![Getting ready to open it up](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1818.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Getting ready to open it up
It’s a tradition, a physical ordeal and a right of passage. We call it the “woodcut” but it is much more than just a wood-cut. Every spring, we take advantage of the solid snow pack to fell trees and skid/carry them over the snow to the huts in preparation for the following winter. Like a squirrel, collecting nuts for the winter ahead, we cache the life giving fuel for the Bench and Fishhook Huts, deep in the Sawtooth. While there is a very practical purpose to what we are doing (prepping firewood for ski huts) at heart we are skiers and the woodcut typically occurs when the ski conditions are prime. So we work especially hard felling, bucking, hauling and stacking to finish the job, so we can get to the skiing. This year we accomplished all the objectives, putting up over 6 cord of wood at each hut and skiing many big, steep and authentic lines.
Thanks to the stellar SVT crew: Chris Marshall, Andrew Kieffer, Niels Meyer, Chris Cullaz, Jess Simon, Alex Gemme, Everett Coba, and the veteran of many woodcuts: Joe St.Onge
![Over 6 cords, felled, carried, bucked and stacked at the Bench Hut. now its time to go ski!](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1473.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Over 6 cords, felled, carried, bucked and stacked at the Bench Hut. now its time to go ski!
![The Sawtooth in all their spring glory](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1974.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
The Sawtooth in all their spring glory
![Kiefer psyched for a day of steep couloir skiing above Bench Hut](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1480.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Kieffer psyched for a day of steep couloir skiing above Bench Hut
![heading into the upper basins](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1483.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
heading into the upper basins
![Jess, working his way up the lower slopes of the Hunk](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1489.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Jess, working his way up the lower slopes of the Hunk
![Climbing mid way on the Hunk, a classic spring steep corn descent above Bench hut](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1491.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Climbing mid way on the Hunk, a classic spring steep corn descent above Bench hut
![Cranking warm-up turns before the steeps on the Hunk](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1503.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Cranking warm-up turns before the steeps on the Hunk
![Jess, working his way through the surface sluffs on the Hunk](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1545.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Jess, working his way through the surface sluffs on the Hunk
![The lower rolls of the hunk are pure beauty](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1615.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
The lower rolls of the hunk are pure beauty
![Loving the final roll on the Hunk](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1639.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Loving the final roll on the Hunk
![Yahoo!](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1647.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Yahoo!
![Heading toward the Heyburner](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1653.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Heading toward the Heyburner
![Lunch break in the 5th lake basin](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1659.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Lunch break in the 5th lake basin
![Chris, cranking turns on the upper north couloir of Heyburn](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1665.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Chris, cranking turns on the upper north couloir of Heyburn
![Snowboard carving out of the Orbit Couloir](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1721.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Snowboard carving out of the Orbit Couloir
![Everett climbing to the darkside on the Bat Cave](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1740.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Everett climbing to the darkside on the Bat Cave
![Jess working his way toward the light in the Bat Cave](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1746.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Jess working his way toward the light in the Bat Cave
![Chris, climbing out of the cave and into the light](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1766.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Chris, climbing out of the cave and into the light
![Climbing out of the Bat Cave](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1754.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Climbing out of the Bat Cave
![Alex, loving the steep exit of the Bat Cave](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1756.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Alex, loving the steep exit of the Bat Cave
![Alex riding toward the light](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1795.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Alex riding toward the light
![Crouching tiger](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1798.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Crouching tiger
![Dawn Patrol out of the Fishhook yurt](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1839.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Dawn Patrol out of the Fishhook yurt
![Our days objective: the Sickle Couloir. One of the many splitter couloirs in the Sawtooth](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1848.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Our days objective: the Sickle Couloir. One of the many splitter couloirs in the Sawtooth
![Everett and Chris loving the steep climb](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1869.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Everett and Chris loving the steep climb
![nearing the top of the Sickle](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1873.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
nearing the top of the Sickle
![Chris, opening his wings while making a jump turn on the 50+ degree couloir](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1901.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Chris, opening his wings while making a jump turn on the 50+ degree couloir
![Using an ice axe for security on the firm entrance](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1917.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
Using an ice axe for security on the firm entrance
![Everett laying them down mid couloir](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1950.jpg?resize=695%2C927&ssl=1)
Everett laying them down mid couloir
![stoked after a stellar couloir](https://i0.wp.com/blog.svtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_1970.jpg?resize=695%2C521&ssl=1)
stoked after a stellar couloir
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.