Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut
Address:
Phone:
209/372-0200NileGuide Expert tip:
You need to be able to camp in snow and feed yourself in case you don't reach the hut on your first day out. Wilderness permits required.Description:
In the summer it's the Tuolumne Meadows Campground Office, right along the highway, near the Tuolumne Meadows Store and Grill. In the winter the NPS moves in bunk beds and firewood to make this a free shelter for backcountry skiers who brave the snowy mountain isolation. The Tioga Road is generally closed to cars between mid-November and late-May, but skiers start coming through as soon as there's enough snow on the ground at 8600' in Tuolumne. No reservations are taken, so skiers should be prepared to camp out in the snow if the hut is full. There's a storage container out back where you can cache food during the summer/fall for a winter visit - thus making your pack lighter for the ski in.Most skiers come in either up the Snow Creek route from Yosemite Valley or skiing up the pass from Lee Vining where the gates are closed on the east. Tasty slopes are to be had in all directions for getting in some runs while based in the hut. Park rangers are stationed nearby through the winter to help keep skiers and the resource safe.
