Stone Hut on Mt. Mansfield Set to Re-open December 1, 2016

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Lottery, with some changes, to be held November 16th

Near the top of Mount Mansfield, reconstruction of the historic Stone Hut is nearing completion. Barring any last minute construction issues, the Hut will be open to overnight guests again starting December 1, 2016.

The hut was closed to visitors after a fire on Christmas Eve, 2015, destroyed most of the building.

Through the efforts of the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation (FPR), and funding received through Vermont Parks Forever, the non-profit foundation supporting the parks, rebuilding the Stone Hut was fast-tracked so that visitors would be able to return this season.

“We are so grateful for the incredible outpouring of support,” said Michael Snyder, the commissioner of FPR. “Everywhere I went people would tell me about their special Stone Hut experiences. Then they would offer to help in any way they could, either by donating supplies or labor, or offering financial support. It was amazing – and a testament to its importance in peoples’ lives.”  

Construction began on the new Stone Hut mid-summer and is expected to be completed by November 1. “The structure wasn’t a total loss. The original stones were salvaged and used in the new building. We worked closely with historic preservation and our architect to re-create the hut as close to the original as possible, while incorporating new upgrades to meet new code and safety standards,” said Susan Bulmer, Parks Regional Manager.

Reservations for the Stone Hut are assigned by lottery and reservation requests are being accepted now through November 14. There will be two rounds of lottery:  the first for only those individuals who had confirmed reservations for last season but were unable to use them due to the fire. After those have been processed, then the regular lottery will be held. New this year, is that there will no longer be preference given to those requesting the longest stays. All requests will be considered equally and selected at random. After the second-round lottery, any remaining nights can be reserved on a first-come/first-served basis via telephone.

More information about the Stone Hut, including detailed reservation procedures can be found at www.vtstateparks.com

Contact:
Susan Bulmer, Parks Regional Manager, 802-371-8918, susan.bulmer@vermont.gov
Michael Snyder, Commissioner, 802-828-1534, michael.snyder@vermont.gov

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