Sauna Hut (5th Annual)
Details
Breckenridge Nordic Center has, on its upper trail system, a hut called "Kathy's Viewpoint" that features a working, first-come, free-to-use woodstove sauna. We will be firing it up, as we have in past seasons.
The day involves the enjoying the sauna with optional snow dives, ski laps, and food and drink (note the beverage of choice is sparkling wine). The plan is for the sauna to be ready, meaning at the right temp (120F+), when attendees arrive.
In order to participate in an organized group event, needing the efforts of multiple volunteers, and that is provided to you for free, there are obligations that are required of you. Please understand that the following is based on repeated experience and is meant to make the event better for everybody.
You must carefully read the following in its entirety, read all posts in the comments below, and reply promptly to all direct messages from the event organizer.
You must complete the club’s activity waiver. This only needs to be done once. The waiver requires your real first name, your real last name, a valid email address, an online signature, and then a click on a confirmation link sent to that email address. This should take only a couple minutes. There are good reasons for asking you to perform this basic task, which is to protect the club and its volunteers.
Dogs are not permitted at this event.
We will be meeting at the hut, which means you need to ski up to it. You can arrive anytime during the hours of the event. Breck's trail map is available here, which includes the hut. There are three options for getting up there:
- Park at the nordic center (located here) and take Morning Glory to Gluteus Minimus to Otter Slide to Heaven's Gate to the hut (see the red route on this map) -- note that dogs are not allowed on the "lower" trails [OPTION 1 IS NOT DOABLE DUE TO TRAIL CLOSURES]
- Park at the trailhead for the "Peaks Trail" (located here), and take the Peaks Trail to Otter Slide to Heaven's Gate to the hut (see the green route on this map)
- Park at the base of Otter Slide (located here) and take Otter Slide to Heaven's Gate to the hut (see the blue route on this map)
See also an annotated Breck trail map here, with a black circle around the hut, and circles around the three starting points in the colors above.
Sunset will be at around 6pm. The trails to/from the hut are all "blue" trails. For the shortest route back down (#3 above) you will at minimum have to be able to hold a strong snowplow over a potentially crusty and somewhat winding groomed trail for a good while.
Though we are using a sauna this is not a "clothing optional" event. Gentlemen must cover their junk, and do so tastefully. Ladies must cover both parts. The sauna itself is not huge so people will need to take turns. Bathing the morning of this event would be a considerate thing to do.
This is not an invite-all-your-friends type of event. You can bring one guest, meaning one guest only, please. Please also indicate when you sign up that you are bringing a guest. If you happen to know more than one person who wants to come, they have to sign up here as a Meetup member.
You should be aware that going from a superhot sauna to supercold air or snow, and vice-versa, plus maybe having a drink or two, at 10,500 feet, could potentially make you feel not so good. This is just a request to be mindful of your own limits, we don't want anyone feeling ill, passing out, etc.
All attendees must purchase a Breck Nordic Center trail pass for the day.
Do not expect any messages sent the morning of the event to be seen.
And lastly please be sure to read or re-read: