The Huts are a part of Methow history
Family owned, family operated
Operating under an Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Service Permit, the Rendezvous Huts is, and always has been, locally owned and operated. Today, it’s run by the Nelson family.
1980
Enoch & Shandra Kraft build the first two huts - Fawn and Heifer - on the Diamond T Ranch.
1982
Forest Service Permit obtained and Rendezvous Hut is built at it’s current location.
1985
Dale Kaulfield & Steve Farmer buy the business. Fawn and Heifer huts are moved to Forest Service land.
1988
Cassal Hut is built. This is the year “recreation took priority over logging in the Rendezvous,” according to Dale Caulfield.
1994
Gardner Hut is built.
In 1996, Dave Dewbrey, Phil and Carol Heitman and Jay Lucas Buy the business. Bennet and Cathy Upper buy out Dewbrey’s share in 1997.
In 2000, the owners hook up with Central Reservations for help with booking. The Uppers run the day-to-day operations, while Lucas maintains communication with the forest service over permitting.
2007
Grizzly Hut is built to replace Fawn Hut. According to Lucas, “The original idea was to ski hut-to-hut, European Style, but it turned out that most people really wanted to stay in one place and ski from there.” Fawn was just to far for most people to ski to from Cub Creek Trailhead.
2013 - Today
Ben and Virginia Nelson purchase the huts with their three-month-old son, Oliver. They continue to run it, making improvements to the structures along the way, adding solar lighting, quieter, fuel efficient 4-stroke snow machines, and hopefully soon, an all-electric machine.
The Nelson Family in 2018: Ben, Virginia, Oliver & Lumi
source:
Most of this hut history, including quotations, is sourced from Laurel Walsh’s article in the Methow Valley News (date unknown, 2013), Photos, ads and other tidbits provided by past owners.
