Our epic trip to the Benson Ski Hut. This was our third trip to a ski hut this winter. The first one (Bradley ski hut in Lake Tahoe - December) took us a mere 3 ½ hours on snowshoe. The trail was well marked and even with inaccurate GPS coordonates, we found the place easily. Our second trip (Ostrander ski hut in Yosemite � March) was more challenging. The 10.3 miles took us over 8 hours as heavy snow delayed the breaking of the trail. We reached the hut after dark, however we never feared of not finding the place. Our third trip (Benson ski hut in Lake Tahoe � April) pushed our outdoor skills to the limit. The route, Oli carefully mapped, was a 5.6 miles/2,200 ft elevation travel following a portion of the Sierra Crest trail and then winding away from ridges, to avoid avalanche dangers. We started the day at the base of Sugarbowl and made good time to reach the top of Mt. Lincoln (8,500 ft. elevation). One of the bowl crossings challenged Judy and John on snowshoe to the point where their ski poles were used extensively as anchors to avoid sliding. The change in weather (heavy snow, hails, and thunderstorm) slowed our progress and turned an easy trail into a mystery route. To our good fortune the weather improved upon the approach of the Benson Hut. The big question was, where is it? The GPS spotted the hut at no more than 20ft, and there were no traces of any structure. We roamed around the location, checked the altitude (we were 30ft above the intended location), and after some delirious moments, John discovered a 4 foot deep hole that had been dogged out for a chimney. Suddenly a moment of panic sank in, knowing that we might have to build a snow shelter for the overnight, unless we were prepared to dig 30ft of snow to reach a door/window of the hut. Luckily, after further scoping, we traced a trench that led us to the second floor window of the Benson Hut. The basic accommodation, buried under the snow, was a grace. In any case the reward was a terrific sunset that ended a very enduring day in the outdoor. We were safe! Enjoy the pictures of our epic trip. Oli & Judy.