly challenging.

Included in Fee:

Professional and experienced guides

All meals/drinks/snacks at the hut, as well as lunch on Day 1

Lodging and accommodations at Broome Hut

Permit to recreate on US Forest Service land

Gear rental, including winter clothing, snowshoes, trekking poles, backpacks, and sleeping bags (if needed)

Because the trailhead parking lot is not paved or plowed and has limited spots, we will arrange carpooling in personal vehicles that have 4W or All-Wheel Drive.

What to Wear & Bring:

All registrants will receive a participant planning guide, which includes a packing list of what to wear and bring. Women’s Wilderness has most gear that you may need that you may borrow, complementary, including clothing, winter outerwear, sleeping bags, snow shoes, and backpacks. Registrants also will receive a link to a gear rental form.

Accessibility:

This course requires the ability to carry a 30-40 lb backpack on snowshoes 750 vertical feet over the course of one mile. The elevation of Broome Hut is 11,350’. The hut structure is ADA accessible, but the route to the hut is not.

Your Instructors:

Lisa (she/her) is a retired firefighter paramedic who finds physical and mental respite in nature, and loves to share these benefits with nature newcomers! Wildlife, plants, and outdoor skills are her jam and she hopes to pass on some useful knowledge. She holds degrees in healthcare science, zoology, and outdoor education.

Marley (she/her) has spent over 25 years engaging communities in wildlife conservation education, as well as evaluating environmental education programs and measuring impact. Working for Women’s Wilderness is a meaningful intersection of Marley’s passion for outdoor recreation and her commitment to equity, access, and inclusion for individuals and communities historically excluded from experiences in and with the natural world.