CO Hut to Hut Trip Planning

**cravenmorhead** · 01-08-2018, 01:37 PM

I am looking at planning a hut-to-hut trip in Colorado sometime next year. Rough outline of the trip is April or so (I figure early April is probably my best chance for coverage, right?). Probably six nights spread across three huts so we can split time between travel between huts and day-trip skiing. Not interested in death marches but our group can cover ground if we need to. I was thinking Fowler -> Jackal -> Vance's or 10th Mountain -> Bud's -> Skinner. Bud's -> Skinner -> Betty Bear is also an option, though it's a long car shuttle. I've done a number of the huts around Leadville, but not much around Aspen; are there other link-ups down there I should be considering? Any other advice on multi-hut itineraries that make them different from single-hut trips, aside from the differing food/weight considerations?

**Shredhead** · 01-09-2018, 09:32 PM

I’d look hard at the Alfred A. Braun huts.
http://www.huts.org/The_Huts/braun_friends.php

It’s were you want to be and no shuttle.

**North** · 01-09-2018, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by Shredhead

I’d look hard at the Alfred A. Braun huts.
http://www.huts.org/The_Huts/braun_friends.php

It’s were you want to be and no shuttle.

x2

**cravenmorhead** · 01-10-2018, 12:33 PM

Those look like good options too, maybe Markley -> Goowin -> Barnard? I expect pushing a Braun trip further into May would mean better odds for safer conditions.

**Danno** · 01-10-2018, 01:42 PM

Agree that the Braun's are a good option. How good are y'all at navigating especially above treeline? Because Fowler-Jackal is pretty easy, and would be good if you're nervous, but a bit boring if you're looking for the cool high alpine experience. Maybe add in Fowler--Janets for more high alpine (ie, do something like Jackal-Fowler-Janets or Janets-Shrine-Fowler)? 10th-Buds-Skinner would be a cool one too.

If you have not checked it out, hutski.com is a great resource for piecing together the hut to hut stuff.

**cravenmorhead** · 01-10-2018, 02:11 PM

I'd put navigation skills at competent but perhaps under-used. Complicated routes are fine, above treeline is fine, low viability above treeline in unfamiliar terrain probably fine but stressful. I'd like to avoid the snowmobile traffic of Shrine, but the suggestion of Jackal/Fowler to Janet's is a good add, thanks.

**timackie** · 01-11-2018, 10:12 AM

Look at "Colorado 10th Mountain Huts and Trails" by Lou Dawson. It is a fantastic guide book with info on skiing around each hut as well as multilpe routes to link huts. I particularly like that he makes mention of bad weather alternative routes in case 6 hours at tree line in a blizzard is not your thing.

Not sure where you live, but Denver Public Library has a few copies that can be reserved online.

Enjoy your trip!

**~mikey b** · 01-11-2018, 10:15 AM

I’ve got this book for sale.

$15 shipped

**Danno** · 01-11-2018, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by timackie

Look at "Colorado 10th Mountain Huts and Trails" by Lou Dawson. It is a fantastic guide book with info on skiing around each hut as well as multilpe routes to link huts. I particularly like that he makes mention of bad weather alternative routes in case 6 hours at tree line in a blizzard is not your thing.

Not sure where you live, but Denver Public Library has a few copies that can be reserved online.

Enjoy your trip!

A lot of that info (maybe all?) is on Lou's site that I mentioned above, hutski.com.

**cravenmorhead** · 01-11-2018, 12:09 PM

Yeah, I have a copy of Lou's book, but I found hutski.com a little easier to navigate. And I was a little surprised that both of them focus on single hut-to-hut routes, rather than pointing out any longer connections in one place. Anyway, I think we have some good options worked up.

**Danno** · 01-11-2018, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by Cravenmorhead

Yeah, I have a copy of Lou's book, but I found hutski.com a little easier to navigate. And I was a little surprised that both of them focus on single hut-to-hut routes, rather than pointing out any longer connections in one place. Anyway, I think we have some good options worked up.

99% of hut users spend their entire trip at one hut. I'd wager that 99% of the remainder do a hut to hut with just 2 huts.

While the system was conceptualized as a "Colorado haute route" with options of hitting multiple huts, people just don't do that. But if you're still looking for ideas, just take a gander at the whole hut system map and start looking up info on the routes.

The system map can be purchased here: http://www.hutstore.org/10th_huts_sy...map-system.htm

Or look at these and do the same: https://gc-irwincolorado.s3.amazonaw...dium_undefined and http://10th-mountain-division.weebly...022668.jpg?433 (note: Belvedere is now Sangree-Froelicher).

I've done gates to Estin and it was ok (Gates isn't special but Estin is great). A 3 hutter could be Gates-Estin-Polar Star.

**Name Redacted** · 01-11-2018, 12:56 PM

We take way too much beer and food to haul to more than one hut. Usually involves snowmobiles. It would be cool if the wilderness nuts eased up a bit and allowed snowmobiles between the huts.

**cravenmorhead** · 01-11-2018, 01:03 PM

Funny, a friend talking about a Haute Route trip for 2020 is what got me thinking about this. I had worked up the following through this discussion and through map reading etc, I think this will be the bid options (with rough point-to-point mileage)

6 Fowler 7.8 Jackal 10.3 Vance's 3

4 Jackal 7.8 Fowler 4.5 Janet's 4.6

4.4 10th Mountain 7.3 Bud's 7 Skinner 10.6

6 Polar Star/Seipel 8.2 Estin 7 Gates 7

(Braun Huts) 2.3 Markley 4 Goodwin Greene 3 Barnard 7

**Name Redacted** · 01-11-2018, 01:07 PM

Look into Tagert>Friends too. Some great terrain in that valley.

**adrenalated** · 01-11-2018, 01:09 PM

If you're looking to avoid sleds, Fowler would not be at the top of my list. It's right in the middle of the main sled skiing zone at Vail Pass.

**Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo** · 01-11-2018, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by Cravenmorhead

Funny, a friend talking about a Haute Route trip for 2020 is what got me thinking about this. I had worked up the following through this discussion and through map reading etc, I think this will be the bid options (with rough point-to-point mileage)

6 Fowler 7.8 Jackal 10.3 Vance's 3

4 Jackal 7.8 Fowler 4.5 Janet's 4.6

4.4 10th Mountain 7.3 Bud's 7 Skinner 10.6

6 Polar Star/Seipel 8.2 Estin 7 Gates 7

(Braun Huts) 2.3 Markley 4 Goodwin Greene 3 Barnard 7

Not sure if you realized this yet but the Braun Huts and Friends Hut are not part of the Lottery. They just have a call-in day, which is the first business day of May every year, that is first-come-first-served. No memberships or early booking, at 8am the online booking and phones open up and it's off to the races. So you could enter the Lottery and see what you get and then still book Braun, or just book both and do two trips!

That Braun Hut-to-Hut is a nice one but as shredgnar mentioned, Tagert/GW - Friends - Opa's and then out or to Markley is a gorgeous trip. More complicated terrain but better ski options, especially if you go later in April or May and plan some layover days. All the real big, fun alpine stuff is coming into condition and can be silly fun. Markley, GG and Barnard all have good ski terrain but not as much big alpine stuff as the other route.

**cravenmorhead** · 01-11-2018, 02:15 PM

Good info, thanks. I'll have to circle up with the rest of the group to see how big everyone wants the terrain/skiing to be. Two trips probably won't be in the cards for the sake of my marriage, but we'll see.

**zion zig zag** · 01-11-2018, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

While the system was conceptualized as a "Colorado haute route" with options of hitting multiple huts, people just don't do that.

Maybe more would if there were meals at the huts?

**cravenmorhead** · 03-05-2018, 10:53 AM

Just got our confirmation for Vance's -> Jackal -> Fowler starting at the end of March. Couple of the crew weren't nuts about planning something so far out that could get scrubbed by high avy conditions, so we figured we would start with mellower traverses. Will report back on how it goes. And if anyone is headed to the same huts overlapping our trip, we'll pay for your bed space if you're interested in hauling some extra food/booze

**alpinevibes** · 03-07-2018, 12:09 AM

Often groups connect a North-South/South-North from Eagle to Aspen over 5-7 days from Polar Star/Seipel to McNamara.

April is a potentially good time for steeper skiing and the Braun's can give you great access. We linked up two big days from Friends last April and skied Star and Castle. I've thought that a Taggert/Green-Wilson to Friends to Opa's to Goodwin-Green or Barnard would be pretty sweet. The problem is cost and/or getting beds as a lot of the Braun's are whole-hut only bookings; $200+ a night.

**cravenmorhead** · 02-12-2024, 03:16 PM

Bumping my old thread - since our Vance's -> Jackal -> Fowler trip, we decided a better itinerary is 6 nights over 2 huts, so have done Lindley -> Green Wilson and Taggert -> Friends. Both very worthwhile.

I'm heading to Goodwin Greene shortly - I've heard stories of hot springs. Anyone know if they're pure myth?

**Shredhead** · 02-12-2024, 03:54 PM

Conundrum Hot Springs.
Same region, but not real close to the hut.
If you skiing back from the Gondi, I wouldn’t bother.
If you’re sledding up Express Creek and parking in Ashcroft, sure.

JJJ would know the most.

**cravenmorhead** · 02-13-2024, 09:12 AM

Yeah, I'm familiar with Conundrum - it sounds like there are veiled claims of something nearby in the Difficult Creek drainage.

**Name Redacted** · 02-13-2024, 10:57 AM

If there was a hot spring at a backcountry hut in CO it seems like it would be a thing everyone and their mother would know about. But hopefully you are right because that sounds awesome.

**Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo** · 02-13-2024, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by cravenmorhead

Yeah, I'm familiar with Conundrum - it sounds like there are veiled claims of something nearby in the Difficult Creek drainage.

Legends abound but hard evidence is tough to come by. I've yet to see them myself but I've heard rumors of some old pump house/mill buildings in the area that might be a starting pointing if you enjoy a good snipe hunt.

edit to add: Redacted has the right idea. As much as I would love to have some secret private hot springs at that hut, that hut has been around way to long for a hot springs to stay secret.