Backcountry Hut Maintenance in Alaska

Alaska Huts is not the only backcountry hut operator in Alaska, and this month we have an insight into one of our sister organizations, the Mountaineering Club of Alaska. The MCA operates huts on glacier traverses, like the Eklutna Traverse, but their support system is much the same. Enjoy!

The MCA backcountry hut system is very much operated and maintained by the community. There are no paid staff, thus the huts are supported entirely by the passion of volunteers. Funding and decision making authority lies with the MCA board of directors, but huts is not a primary focus of that board. The club uses a huts committee for deliberative and planning processes, in addition to opinion surveys and discussions with the general club membership. Each task or project is driven by one or several passionate individuals taking up the cause. Volunteer coordination is itself a volunteer duty. Some of the work is thankless (outhouse related tasks in particular), and many volunteers contribute without acknowledgement. Perhaps the huts themselves, the places they occupy, and visiting them, are part of the reward.