It’s best to go fast, light and functional into the backcountry, but comfort counts too. These hut trip goodies will help ladies make the trip in style.
1. Icebreaker 200+ Pocket Hat
This sweet little beanie kills the chill, breathes well and folds up into practically nothing in your pocket when your body temperature hits the boiling point during the skin up. Made of pure merino wool, the Pocket Hat is feather soft and reversible for a style change once at the hut. $25; us.icebreaker.com
2. Eddie Bauer First Ascent BC MicroTherm 2.0 Down Jacket
Eddie Bauer took a lightweight waterproof Nylon shell and married it with a lightweight 800-fill premium European goose down liner. The resulting jacket is lighter than most non-insulated shells on the market, not to mention warm, breathable and extremely comfortable. This season’s version 2.0 gains an inch in length for optimal coverage. $299; eddiebauer.com
3. Deerhammer Down Time
Hey, we ladies enjoy more than wine out of a hydration bladder when we head up to the high country—and a nice single-malt whiskey can make that game of cards oh-so much more interesting. This American style whiskey, which has been aged 9-12 months in oak barrels, is smooth and easy to drink, and crafted here in Colorado. If you want to try a sip first, head to Deerhammer’s Buena Vista tasting room. $48; deerhammer.com
4. Smartwool NTS Mid 250 Pattern Funnel Zip Top and Bottom
Smartwool’s warmest baselayer merino wool fabric is flattering enough to just wear on its own during cozy nights around the wood-burning stove. But out on the mountain, Smartwool is all business, with a flatlock seam construction that eliminates chaffing. The fitted bottoms tuck inside ski boots and the new funnel zip top will transform into a turtleneck with those always useful thumbholes on the sleeves. $115 top, $100 bottom; smartwool.com
5. Therm-a-Rest Alpine Blanket
The 30 huts of the 10th Mountain Division hut system in Colorado mostly come equipped with mattresses, rendering sleeping bags overkill. Enter the Alpine Blanket, weighing in at only 1 pound, 9 ounces. The 700-fill goose down comforter eliminates the zipper and the wasted insulation beneath you, while keeping you toasty at temps as low as 35° F. Plus, it will snap together with your honey’s blanket for some serious hut-time snuggling. $250; cascadedesigns.com
6. Elemental Herbs Zinc Sunstick
Toss the Sunstick into your pack for paraben-free coverage of face, nose, ears, hands and lips without turning your skin white like so many other natural products. Offering broad UVA/UVB protection at SPF 30, the Sunstick will also combat the effects of harsh weather on your skin thanks to revitalizing antioxidants like organic green tea and rose hip, and nourishing oils like grapeseed, jojoba, coconut and avocado. Wow, that also sounds like a good lunch… $8; store.elementalherbs.com
7. Deuter Cruise 28 SL
The woman-specific down 28-liter Cruise holds the essentials for a 10th Mountain hut trip with attachment loops for your helmet, and pockets for shovel, probe and even dirty laundry. Compression straps allow for ski attachment at the sides or secured centrally across the front. You will need to go bigger for huts that require sleeping bags (or have your man haul more). $149; deuter.com
8. Sierra Designs Pull-On Down Bootie
It’s worth adding 11 ounces of extra weight to your pack for these babies. Sierra Design’s quintessential hut trip booties pack down small but deliver big time once indoors. Made of 700-fill down with a fleece cuff and nylon no-skid soles, they are just as warm and comfy as they look. $55; sierradesigns.com
9. Völkl Kiku
Völkl’s widest women’s specific ski shreds with the best thanks to a full rocker profile and a girthy 107mm waist designed to surf soft snow. This is not a ski for newbies—the Kiku prefers speed and demands rider intelligence on turns. But once mastered, it serves up the most fun you’ve ever had in the backcountry. $825; volkl.com•
