Yosemite sets lottery for backcountry ski hut

Yosemite Conservancy announced Tuesday that it is accepting online entries for a lottery to use the historic Ostrander Ski Hut, which is often a destination for cross-country skiers.

Forms to enter the 2014-15 season lottery for the hut, a rustic stone cabin used by skiers who make the 10-mile journey from Badger Pass Ski Area to Ostrander Lake in Yosemite National Park, are available at www.yosemiteconservancy.biz/facilities-reservation.

Due to the hut’s popularity, early reservations are awarded through a random lottery system. Entries must be received by 5p.m. Nov. 19; results of the lottery will be emailed by Nov. 24.

Starting on Dec.1, remaining reservations can be booked by calling (209)379-5161.

Mike Tollefson, president of the Yosemite Conservancy, said trekking to the hut offers an “unforgettable winter adventure” with eye-popping views. “It’s the perfect winter retreat to leave crowds behind and head into isolated backcountry with breathtaking views of Half Dome, the Clark Range and Mount Hoffmann,” he said in a news release.

Yosemite Conservancy, in partnership with the National Park Service, manages the two-story stone ski hut overlooking Ostrander Lake at an elevation of 8,500 feet. Built in 1941, the hut was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, which includes properties of significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture.

Ostrander Ski Hut has space for individuals or groups up to 15. It is staffed by a full-time keeper and is typically open mid-December through the end of March. The facilities include single bunks with mattresses, community cookware stocked in a common kitchen, wood for heating, solar-powered electric lights for evening use and two outdoor toilet facilities.

Nightly rates range from $35 to $55. Proceeds collected from the ski hut are used to operate and maintain it, according to a news release. In 2013, the hut underwent refurbishment: The water tanks were replaced, original countertops of sugar pine were refinished, and stone mortar and lodgepole pine beams were repaired.

Through the support of donors, Yosemite Conservancy provides grants and support to Yosemite National Park to help preserve and protect Yosemite. The conservancy has provided more than $81million in grants to Yosemite National Park, according to a news release.

This story was originally published October 28, 2014 at 3:27 PM with the headline "Yosemite sets lottery for backcountry ski hut."