Leader:
Rick Light
Trip Participants:
Rick and Ken Light (brothers), Shelly Cross, Lucie Parietti and
Eric Ponslet, Andrea Johansen, Alison Dragt and Dave Chamberlin, Dave Scudder,
and Jan Studebaker
Author:
Jan Studebaker
Photo Gallery: Jan Studebaker,
click here.
This was my first trip to
Margy's Hut which is located at 11,300 feet on a lightly treed hillside just
below timberline, about 10 miles northeast of Aspen, Colorado. This was my
second mountain bike trip within the 10th Mountain system; both of
these superb trips were carefully orchestrated by Rick Light (my first such trip
was to the Polar Star Inn located near New York Mountain). We mountain
biked an easy 6 miles with day packs to reach the hut. Most of our gear
was carried up in a pickup truck, which is usual for summer and spring trips to
the huts. The hut is owned and rented by the
10th Mountain Division Hut Association.
The aspens on the ride up were awe inspiring!
Margy's
Hut has beautiful views of the Elk Mountains to the south, and the aspens were
at their peak when we visited. The views were absolutely the finest that I
can remember from many dozens of Colorado mountain experiences. Margy's
Hut, which sleeps 16, was one of the first two huts in the 10th
Mountain system; it was built in 1982. The building of this hut
represented a major step for the fledgling 10th Mountain
organization, which had to promise the Forest Service that the hut would be
razed if it was not used. Hut construction was funded by former secretary
of defense Robert McNamara and friends, in memorial to Robert's wife Margy.
In
addition to daily over-eating, we biked and hiked many hours in the gorgeous
setting above and below the hut.
