Frog Lake Backcountry Huts

The Frog Lake Backcountry Huts project demonstrates a thoughtful integration of conservation, recreation, and resilient timber design in California’s northern Sierra Nevada. Located near Donner Summit, this nearly 3,000-acre property—including Frog Lake, Red Mountain, and Carpenter Ridge—was opened to the public in 2020 through a landmark acquisition by the Truckee Donner Land Trust, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land. After being privately owned for nearly a century, the site now supports low-impact, year-round access for skiers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts while preserving critical wildlife corridors and alpine ecosystems.

The project includes three new sleeping huts—Ted R’s Hut, Albert M. Rockwood Hut, and the Morgan Family Foundation Hut—as well as the renovation of the historic Eschenbach Backcountry House, originally constructed in the 1930s from local granite. Accessible only through ski-in, ski-out or hiking access, these structures offer off-grid lodging for small groups seeking immersive backcountry experiences, with amenities such as propane stoves and heaters, LED lighting, wood-burning fireplaces, and a full commercial kitchen.

Mass Timber + Modular Efficiency
The newly constructed huts were prefabricated using modular construction methods, with each unit assembled off-site and transported to an elevation of over 7,600 feet. This approach minimized environmental impact in the sensitive, high-alpine terrain. Each module features a hybrid structural system engineered to withstand extreme Sierra Nevada conditions, including snow loads up to 545 pounds per square foot. Mass timber played a central role in the design: the roofs were constructed from cross-laminated timber (CLT), while the walls and floors utilized more conventional, modular-friendly framing techniques.

Key structural components include:
• Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) roof panels, enhancing strength, thermal performance, and material efficiency.
• Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) in primary structural elements for improved load resistance and dimensional stability.
• A combination of light-frame wood construction, I-joists, and dimensional lumber for framing flexibility and speed.
• Wood structural panels used in the floor diaphragms, engineered to resist lateral loads.
• Specialized fasteners and connectors designed for modular transit and long-term durability under snow and seismic loads.

The mass timber materials—locally sourced where possible—align with the project’s emphasis on sustainability, speed of assembly, and carbon-conscious design.

Historic Lodge Renovation
The adjacent Eschenbach Backcountry House was retrofitted to extend its functional life while preserving its rustic charm. Upgrades included reinforcing and modifying the original timber roof trusses to support new lightwells, raising the ceiling, and introducing a yoga/stretching studio. Additional upgrades included the structural reinforcement of existing rock walls through discrete anchorage systems and shear connections. Today, the lodge serves as a warm, communal space for shared meals and social connection, featuring a commercial kitchen, stone fireplace, and panoramic mountain views.

A Model for Sustainable Backcountry Design
Entirely off-grid, the site operates with solar power, propane, and an independent well system. With non-motorized access as a guiding principle, all construction and use reflect the surrounding wilderness's protected status. The Frog Lake Backcountry Huts project exemplifies what happens when design, engineering, conservation, and recreation converge—delivering modern comfort in a pristine alpine setting through a replicable model of resilient, modular mass timber construction.