There's more.
Before the Badger Pass Ski Area was built, they were looking to build a ski area on the south-facing slopes of Mt. Hoffmann, so the Snow Creek Cabin was constructed as a scouting shelter. Since that ski area prospect was abandoned, the Snow Creek Cabin fell abandoned as well, and that was around 1930. A black bear had found a collapsing wall and had made that cabin its den, so I guess some cleanup had to happen afterward. In the 1960's, a seasonal ranger was working in Yosemite Valley, and he started a commune with this rustic cabin as their home. You know, two guys, three gals, and four dogs. NPS management found out about that, so they had the commune chased out and had the door padlocked. At the last time that I stayed there in winter, a Yosemite park master key would open it. The commune's kitchen was intact, including the cooking spices. There was a huge one cubic foot tin of cayenne, a large tin of cinnamon, and then smaller tins. So, backpackers, next time you need to spice up your freeze dried meals, you will know where to head, at least if you can pick the lock. NPS uses it as a rescue cache now.
–B.G.–
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