Cue music: Flight of the Valkyries.
Fade in: the sound of chopper blades as a bright yellow helicopter comes in for a landing on the Burton flats. Crouched against a short stack of boxes and crates, a man wearing ski goggles is buffeted by a brief gust of snow as the aircraft touches and pilot Mark Homis powers it down.
A flurry of action, and the chopper is once again loaded, taking Martin and Shelly Glasheen and boxes up to Hilda Hut on Mount Hilda. The ‘hut’ is part of Valkyr Adventure’s operations started up 10 years ago by the Glasheens.
‘Hut’ is a very modest word for the three-storey building that can accommodate a dozen guests as well as guides and staff. The hand-built lodge is one of two (the other is Valkyr Lodge on Naumulten Mountain) constructed from timbers flown in by helicopter, and is a bright and comfortable space complete with indoor plumbing. Powered by micro-hydro, there is even internet at this cabin in the woods, as well as a hot tub and a sauna. Laura Ingalls Wilder eat your heart out. Surrounding the little chalet on the mountain is some excellent ski terrain guest can easily access.
Making the most out of the preparatory Dec. 14 trip up to Hilda Hut, the Glasheens donated extra seat spaces to the Burton Volunteer Fire Department silent auction, raising a bit of money for the firefighters and giving lucky someones a bird’s eye view of the valley.
Ski guide Tim Styles and his girlfriend Marie-France Lessor were part of the second load up to the hut. They were part of the effort to get the chalet up and running for the season, test the snow and get some skiing in on the pristine slopes. Tim has been working with the Glasheens for a few years, and has high praise for them.
“If there’s ever an apocalypse, Martin is someone you want to live with,” he said Tim the ski guide. Barring apocalypse, Hilda Hut might also be just a great place to spend some time.