Was up this weekend and the kids were cold so we slipped into one of my favorite warming huts at the top of Castlerock. Brought back memories of when I was their age and used to ski Castlerock all day and lunch at the Gables lodge - which is the warming hut at the top of Castlerock. Our friends with Ski Patrol just finished cooking a wonderful breakfast and it got me thinking. They used to serve some limited food in there as well. Dont get me wrong, I love the fact it is there and not well known but the view up there is sensational and the observation deck is really nice as well. I wonder if it could be brought back to life with a light food service.

Any thoughts?

Didn't realize they used to have food service at that warming hut.

I think some sort of food service/warming hut at the top of Gate House would be better, however. Nothing fancy - a hut the same size as Glen House would fit nicely up there in the plateau area, and for a name, how 'bout "North Lynx Lodge", or as someone else said... "Shady Jay's" . I believe during the ASC era there was some sort of food service there - it first appears on the 97-98 trailmap (see http://sugarbushhistory.com/1997-1998.jpg from sugarbushhistory.com). There is a small shack there today called "Java The Hut" ... was it coffee only?

All this makes me wonder why the Heaven's Gate warming hut was taken off the trail map... even though its still there and open to the public.

I was in both the Heavens gate warming hut and the Castlerock warming hut this weekend. (I skied with some very cold people) Both are in severe disrepair. It is a shame but I would hope that they might be on a list somewhere for a summer project.

I haven't been in either of those in winter in years. (I get so warm skiing in the woods, I need to cool down on the chairlift) but when I was at the Cr warming hut this summer, it was looking pretty shabby. I don't know about food service there but it definitely could use some TLC. I know there was some talk about another mid mtn lodge someday in the future, but first lets see some shovels in the ground at the base.

Hawk wrote:

I was in both the Heavens gate warming hut and the Castlerock warming hut this weekend. (I skied with some very cold people) Both are in severe disrepair. It is a shame but I would hope that they might be on a list somewhere for a summer project.

I agree with the Heaven's Gate assessment, but Castlerock??? It is not that bad IMHO.

shadyjay wrote:

I think some sort of food service/warming hut at the top of Gate House would be better, however. Nothing fancy - a hut the same size as Glen House would fit nicely up there in the plateau area, and for a name, how 'bout "North Lynx Lodge", or as someone else said... "Shady Jay's" . I believe during the ASC era there was some sort of food service there - it first appears on the 97-98 trailmap (see http://sugarbushhistory.com/1997-1998.jpg from sugarbushhistory.com). There is a small shack there today called "Java The Hut" ... was it coffee only?

Yes, there once was a Waffle Shack/coffee place on the plateau during ASC times. IIRC it has either become the ski patrol building or was moved to the base of Gate House.

As you get off the Gatehouse lift, look to your left. It is now a squirrel house. (Story behind that. )

As for food service in the Castlerock hut, that would be some work.

To get food to Allyn's patrol and food service bring stuff up on Bravo. Were they doing the same at C_Rock, they'd have to bring it up Bravo and ski it down to C_Rock lift, or put a fleet of snowmobiles to that use.

I worked at the peak restaurant at the top of Killington one winter. Everymorning at 5 am, we would have to load a trailer up with food and supplies, then tow it up behind the Snow Cat. It was fun to drive, but a huge pain in the neck to unload at the peak in the dark in all types of weather. Then to pack the food in the firdge and open the lodge and start making food was a lot of effort.

Dry goods for snack seems reasonable, but using the CR shack as food service seem a trememdous waste of resources.