Bascom Lodge kitchen croo
I arrived at the 'hut'. It's a hugh visitors center, with all the trappings, along with a large cafeteria and hiker hostel. It was clearly not the fog-enveloped cabin across a little pond!
The AMC runs most of the Huts in the northeast section of the Trail. While some are modest, most are impressive affairs that can feed and house dozens of folks per night. Thru hikers often can work out a deal to work for their stay. The croo, many college students, student age or retirees, are renowne for their own hiking prowess. Huts that do not have easy road access have to have supplies hoofed up by foot and discards, trash, even recyclables are sherpa'd out. The croo are the sherpas, with 50 pound-plus packs common if not the norm. Sometimes daily. A fringe benefit for thru hikers is that the croo will accept any and all help in disposing of leftovers. Once everyone else is fed, it's all-you-can-eat to help the croo clean up after a meal.
Photo: BadDNA and Sherbear at kitchen duty, cleaning the cookware from the evening feed. The Huts cook huge quantities of food for the tourists, both day visitors and overnighters. We thru-hikers are willing barter labor.