The allure of the backcountry draws people outdoors and into the woods for all sorts of activities. Summer backpackers, spring birdwatchers and wintertime backcountry skiers alike spend countless days in the mountains, surrounded by the serene landscape. For our own enjoyment, fellow ski patrol members and I took advantage of free time and embarked on a 3 day backcountry skiing adventure in the northern Sierra Nevada wilderness. “I need to shed another layer.” Kara paused to remove a windbreaker and store it in her pack. Even in sub-freezing temperatures, it’s easy to start sweating while hiking up a mountain ridge, carrying a large backpack. Maintaining an equilibrium requires frequent transitions along the route. Skiing against gravity is a peculiar sensation, and is quite a workout. The mohair material we glued to the bottom of our skies allows us to push forward, but grips the snow to hold us in place. Even on a steep mountain ridge. The idea is to mimic sealskin, and hence the material is known as ‘skins.’ ‘Skinning’ up in a line, the 5 of us slowly made our way above the treeline and into the saddle between Castle Peak and Boreal Ridge. Upon reaching a summit, we take the skins off the skis, transitioning to downhill mode, and look forward to letting gravity do all the work. “All this effort will be worth it when I can put this pack down and rest by the fire.” Hannah sighed as we reached the top of the ridge, “and there it is!” Nestled in the Southwest corner of the valley below, the Peter Grubb Hut is a haven to backcountry travelers, playing host to Pacific Crest Trail through hikers each summer and skiing enthusiasts in the winter. When we arrived, only the A-frame roof was visible, with snow piled up to the second story. Inside the hut’s stone structure were all the essentials that deserve a 5-star rating, without the superfluous valet and revolving door. The 20 foot by 20 foot hut has cafeteria style wooden benches and tables, a wood-burning fireplace, a wire to hang wet clothes, and a floor area for sleeping pads. Simple by design, this backcountry hut is maintained by the dedicated volunteers of the Sierra Club to allow people greater access to the mountains’ wild lands. They created this hut in honor of a former member, Peter Grubb, who embodied the preservation and observation goals of the organization. By the age of 16, Peter had several first ascents of mountains in the area and was a center of the mountaineering community. “He was a true backcountry traveler.” Ian remarked as he used the firelight to read the excerpts about Peter’s mountaineering feats posted on the hut’s walls. “In the sense that travel is a verb, not a noun. It’s not buying a plane ticket, but getting out and being driven toward new places.” The Sierra Club follows this tenant by accommodating backcountry travelers. Through the Peter Grubb Hut, they are able to honor the history of the sport and the importance of its interaction with the surrounding area. In an ever-urbanizing world, it’s refreshing to see the work of people who care about being in open and natural lands. We awoke from the hut to a golden sunrise illuminating our goal, Basin Peak. It would take all day, hundreds of switchbacks and several peanut butter sandwich stops to reach the summit. In stepping inch by inch over the icy cornice, the entire day’s effort culminates in taking off the climbing skins and transitioning to downhill ski mode. “It’s not warm up here.” Kara’s breath clearly visible in the brisk air, “I need another jacket.” All the sweat from the climb freezes on our now motionless bodies. But for me, this brief time, being blasted by the wind, is sacred. I calmly looked across the Sierras, admiring the varied peaks. In between bites of an apple, I scanned the ridges we traversed and humbly relished in the panoramic extent of the backcountry. Despite grueling climbing, exhilarating skiing and days of travelling in pristine pine forests, I regard the four minutes and thirty seven seconds on the summit as an iconic moment of transition.