Crescent Saddle Cabin

Trail was icey going up, 3 or 4 spots of large overflow. Micro spikes were a great choice. Metal edge skis at the top for the crusty layer of snow and bare spots of ice. Possible Nordic blade skating across from cabin if you get creative going between patches of ice (conditions change fast!). Cabin was stocked with wood that requires splitting. Creek for water freezes up but we were able to smash it open with a log after many attempts.

The cabin is in excellent condition, the wind and relentless rain didn't dampen our spirits as we dried out and warmed up in this cabin with gorgeous views out every window. The primitive trail has gotten more difficult due to so many fallen trees in previous winter storms so the traverse cabin to cabin is more challenging than previous visits but it is still a beautiful adventure I would recommend.

Experience of a lifetime! The crescent creek trail was gorgeous, primitive trail was difficult to navigate on the way in much easier finding/staying on the trail on the way back. Was glad we booked 3 nights. There are two row boats at the cabin one of which seemed to be taking on water. Caught one 12in grayling. The trip was so peaceful. Cabin was well stocked with extras (cards/skillet/lures etc.) outhouse was getting pretty full.

We rented the Crescent Saddle Cabin for 7/22/24, knowing that the "primitive" trail from the west end of the lake to the cabin would likely be quite overgrown. So we weren't sure we'd make it there. We took one look at the "trail" and decided to forget it. It irks me that the Forest Service is still renting this cabin for backpacking purposes knowing full-well that the trail barely exists anymore. I've hiked a lot of overgrown trails in southcentral AK, but this was hardly even visible. We did stay in our rented Crescent Lake Cabin the previous night and it had three boats; I kept reading that the Saddle cabin boat was missing--I wonder if someone hiked the trail to the Saddle cabin and decided to just row/paddle the boat back to the Crescent Lake Cabin and leave it there rather than fight the "primitive" trail to get back. Anyway, be forewarned: boat or fly in to the Saddle Cabin. Don't bother trying to hike to it.

Cabin did not have much wood available upon arrival, we cut and left wood for the next occupants before we left. The advertised row boat was not anywhere to be found, possibly a victim of poor tying up and the wind, or unauthorized users leaving it somewhere unknown. Overall the cabin is in a fantastic location. The approach was quite wet due to the overgrown primitive trail, so be prepared to have to dry shoes and clothes out in the cabin.

Beautiful spot! Almost no firewood as of Dec. 28, 2023, and it is nearly impossible to find any downed wood due to the snow.

We always cut a lot of extra wood when at huts outside of winter for this reason! If snowmachining in would recommend taking some wood.

The cabin is beautiful, but very difficult to find via the trail from Crescent Creek. The wood stove is amazing!

We hiked to the cabin on 6-29 and hiked out on 6-30 from the carter lake side. It took us around 5 hours to get out to it and 4 hours to return. Conditions once you hit the primitive trail were honestly pretty decent all things considered- muddy, slick, and wet (as expected) but other than that not super overgrown to the point where you need to bushwhack. There’s a decent size creek crossing once you start the primitive trail and you’ll cross a waterfall-like creek once you are around two miles from the cabin. There are two snowpacks you’ll need to cross- i recommend bringing boot spikes if you hike in from this side in the next few weeks. We didn’t bring them and it was overall fine (i slid a little down one of the chutes but it was ok in the end lmao) but since the snow has been sitting out in the sun it’s pretty slick and on a steep grade. But if you’re good at walking on that kind of stuff you don’t have to worry about it. But yeah. Best forest service cabin i’ve been to. Seriously. It’s the prettiest one for sure. The views are unbelievable. We caught some grayling while out there. As of our stay, the boat is there (read some other reviews that it was unfortunately missing for other peoples stays). Hell yeah!

TL:DR - if you go in April or May, you may get stopped by avalanches and you will 100% need skis, not snowshoes. Definitely go from the crescent lake side, not carter lake.
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Seeing the review about bad snow conditions, we brought snow shoes and went over a week earlier in May than the other reviewer. Same problem but the lake was mostly still frozen. We passed the people who stayed there the night before who suggested we walk on the melting lake (yeah no). The Carter Lake side is basically impassible in May. We made it 5.5 miles (1 mile from the cabin) and the entire side was blocked top to bottom with an avalanche. That was 9 HOURS into our hike so we slept under a tree about mile 5. Burned from the sun reflection day 1; ripping winds and drizzle day 2. Heard the cabin is nice though and the stove is apparently awesome. We will be back one day when there is no snow.

The boat is always missing. Hiking 11 miles to a cabin that is advertised as having a boat and then finding it gone kind of ruins a fishing trip. Reading the guest log, this is an ongoing issue for years now. Won’t be returning.