Incredible Winter Experience Awaits Cross Country Ski and Snowshoe Enthusiasts
Yosemite Conservancy is accepting lottery registration forms for the 2012 season at Ostrander Ski Hut, a popular overnight destination for those making the stunning 10-mile trek from Badger Pass Ski Area to Ostrander Lake in Yosemite National Park.
"Ostrander Ski Hut provides visitors with the opportunity to have an unforgettable and breathtaking winter experience in Yosemite," said Mike Tollefson, president, Yosemite Conservancy. "Along the routes to Ostrander, there are places of solitude and awe-inspiring views of Half Dome, the Clark Range and Mount Hoffmann." Tollefson also described the backcountry skiing opportunities at Ostrander Lake. "The ski area around the Ostrander cirque offers many unique ski trails, including multiple descents off Horse Ridge," he added.
Yosemite Conservancy manages the rustic two-story stone ski hut, which sits in a small glacial cirque at the edge of Ostrander Lake at 8,500 feet. The historic hut was built in 1941, and maintains much of its original facilities. Nightly rates range from $42 Mon.-Thurs. and $52 Fri.-Sun.
Yosemite Conservancy's Fritz Baggett lives at the hut during the winter months and has been one of only three hut keepers to maintain the building since the organization took over its management in 1974. "It's truly a unique experience to be in real wilderness in a national park during winter," he said. "Imagine open granite bowls stretching from ponds and lakes to peaks and steep ridges - it's very special."
The lottery applications must be returned by 5:00 p.m. PST on Nov. 16. Starting on Nov. 28, remaining reservations can be booked by calling 209-379-5161. Reservation information, equipment lists and a description of facilities can be found at www.YosemiteConservancy.org/Ostrander.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
