I’ve been trying to get a reservation at the Ostrander Ski Hut for several years. Last year I secured one, but the trip was cancelled for various reasons and, as a result, I got an early opportunity in the lottery this year. Roland joined me on the adventure and we spent three days skiing in Yosemite: one day each for the trip to and from the hut, and one day exploring the wilderness around the hut!
Trip Planning
Specs: 27.1 mi | +/- 5700 ft | 3 days, 2 nights
Difficulty: Class 1 [ratings] – the skiing and skinning to and from the hut was not technically difficult. The physical difficulty of the travel will vary dramatically with the snow conditions (firm snow = easy, deep powder = difficult).
Location: Yosemite National Park, CA | Home of Southern Sierra Miwuk peoples | View on Map
Route: Begin at the Badger Pass Ski Area; in the winter, Glacier Point Road is groomed from there out to/toward Glacier Point. Follow the road east to the Horizon Ridge winter route, and then follow that route (look for yellow blazes on the trees) up the ridge to the Ostrander Ski Hut.
Permits & Regulations: A reservation is required to spend the night at the Ostrander Ski Hut. A self-issued wilderness permit (e.g., from the Badger Pass Ranger Station, a.k.a., A-Frame) is required for backcountry travel.
Resources: Visit the Ostrander Ski Hut website for detailed information about reservations, the hut itself, and trip logistics like parking. The Yosemite Wilderness in Winter page also had lots of valuable information about traveling through the park in the winter, including a map of the ski and snowshoe routes. Don’t forget to review the wilderness safety page and make sure you leave no trace!
Horizon Ridge to Ostrander Ski Hut
Fri, 13 Mar, 2026| 7.1 mi | +2300 / -1000 ft | View on Map
Roland and I spent last night at the Oakhurst Inn (in Oakhurst). It’s perfectly nice hotel, and they even offer a free breakfast! It takes us about an hour to drive up to the Badger Pass Ski Area, passing through terrain that is almost entirely snowless — not a promising sign for the trip. When we arrive, we fill out a permit at the ranger station, park in the overnight lot, gather our gear, and hike down to Glacier Point Road. We click into our skis on the groomed track and begin skinning uphill through the forest. We pass lots of people, some on snowshoes, some on cross country skis, and a few on downhill skis like us.
After about half a mile of uphill skinning, the road tips downhill and we transition to skiing. We glide and skate for about 2.5 miles along the gradual descent, which feels wonderful. A few sections of the road are nearly melted out, but we’re able to skin along the shoulder and avoid bare pavement. It clear, though that it won’t be long before the road is completely dry.
About 90 minutes and 4.5 miles into the tour, we reach the Horizon Ridge winter route. A sign and faint skin track mark the departure from the road. Here, the real climbing begins. We skin up a short hill, weaving through the trees and following what snow remains, often straying far from the yellow-blazed winter route. Even more so than the road, the snow here is patchy at best. We step through manzanita, over (and on) fallen trees, and occasionally across patches of dry dirt and pine needles.
As Roland and I climb higher along Horizon Ridge, the snow coverage becomes more consistent and the views open up. Half Dome, Star King and Cloud’s Rest rise above the surrounding landscape, their bare granite stark against the snow and pine trees. We pause now and then to eat snacks and rest, but keep moving, hoping to stay ahead of the afternoon melt. The final hill before the ski hut, nicknamed “Heart Attack Hill,” is neither particularly steep nor long, so how it earned the name remains a mystery to me.
We arrive at the Ostrander Ski Hut at about 4 PM. It’s been a fairly long day — seven hours, car to hut — and we’re both tired and relieved to be done skiing. We prop our skis on the porch and I pull off my boots and sit in the warm sun for a few quiet minutes. Plenty of others are already here, some of them also lounging in the sun, others napping inside.
After a bit of recovery, we explore the hut and meet the hut keeper. He gives us the quick rundown, explaining how the kitchen works, where to get water, where the bathrooms are, etc. The main floor has fifteen triple-bunked beds and a long row of tables down the center. Two ammo-can toilets are tucked into the porch, and the kitchen sits at the back of the main room. A steep staircase leads up to a loft with another dozen beds and a small balcony; the hut keepers’ quarters are hidden behind a locked door above the kitchen. Most of the lower bunks are already claimed, so we haul our gear up to the loft and rest for a little while.
Later in the evening we wander back down and meet the rest of the weekend crowd. Many have already spent a day exploring the area. We heat up lentil stew over the gas stove and eat with crusty bread in the common area. One group is attempting an ambitious dinner: pizza from scratch, one at a time, in the small oven. It looks impressive, but I’m happy not to wait; the stew hits the spot. After enjoying a beautiful sunset, we go to bed, grateful to have such comfortable lodging all the way out here in the backcountry.
Touring Hart Lake and Horse Ridge
Sat, 14 Mar, 2026| 7.7 mi | +/- 2400 ft | View on Map
Roland and I enjoy a slow morning at the hut. Nobody else seems to be in a particular hurry either; the earliest departures aren’t until 9 or 9:30. We set out by 10, heading east from the Ostrander Ski Hut toward the eastern edge of Horse Ridge. Taking a direct line, we work up the steep slopes with a few kick turns. The snow is still firm and icy so I’m pleased to find that my edges hold well, even without ski crampons.
We enjoy some truly fantastic views of the Yosemite backcountry, including Half Dome, Cloud’s Rest, and Star King — peaks we saw yesterday, but now from higher up! From the ridge’s high point, we also get a panoramic view of the Clark Range out to the east. It’s been several years since I last visited Red Peak and its namesake pass, and it’s fun to see them completely covered in snow!
From the east end of Horse Ridge, Roland and I ski down to the largest of the Hart Lakes. The snow is just starting to corn up and we enjoy some excellent skiing on the steep slopes above the lake! We pause for a snack break beside the water and then skin back up the ridge. This time, instead of skiing back down to the lake (which would be an excellent option), we skin up a short icy face to the top of the ridge and try the south face. It’s too warm, sloppy, and shallow an angle to be much fun, so we retrace our tracks to the ridge top and head west to find a spot to drop in to the bowl above Ostrander Lake.
It takes us a few tries, but we eventually find the drop-in point. It isn’t terribly steep, but it is horribly icy and crusty, so Roland and I both ski cautiously until we reach softer, gentler slopes. We traverse west until we’re directly above Ostrander Lake (Ostrander Ski Hut is on the far side) and then enjoy some excellent turns down to the lake shore. Roland, tired from the tour, heads back to the hut, but I stay for a couple more laps with Austin, a fellow hut resident out riding by himself. The snow conditions are good, and I worked too hard to get out here to not enjoy them!
The sun sinks below the ridge at about 4 PM, casting the snow into shade and hardening it to ice. Austin and I skin back to the hut, happy to have gotten some great laps in. I read on the porch as people trickle back in from their adventures; many ventured out to Buena Vista Peak and come back glowing with stores of a fantastic day! Later in the evening, Roland and I once again feast on stew and crusty bread for dinner.
Spring Skiing
Sun, 15 Mar, 2026| 9.7 mi | +1000 / -2300 ft | View on Map
Roland and I set out a little earlier today, clicking into our skis by 8:45 to begin the skin back to the car. The snow is still frozen solid at the start, but the route begins with a gentle uphill, so the icy surface isn’t much trouble. Once we reach the first downhill along Horizon Ridge and transition to skiing, though, it becomes a different story. The ice turns unforgiving—every wind-scalloped ridge and bump rattles through my legs, even as I manage to stay in control. Roland, at least, seems to be enjoying himself.
After the initial descent, our next challenge is to skin back up several hundred feet. Like all of the Horizon Ridge route, it isn’t steep or technically difficult, and we reach the top quickly. The snow along the ridge and on far side is slightly less icy than before, making for a less jarring descent. From the ridgetop, we’re treated to some superb views of Half Dome and the other granite giants! And, once we’ve descended a few hundred feet, the snow begins to soften enough to make the skiing actually enjoyable.
We “adventure ski” over fallen trees and barely buried brush, pushing into an increasingly dense forest. Before long, the slope levels off and we shuffle ahead to a creek crossing. We’ve managed to navigate to exactly the same crossing as we took on the way up, and I’m surprised at how much the snow has receded! What was continuous coverage two days ago is now broken by patches of pin needles and exposed rock.
After crossing the creek on a precarious snow bridge, we stop on a fallen log to eat some snacks and to put our skins back on. The next section of the route winds across a plateau, the same one we meandered through on the way up. Here, too, the snow has thinned dramatically and we end up booting across large stretches of dry — or more often soggy — ground. We try to follow the “trail,” guided by occasional blazes on the trees, but there’s no sign of it underfoot. Fallen trees and brush constantly block our progress, and eventually we descend from the ridge into the meadow below where, paradoxically, there is more snow coverage.
We reach Glacier Point Road around noon and pause for another snack. After a short rest, we start up the road — the long downhill ski we enjoyed on the way out is now a steady uphill grind. It isn’t steep or even particularly difficult, but the relentless climb wears me down. My legs ache from the repetitive skinning and from the stiff boots. I trail behind Roland, grumbling to myself and wishing for an easy ride in a car, at least until we reach the final (short) downhill section to the Badger Pass Ski area. There, I stuff my skins between my backpack straps and ski-skate downhill as quickly as I can, passing families dragging sleds piled with camping gear. Roland is close behind, and we soon reach the cars.
We throw our gear into the car and collapse into the seats, exhausted and sore. At some point we’ll probably talk about how beautiful it was, how spectacular the views were, and how we should come back. But for now, I’m mostly thinking about food, a shower, and not having to but ski boots on again anytime soon.