'Rough it' in style in the Northeast

updated 7:02 p.m. ET June 26, 2007

MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H. - The cone-shaped rockpile atop the tallest mountain in the Northeast loomed clear and bright a mile in the distance as we approached Lakes of the Clouds Hut around midday. But within minutes, a cold wind ushered in a mass of clouds that completely obscured the view.

With Mount Washington notorious for fast-changing and unforgiving weather, the 92-year-old hut along the edge of the Amoonoosic Ravine is a welcome stopping point for cold, hungry day hikers craving a hot bowl of soup or a cup of tea or coffee.

For those planning to spend the night, Lakes of the Clouds offers hearty meals, clean, well-maintained accommodations and a young, energetic staff, or "croo," eager to share their knowledge of trail conditions, weather, and the local flora and fauna.

Lakes, with 96 beds, is the largest, highest and most popular of the Appalachian Mountain Club's eight huts perched roughly a day's hike apart in the heart of the White Mountains. But the AMC's fabled hut system is only part of a growing network of backcountry accommodations that the 90,000-member club operates.

From spartan shelters alongside hiking trails to a handsome roadside lodge set beside the main highway that cuts through Crawford Notch, the AMC can provide sleeping quarters for roughly 2,200 visitors a night during the peak summer season when all facilities are open.

In recent years, the Boston-based club has expanded its accommodations to other backcountry locations, most notably Maine's North Woods. After acquiring 37,000 acres in the 100-Mile Wilderness, the club has taken over sporting camps used by hikers, canoeists, fly fishermen, snowshoers and cross-country skiers.

Most facilities are in New Hampshire and Maine, but the AMC also has lodgings in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. While most are in the rural backcountry, at least two sites can be reached by public transportation from New York or Boston.

The nightly rates vary from as little as $8 for use of a tent platform to $135 per person for a private room with meals at Highland Lodge, although AMC members receive a discount.

If You Go BACKCOUNTRY ACCOMMODATIONS: The Appalachian Mountain Club operates a network of huts, lodges, full-service camps, cabins, campgrounds and backcountry sites in the Northeast. The club is best known for its eight huts in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but also has accommodations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Prices range from $8 for use of a tent platform to $135 per person for a private room with meals at Highland Lodge in the White Mountains. Click for reservations or call 603-466-2727.

The club's entry into the lodging business dates back to the late 19th century, after the AMC was founded in 1876 to promote recreation and conservation in the White Mountains. The first of the huts, Madison Spring Hut, was built 12 years later.

The eight huts, crown jewels of the club's lodging network, offer a range of views — all of them spectacular — and various levels of accessibility.

Lonesome Lake, on the side of Cannon Mountain, and Zealand Falls, at the edge of the Pemigewasset Wilderness, represent the easiest hikes and are most suitable for families with young children.

Galehead, in the Franconia Range, Mizpah Spring on Mount Clinton and Carter Notch, between Wildcat and Carter Dome, are reachable by a moderate hike. The most challenging are the three highest huts — Greenleaf, on Mount Lafayette, Madison Spring and Lakes of the Clouds —all above 4,000 feet.

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While a handful of hikers have stayed at all eight huts in succession, the average visitor spends two to three nights in the huts. Such an itinerary enables hikers to spend a long weekend in the Presidential or Franconia range without having to pack a tent, sleeping bag, camp stove, food and other gear in a backpack that can weigh 40 or 50 pounds or more.

"It's nice not to have to bring all that camping gear and to have good, warm meals provided," said Abby Chiverton, a medical student from New York who stayed at Mizpah and Lakes during a recent hike with her boyfriend.

An occasional backpacker, Chiverton also welcomes the idea of being indoors in the event of inclement weather. "The weather on Mount Washington is so unpredictable," she said.

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