LOCALadk Magazine

We're drifting through riffles at the end of the Hudson River Gorge on a brisk, early May day with a few thousand dollars of camera equipment balanced precariously aboard a raft. Linc Marsac of Square Eddy Rafting Co. is at the oars, deftly navigating the river and the peppering of questions we ask him, recapping the experience of the first test run of the Adirondack Hamlets to Huts North Creek– Indian Lake Circuit. Over the last four days a group of 12 people from all over North America has hiked over 30 miles, summited three gorgeous peaks, and paddled 15 miles through one of the best whitewater runs in the northeast. Evan Williams of Pure Adirondacks and I have been filming all of it. Goosebumps rise on my arms, not because of the cold, but because of a revelation: I'm living the dream. Sam Demas—the trip's self-proclaimed "hut nut" and guest from Minnesota—informed us that the concept of hut-to- hut travel isn't new. In fact, it's quite popular throughout the world, with nationwide systems in New Zealand, Nor way, and Switzerland, among other countries, as well as extensive sys- tems in the Rockies and throughout New England. Sam ex- plained that, "there are 17 hut systems throughout the U.S., and the Adirondack Hamlets to Huts would be the 18th." Hut-to-hut travel offers hikers, bikers, skiers, and even paddlers an opportunity to spend multiple days in the wil- derness and on long distance adventures without having to carr y heavy camping equipment. In many cases, meals are even prepared at places of lodging along the route. As his title suggests, Sam is something of a hut enthusiast. He sees hut-to-hut travel as an ideal "intermediar y" between car camping and backpacking. After experiencing my first hut trip in Nor way's Rondane National Park, in Januar y, 2016, I was thrilled to hear about a similar system being discussed in the mountains I call home. Adirondack Hamlets to Huts (ADKH2H) has a mission "to create a world-class Adirondack hut-to-hut system that ad- vances sustainable communities, conser vation, and well- ness." Rather than constructing ever y lodge to fit the system, founders Joe Dadey and Jack Drur y work with pre-existing places of lodging in the small communities of the Adiron- dacks, along carefully planned routes that capitalize on un- der-utilized trails and incredible views. I jumped at the op- portunity to film the first pilot trip.

• Cover