Back to Madison

Matt leading the final stretch to the Madison Spring Hut

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3/28/11

We slogged up the last 1000 yards of the Valley Way trail to Madison through soft knee-deep snow, ducking under and pushing our way through spruce trees. The trail had been recognizable to that point with familiar landmarks still visible along the trail despite it being packed with a winters worth of snow. The Valley Way trail is heavily used in the winter so the going was easy on snowshoes, but the last 1000 yards is notoriously steep and difficult in any season and it didn't let us down this time. Windblown snow covered any semblance of a trail burying trees, trail signs and any other recognizable features.

Once the trail flattened out, signaling our arrival in Madison Col, the snow firmed again, and we crunched along the final stretch. Thawing the lock and opening the steel door to the kitchen revealed the dark cold cavern of a hut shuttered for the winter. We were home.

Me Opening the Hut

Our opening airlift was scheduled for that day, but as airlifts go, they don't go on schedule. Monday the summits were in and out of the clouds with winds close to 70 mphs making an airlift of food, water, building supplies and personal gear out of the question. Arriving at Pinkham at 7:30 a.m. I volunteered to hike to the hut to begin establishing our presence, doing what I could to setup our lavish accommodations without an airlift, shovel and take stock of what we had and what we might need. I knew Matt, who's enthusiasm I'd bottle and sell for profit if I could, would gladly come along.

Matt enjoying lunch in Madison Cave

At the hut temperatures were in single digits and windchills well below zero. After making our way inside, we dropped our packs, bundled back up and got to work, unburying  propane tanks, hooking up the gas cooking stove and reassembling the stove pipes for our chimney that had come apart over the winter.

Shoveled out propane tanks and reassembled chimney. Madison in the background.

Heat and warm food, our mission for the day were accomplished. We flicked on the power—solar panels and batteries— enough juice to run a couple lightbulbs for the evening, pulled our kitchen table, benches and a few homemade chairs from the rafters and settled in for the night. With a fire lit and dinner cooking, the place felt like home again.