New Year’s at Poplar Hut & Stratton Brook Hut

My husband, son and I spent New Year's weekend at the huts, our first time visit. A storm had just dumped two feet of snow, but temps were mild (considering the area and time of year) and we were able to ski into the hut (I would recommend snowshoes if conditions were icy). The folks at the hut were super nice, the food was lovely, and we toasted to 2017 at midnight with the hardy souls who remained awake. The next day, we skied to Stratton Brook Hut, which is in a beautiful location, with views of Sugarloaf on one side and the Bigelow Range on the other. We are experienced winter travelers, but what makes the huts somewhat unique is that they are accessible to folks with a wide range of experience, as there are various routes, some short and some longer. So if you have just a bit of snowshoeing experience, you can choose one of the shorter routes and enjoy the remote feeling offered by these huts (which by hard core standards really aren't that remote). We may make the New Year's celebration an annual event! Rentals of snowshoes or cross-country skis are available in Carrabassett Valley at Sugarloaf Outdoor Center.