The view is amazing as ever. Unfortunately, the experience of skiing to the point from Sycan Butte has grown more and more unpleasant. The first 5 miles of the 10 mile trip have been ruined by a cat or truck. Last year only 3 miles were destroyed by the same vehicle. Once there is a melt thaw, you are skiing in a deep frozen trench. Once at the cabin, the same splitting axe is in the shed…totally destroyed edge from people splitting wood on the rocks. After going yearly, think this winter was my last. Too bad it isn’t managed for users better.

The views from this cabin are AMAZING! It is clean, the beds are comfortable and there is plenty of firewood to stay warm when it snows in May!

Fabulous cabin! Ski in was well-marked. (Driving directions could read: from Silver Lake drive south on East Bay Road, which turns into NF 28. High clearance vehicle required in winter. Park past the Sycan power station; this is as far as the road is plowed.) Snotel read 17 inches, which is minimum required for a ski in. Took us 5 hours in (some trail breaking) and 2.5 hours out (crust cruising). Cabin was wonderful: spacious, light, great woodstove and plentiful wood. Propane cooktop and frig. We skied north and south along the rim; better snow to the north but great views all around. Will return if we can!

Warning - roads and sno park NOT plowed as stated in facility driving directions. Prepare to get stuck in snow, spend two nights in your car and never make it to the cabin! I called the Silver Lake Ranger Station prior to my attempt and was told, falsely, that I could “drive most of the way there.” I checked snotel and discovered there was 10 inches of snow recorded. Fine. I can ski 10 miles in those conditions. But with unplowed roads I’d have to ski 5-8 miles to the sno park to even begin my 10 mile trek in. After this debacle of failing to get to the cabin, I met the snowplow driver on road 28, which he had plowed to the beginning of 2916, stopped and TURNED AROUND. He told me the Forest Service guys “never even come up there” and that his contract is to plow to the Sycan Substation. Which, btw, he did not do that day. A wholly frustrating experience. Could easily have been prevented by USFS providing accurate information in this listing. This is my 7th cabin/lookout rented thru Rec.gov and most listings have incomplete and inaccurate info. So, there ya go.

The cabin had propane lights (might want to bring some mantels), stove, and a refrigerator! There was ample wood and the bed was honestly pretty comfy. Took a 10 mile hike in, and definitely requires snow shoes, but once there it is a beautiful view of Summer Lake and the valley below. Took about 6.5 hours up without our snowshoes post holing, whoops, and about 5.5 hours down.You can cut some time off the hike if you can navigate well, and go cross country instead of following the road, (must be a good navigator!). The forest service office out there is super friendly and extremely helpful, they gave us tons of information for the hike and great spots to check out in the area, definitely would come back again!

We were plenty warm with a fire in the wood stove as we enjoyed the beautiful views from the ridge, cozy even with the wind trying to pry off the roof. Glad to store our leftovers from Cowboy Dinner Tree in the fridge so we had plenty of food to enjoy when we returned from the day's hikes. We brought our own pots and pans though we could have scraped by with what was available. Next time we will bring something to cover up the windows for privacy, though not too many people come up the trail from the lookout point. Thank you to the forest service for giving us access to such a nice cabin.

Weather can be unpredictable. Bring layers.