Cabin - The O.H.A. | The Old Hutcroo Association

Photo: Deirdre Vander Schaaf

The Cabin is owned and maintained by The O.H.A. (short for The Old Hutcroo Association), an organization run by former employees of the AMC Hut System. The O.H.A. isn’t supported by the AMC and depends entirely upon the volunteer and financial support of its membership.

With construction (by volunteer OH on land given by Bradford Washburn) starting in 1939 and completed in 1940, the Cabin is a place for current and former croo to relax and enjoy the mountains and each other's company. Your membership dues and cabin fees pay for firewood, taxes, utilities, insurance, repairs, and everything else that goes into keeping the place running, looking good, and available to dues paying members and their friends.

For most people who worked in a hut, that experience taught us a mountain of valuable first lessons, like how to handle people, how to make good decisions, and how to manage and maintain a building entrusted to us. This Cabin deserves the same respect and care.

We’ve successfully operated the Cabin for over 80 years, because users have followed some simple, basic guidelines and pitched in with “must-do” chores. Please continue that Cabin tradition; treat it kindly, keep it clean, and leave it a little better than you found it.

Reservation Request

Please read the following notes to help us (O.H.A. volunteers) manage cabin reservations. Thanks for understanding!

Read the Cabin Policy, view the Status, check the Calendar, and read the OHA Code of Conduct.
If you're not a current dues-paying O.H.A. member, please pay your Annual or Lifetime dues. If you're not sure about your O.H.A. status, please use the contact form on the Members page to inquire. Once you've done that, you can come back to make a reservation request.
Please do not make a reservation request unless you are planning to follow through with booking. If you just want to check on dates, view the calendar or email [email protected].

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Your O.H.A. or Croo Status*

Use of the cabin is limited to dues-paying members of the O.H.A., current AMC Hut System croo, and their guests. Are you a current dues-paying O.H.A. member or current AMC Hut System croo?

Please help us streamline the cabin reservation process:

If you're not sure about the status of your O.H.A. membership, please use the contact form on the Members page to check with us about your status. We'll get back to you about paying your dues or going ahead with your reservation.

If you're not a current dues-paying O.H.A. member, please visit the Shop and pay either your Annual Dues or Lifetime Dues. Once you've done that, you can come back to make a reservation request.

What AMC facility are you associated with?*

Reservation Request Details

Name*

First Last

Email*

Enter Email Confirm Email

Phone*

Address*

Address Line 1 Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Arrival Date*

While reservation requests may be made 1 day in advance, 2+ days in advance is highly recommended (and appreciated) by the Cabin Coordinator.

Departure Date*

The suggested maximum length of stay is 5 nights in order to allow different individuals/groups to use the cabin each week.

How many people in your reservation request?*

Please include yourself. Maximum occupancy is 14.

Please enter a number from 1 to 14.

Group Description*

Please describe your group (family, single household, group of friends) and your desired Cabin atmosphere (quiet, party, in between).

Group List

If possible, please provide a name and status for each person in your group (excluding yourself), one person per row (add rows by clicking the plus in a circle icon). Status options: OH, YOH (25 & younger), Current Croo, Guest (over 25), Guest (25 & younger).

Name

Status

Message or Notes

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Policy Status FAQs Guidelines Calendar

Policy

The OHA Cabin is available via reservation to dues-paying members and current Croo. Please read and follow the policy to maintain cabin privileges for everyone.

General

All users must be registered in advance through the website reservation process.
While reservation requests may be made 1 day in advance, 2+ days in advance is highly recommended (and appreciated) by the Cabin Coordinator.
Payment is required to confirm reservation once your request is approved.
By default, use of the Cabin is shared between individuals and groups.
The suggested maximum length of stay is 5 nights in order to allow different individuals/groups to use the cabin each week. Please contact the Cabin Coordinator at [email protected] if you're interested in a longer stay.
Maximum occupancy is 14 (8 upstairs bunks, 6 downstairs bunks).
Cabin Coordinator will contact you with key access, important details, and cabin emergency contacts. Key is NOT available elsewhere.
Bring your own linens.
Follow all other Cabin Guidelines, as posted on the OHA website or in the cabin.
Cabin users will read and follow the OHA Code of Conduct (PDF).

Costs

$20/night for regular OH.
$10/night for YOH (25 or younger).
$5/night for current Croo.
The Croo Annual Cabin Pass is $25 per calendar year. This covers an individual current Croo.
The Adult Annual Cabin Pass is $100 per calendar year. This covers an individual OHA member.
The Family Annual Cabin Pass is $150 per calendar year. This covers an immediate family (up to two adult parents w/ kids).

Cancellations

If you need to cancel a confirmed reservation, please email the Cabin Coordinator.

For cancellations made 14 or more days prior to arrival, you have the option of a refund, cabin use credit, or you can turn your cabin payment into a tax deductible donation to the OHA.
For cancellations made fewer than 14 days prior to arrival, you have the option of a cabin use credit or you can turn your cabin payment into a tax deductible donation to the OHA. No refunds.

*Last updated January 4, 2023*

Status

Updated October 27, 2024: The OHA Cabin is available for use by reservation and is in cold season mode:

The water is turned off. You must bring in water or get it from the nearby stream.
You may use the driveway (Washburn Way) if it's clear of ice and snow. The parking areas have stone and debris from the washout, please use caution, especially with low clearance vehicles. If the driveway is blocked by ice and snow, please park in the pullouts on Rt 16.

FAQs

Who Can Use the Cabin?

Dues-paying members of the O.H.A., current AMC Hut System croo, and their guests. Friends and family may accompany OH and current crew so long as they are on the reservation, pay their fee, and follow the rules. Guests of OH or current croo are the responsibility of the reservation holder.

You can pay your annual dues or lifetime dues online.

Who Can’t Use the Cabin?

Anyone not actively affiliated with either the O.H.A. or the AMC Hut System, unless accompanied by someone who is. Trespassers will be removed from the cabin. Those who fail to follow the OHA Code of Conduct may lose Cabin privileges and/or membership.

How Do I Get the Key?

Access to the Cabin is no longer by key kept at Pinkham Notch. Please make a reservation request and once your reservation is confirmed, you'll be provided info about access via the lockbox.

What Do I Pay?

$20/night for regular OH.
$10/night for YOH (25 or younger).
$5/night for current Croo.
The Croo Annual Cabin Pass is $25 per calendar year. This covers an individual current Croo.
The Adult Annual Cabin Pass is $100 per calendar year. This covers an individual OHA member.
The Family Annual Cabin Pass is $150 per calendar year. This covers an immediate family (up to two adult parents w/ kids).

What If I Leave But Plan to Come Back?

If you leave the cabin temporarily, lock the front door and put the key inside the lockbox.

Guidelines

Guidelines and “Must-Do” Chores for All Users

Clean the cabin thoroughly: pick up and sweep the entire cabin, wipe down counters and clean any dirty dishes with soap and water, and in particular, CLEAN THE FRIDGE!!!
Take out all trash and put new liners in the trash-cans.
Make sure the wood-stove is out and closed; refill the wood bin.
Sprinkle a little lime in outhouse and lock the catch on the door to prevent wind and animal damage.
Shut and lock all windows upstairs and down, including the skylights. Shut and latch the doors on both woodsheds.
Do not leave any food! This includes canned & bottled goods (will freeze and break or rust with age). No exceptions!
The Caretaker will leave the valve on waterline below the porch slightly open, to prevent freezing in the colder months. Please leave the goddamn thing alone.
Water quality is never guaranteed so folks should bring their own potable water, or boil what's there.
Be aware of and correct potential fire hazards; we don't want to lose you or the cabin. Check location of safety equipment. Please don’t put any flammable items on the stove, fireplace mantel, or within two feet of the stove or smoke pipe. NO SMOKING in the cabin. Please do not use candles in the cabin and do not disconnect the Fire/Carbon Monoxide alarms
Leave the power and propane on year-round; do not flip any breakers or mains (as you may have done in the past).
When checking out, lock the front door and return the key to the lockbox. Thanks for leaving the cabin better than you found it!

Winter Notes

Water must be carried to the cabin in winter, typically between Thanksgiving and early May. Most reliable water on site can be obtained by chopping a hole in the ice at the bridge.
The sink drain will work in the coldest temperatures as long as hot water is dumped in volume. Cold water should be thrown over the porch rail. Don’t leave clean water in the cabin as it will freeze and render the pot it’s in useless.
Keep the main porch, outhouse porch, and fire escape ramp free of snow. Shovel is on site.
Don’t leave liquids. At 20 below outside, the inside of the cabin will be about 0 degrees, and the fridge will be 10 degrees. At which temperature your beer will split its can, and melt when temps rise.

Parking

The Harvard Cabin lot is available to Cabin visitors, as well as the pullout on the far (west) side of Rt. 16. Both are regularly plowed. These lots get intense use from Harvard Cabin users during weekends in late January and early February. Plan accordingly.

Other Important Notes

The Cabin isn’t intended for extended stays or long-term housing.
The Cabin is not a place to leave your gear.
Please do not hang photos or leave any other memorabilia at the cabin without prior authorization from the Cabin Caretaker, as space is getting more and more limited as the years go by.
Ask others sharing the cabin if they too are authorized to use the cabin. If there’s any doubt, suggest alternate accommodations in the valley.
Respect the fact that you may be sharing the Cabin with others.
Remember that the cabin has stood for over 80 years without a serious incident because users like you have followed the guidelines above and treated the place as their own.
Failure to follow the OHA Code of Conduct may result in loss of Cabin privileges and/or membership.

Please report any problems to the Cabin Coordinator at [email protected]. If you encounter any serious problems with the Cabin or systems that need more immediate attention, please refer to your reservation confirmation email for the phone numbers of cabin contacts.

Calendar