I think that the above-treeline huts are the most important of all for consolidating human waste that is transported out by helicopter to a sewage treatment plant. This service alone was incredibly important during the onslaught multitude of temporary hikers during the first year of the pandemic, a time when the huts were otherwise closed for lodging and meals, which was a huge financial hit for the AMC, as the huts are the cash cow that supports other services like education programs, trail construction, and the MWI.
In reply to TomK’s comment about buying baked goods at the huts, please keep doing that one and all, as all that cash goes directly to the not so highly paid hut croos.