I wrote about a few remote and very primitive winter shelters in a previous post; but Travel Oregon seems to have come up with their own posting with a few new ones. I’ve collected those and also added a few others in this post.

As with all things, definitely call the ranger stations BEFORE planning a trip or you risk finding yourself at the end of a long day of travel only to be unable to access a shelter far, far from any accommodation. Forest fires, vandalism (very sadly), maintenance, and other reasons may have closed these particular shelters at any time. Calling the ranger stations before you go is mandatory as they can usually give you an update on conditions, risks in the area, etc. I know that Clear Lake Butte was closed for almost all of 2022 due to maintenance and damage. Some places have regular blacked-out days for volunteer work parties as well. Know before you go!

Near Pendleton:

Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, about 25 miles east of Pendleton, offers travelers a much warmer way to spend the night. Each of the six rustic log cabins — equipped with bunk beds, a table and an outdoor propane stove — can sleep from three to five people. Spend your days sledding or cross-country skiing at Meacham Divide Sno-Park a few miles east, one of the larger Nordic skiing areas, featuring more over 12 miles of groomed trails. Book here.

Mt Hood:

Clear Lake Butte Lookout – accessible from the Skyline Road Sno-Park. Book here.

Silcox Hut, is at 6,900 feet above Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge on the Palmer Snowfield. The hut sleeps up to two dozen people in six small bunk rooms. A fireplace warms a large room with hand-carved tables, where you’ll find buffet-style suppers of belly-warming fare and breakfasts with fruit and pastries. A special snow-going SUV or a snowcat can ferry you and your gear up to the hut, and groups must rent the entire building. Down in the main lodge, guests are free to use the sauna, spa and showers, too. Book here. The hut can sleep up to 24 people. Reservations can be made more than a year in advance.

Willamette Pass

Gold Lake Shelter, Bechtel, Westview and Maiden Peak shelters. Head to the Gold Lake Patrol Cabin at Gold Lake Sno-Park near the Willamette Pass resort and pop up to the cabin. It’s office and overnight quarters for the Willamette Backcountry Ski Patrol volunteers, where you can pick up maps as well as a hot drink (but not spend the night). From there you can make your way 2 miles to the Gold Lake Shelter, a three-sided warming hut with a sleeping loft, a wood stove and a picnic table. Other shelters in the area with sleeping lofts include the Bechtel, Westview and Maiden Peak shelters. 

All of the huts are first-come, first-serve, although anyone wishing to spend the night must be accommodated. Open for overnight stays November 15 to April 30. Huts can comfortably sleep anywhere from four to a dozen or so people, and there’s no fee.

Here’s a hike/snowshoe route that hits a few of them.

There’s also a few other shelters listed here (South Waldo Shelter, Fuji Shelter) that can only really be reached by snowshoe or cross-country skiing in the winter.

Santiam Pass Area Shelters

Santiam pass area also has some warming huts/shelters – Mountain View Shelter and South Maxwell Snow Shelter are accessible from the Maxwell Sno-park.

Here’s a hike that hits both the Mountain View and South Maxwell shelters.

McCoy Snow Shelter is accessible via the McCoy Snowmobile Area.

Wallowas

Cornucopia Lodge & Packstation in the southern part of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Book here. Reservations can be made more than a year in advance. Units sleep up to six people. Open year-round.