Imagine an open house for a backcountry ski hut where the real estate agent is showing prospective buyers around the place. “Over here we have the propane heater, the bunk beds come with these designer mattresses, and just a few steps outside is the custom built outhouse.” This is no joke, however, as there really is a backcountry ski hut open house in the La Sal Mountains near Moab, and it happens on February 12 and 13th.
Sarah Allen, the Grand Junction Road Trip Travel Examiner, brought this to my attention, and it looks like a good opportunity to make a day trip to Moab and scope out some new backcountry ski lines. Tag-a-Long Expeditions is hosting the open house, and they have a network of backcountry huts all over the La Sals. The Tomasaki Hut will be open to the public, for free, from 10am to 4pm on Feb 12-13. There will be refreshments served along with a generous helping of the best scenery in southeast Utah.
So if you’ve been curious about the generally less-visited hut system in the La Sal Mountains, or have hesitated to pull the trigger on a ski hut-trip for reasons unknown, then this open house seems to be the perfect way to get an idea of what to expect before you arrive for the real thing.
To get to the Tomasaki Hut, drive south from Moab on Highway 191. Turn left to the La Sal Loop Road, then turn right at the end of the road and continue past Kens Lake. Pass the Pack Creek Ranch, turn off, and continue climbing. About 20 minutes up the road, turn right to Geyser Pass. Follow this road until you reach the parking lots. Note: A 4WD vehicle is recommended. Approximate drive time from Moab is one hour, depending on conditions.
From the parking lot to the hut it’s a 3.5 mile hike/skin/ski with a 1,000 foot elevation gain to the top of the pass. From here, you’ll descend a rolling 406 feet in 2 miles to Tomasaki Hut. The trail is packed and blue-tipped markers lead the way. The average skiing time is 3 hours. The hut is surrounded by expansive meadows that are perfect for touring. Snowmobile assistance will be available along the trail should you run into problems.
If you want to attend the Tag-a-Long Expeditions Tomasaki Hut open house, you should RSVP. Here’s their contact info:
Tag-A-Long Expeditions
435-259-8946
tagalong@tagalong.com
www.tagalong.com
That would be an awesome “active vacation!” I had no idea they did that.