A European-Style Hut-to-Hut Hike Near Leadville, Colorado

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European mountain huts like those in the Alps or Dolomites shelter long-distance hikers amidst some of the most scenic vistas in the world. Perhaps most importantly, they also provide the opportunity to save backpack weight. Rather than carry a heavy tent and cooking supplies, hikers who stay at huts can sleep in actual beds and expect to find extra amenities that campers go without.

Mountain huts may be rustic – they are usually off-grid, after all – and involve dorm bunks and timed showers, if any showers. This is all part of the experience and the charm, as it’s quite a privilege to have any sort of creature comforts in alpine wilderness environments. There may not be another place to hang your trekking poles for miles around. 

In America, the thru-hiker mentality rarely allows for comfort. There are a handful of huts throughout the States, including the Appalachian Mountain Club huts in New Hampshire, LeConte Lodge in the Smoky Mountains, Phantom Ranch at the Grand Canyon, and the Chugach and Tongass cabins in Alaska, but the idea is hardly widespread, and in most cases we’re simply talking about one accommodation for an overnight rather than a system of huts for a longer hut-to-hut thru-hike. 

In Colorado, the 10th Mountain Division Huts are famous for providing such a system for skiers in the wintertime, but did you know 25 of them can also be rented in the summer? 

What are the 10th Mountain Division Huts?

The 10th Mountain Division Hut Association is a non-profit formed to honor the legacy of the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army, a special unit trained for warfare in mountainous conditions.

At the onset of WWII, it became clear that soldiers needed to be prepared to fight in treacherous winter terrain in Europe. The National Ski Patrol advocated for the formation of the unit, recruited outdoorsmen who were already skilled in backcountry skiing, and trained those impressive recruits mainly at Camp Hale in Leadville, Colorado.

“Several of the Hut Association’s founding members were veterans of the United States Army’s 10th Mountain Division. The Division was stationed at Camp Hale, located in a narrow, almost-hidden valley between Vail and Leadville, from 1942 to 1945. Soldiers were trained in mountain climbing, alpine and Nordic skiing, cold-weather survival as well as use of weapons and ordnance. When it was in full operation, 15,000 soldiers and 4,000 mules were housed in the camp. Six of the 10th Mountain huts were built by donations from family and friends to honor the 10th Mountain Division members who died in World War II.”

10 Mountain Division Hut Association

The Hut Association is proud that “hut visitors share the special spirit of these individuals, especially their pursuit of excellence, self reliance, and love of the outdoors.”

The main idea behind the huts is to provide communal shelter for recreational backcountry adventurers embarking on multi-day excursions. In the winter, 40 of the huts are open for skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers, who can glide from hut to hut or choose one as a base for day trips. Most of the huts have wood-burning stoves for warmth, with firewood, fire starter paper, and matches provided. There are also axes onsite so guests can chop their own firewood. Snow can be melted for water. There are not any employees onsite to check guests in or help with maintenance. When you book, you’re given a code to open the lock on the door.

You don’t have to be an extreme mountaineer to enjoy the huts. Some of them are not a very far snowshoe from an accessible parking area. The idea of boiling water to make hot cocoa next to the wood-burning stove after a long day of frolicking in the snow sounds so cozy and idyllic!

Can you visit the 10th Mountain Huts in summer?

Yes! 75% of people visit the huts in winter, but since 25 of the 40 huts are open in summertime, why not puzzle together a hut-to-hut hiking trip instead of a hut-to-hut ski trip?

One drawback of visiting in the summer is that once the snow has melted, trails no longer connect as many of the huts to each other. You’ll need to look at a good map to understand which of the huts can be linked together on foot. I mainly used my GAIA navigation app to discern which trails to take.

Thankfully, the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail make it easy to connect Uncle Bud’s Hut with the 10th Mountain Division Hut, Continental Divide Cabin, Point Breeze Cabin, and Janet’s Cabin.

You can even drive and park within about 1/4 mile of some of the huts. If you’re up for choosing just one cabin as a base and doing day hikes out from there, that opens up more options. For instance, there are hiking trails that leave directly from the doorstep of Margy’s Hut, Betty Bear Hut, Peter Estin Hut, Francie’s Cabin, and Uncle Bud’s Hut.

What amenities do the huts have in the summer?

Every cabin has slightly different amenities, so be sure to read up about your chosen huts. 

Most of the huts can sleep about 16 people in shared bunkrooms. Mattresses and pillows are provided, but you’ll need to bring your own pillowcase and sleeping bag. At Uncle Bud’s Hut, there was one large central bunkroom with many beds and two smaller bunkrooms with just a few beds each. Whichever room and bed you snag will be first-come first-serve; you will choose upon arrival.

In the summer, at some of the huts you’ll be able to use hand pumps that dispense water in the kitchen since the pipes are no longer frozen. At other huts, you can collect water from a nearby stream. Either way, the water will need to be boiled or filtered before drinking. Bring your own filter! Only Shrine Mountain Inn (Jay’s, Chuck’s, and Walter’s Cabins) and the High Lonesome Hut have potable hot and cold running water that you can drink straight from the tap.

The kitchens are extremely well-equipped! When I stayed at Uncle Bud’s Hut, there was a wood-burning stove, a propane cooktop, two big sinks, a hand pump that pulls water up from a cistern, and more pots, pans, paper towels, matches, dishes, cups, and utensils than 16 people could ever need. It even had coffee filters. 

The electricity comes from solar panels, so it’s a good idea not to leave lights on or keep the breaker turned on when unnecessary. Most of the huts do not have wall outlets for charging electronic devices, so you will still want to bring a portable charger for your phone.

Most huts have games, cards, and books for entertainment, plus spectacular views of the surrounding landscape to admire. They are generally located at about 11,500 feet, just around treeline so you can see mountain peaks over the forests. 

At Uncle Bud’s, outside there is a porch facing Mount Elbert and Mount Massive in one direction, and Galena Mountain in the other. An outdoor fire pit surrounded by wooden benches looks like the perfect place for s’mores. Be sure to research ahead of time whether there are fire restrictions in place due to an increased risk of wildfire.

Huts either have an outhouse or an indoor bathroom, with toilet paper provided.

There are no garbage cans and you will need to pack out all of your trash when leaving a hut. If you didn’t plan ahead and bring ziplock bags or some other means of packing out trash, the hut provides trash bags for you. 

If you’re confused about how to work any of the appliances or lights, there are informational signs posted around the cabin to help you out. There are also some instructions about how to properly “check out” of the cabin when you leave, mainly saying to clean up and lock the doors.

My experience has been that the huts are extremely pristine and clean! You expect everyone who chooses to stay at the huts to have a lot of respect for nature and history, so it would honestly be embarrassing to leave it worse than you found it.

Booking a Colorado summer hut-to-hut trek

A lot of the privately owned cabins are going to be the most expensive because you have to book out the entire property. 

Tent camping outside the huts, or “overflow camping,” is not allowed.

It was difficult for me to get the huts I wanted back-to-back in the right order because they seemed to be totally sold out most days, so I was surprised that when I arrived at Uncle Bud’s Hut, I ended up having the entire place to myself! I’m not sure if it was because I chose an unpopular Sunday night, or maybe the huts only appear unavailable so often because of blackout days?

In the summer it’s not as necessary, but in the busy winter season, it pays to be a 10th Mountain member because you’ll have early access to the lottery to book coveted reservations.

If you aren’t a fan of self-guided trips, there are tour operators who offer guided backpacking excursions to the 10th Mountain huts, including Aspen Expeditions and Paragon Guides.

Recommended hut-to-hut route in Colorado for a long weekend

My suggested route is similar to Segment 9 of the Colorado Trail, but it adds extra mileage to reach the huts and includes side detours to multiple alpine lakes.

Day 1: Timberline Trailhead to Uncle Bud’s Hut

Mileage: 4.5 miles without detours, or 7 miles with visits to St. Kevin’s Lake and Bear Lake
Trailhead: Timberline Trailhead, no parking fee, no bathrooms
AllTrails 1 / AllTrails 2 / My GPX / 10th Mountain GPX (be sure to download the summer route)

If you just have three days, start at Timberline Trailhead and hike 7 miles on the Continental Divide Trail/Colorado Trail to Uncle Bud’s Hut. It’s only about 4.5 miles if you hike straight there, but I added in out-and-back detours to Bear Lake and St. Kevin’s Lake, bringing my total to 7 miles. 

St. Kevin’s Lake is one of the most spectacular alpine lakes in the region and is absolutely worth the extra effort. It becomes steep at the end, but nothing scary. It reminds me of Blue Lake in the North Cascades, and a friend said my pictures remind her of Glacier Lake in the Beartooth Mountains. If you prefer to stay multiple nights at Uncle Bud’s, you could hit St. Kevin’s Lake as a day hike on your layover day.

While camping overnight at Timberline Trailhead is prohibited, I called the Leadville District Ranger Station to ask if it’s ok to leave your car there overnight if you have a permit for wilderness camping or a reservation to stay at Uncle Bud’s. They said yes, this is allowed. However, I only asked about a short trip; if you’re thinking about parking there for an extended period, you might want to clarify with them about your timeframe.

If you need a shuttle back to the starting trailhead after you’re done hiking, maybe the Colorado Trail shuttlers would be willing to help you out.

You can actually drive and park at Uncle Bud’s Cabin or at the Bear Lake Trailhead, but it’s a very difficult 4WD road. Most day hikers going to Bear Lake or St. Kevin’s Lake would still prefer to park at Timberline Trailhead even though parking at Bear Lake Trailhead would create a shorter hike.

Day 2: Uncle Bud’s Hut to 10th Mountain Division Hut

Mileage: 10 miles
My GPX / 10th Mountain GPX (be sure to download the summer route)

The next day, continue on the CDT and CT from Uncle Bud’s Hut to the 10th Mountain Division Hut. The first half of this day has sweeping mountain views, including one place where the forest drops away and you’ll hike across an open hillside meadow with mountains all around. You’ll descend way down under forest cover for the second half of the day.

People rarely do this part of the trek as a day hike since trying to park at either end is complicated, so you may only run into CDT or CT thru-hikers. I also ran into a horse trekking group. 

It’s 7 miles from Uncle Bud’s to the Colorado Trail’s intersection with Wurts Ditch Road. If you only have two days, you could end your trek here if you can get someone to pick you up at the small parking area at the road, or if you and a hiking buddy left one car here and one car back at Timberline Trailhead.

From the Wurts Ditch Road intersection you’ll walk on Slide Lake Road for about 3 miles to reach the 10th Mountain Division Hut. Slide Lake is considered an “extreme 4WD” road, so walking it is preferred to driving even for groups treating the hut as a basecamp.

Once you get settled in at the 10th Mountain Division Hut, you can do a short day hike to Slide Lake. 

Day 3: 10th Mountain Division Hut to Tennessee Pass Trailhead (+ options to extend)

Mileage: 6 miles
Trailhead: Tennessee Pass Trailhead, no parking fee, bathrooms available
AllTrails / 10th Mountain GPX (be sure to download the summer route)

On your final day of the trek, retrace your steps back along Slide Lake Road to rejoin the CDT and CT, which will bring you east to your finishing point at Tennessee Pass Trailhead. There is a memorial monument for the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division at the trailhead, where a Memorial Day celebration is held every year.

You’ll pass Continental Divide Cabin and Point Breeze Cabin just before reaching the trailhead, so if you plan on extending your trip by a few days, one of these could be your stopping point for the night. The problem, though, is that these privately-owned cabins can only be booked by one party per night, and you must book out all 8 spaces. It will be much more expensive than simply reserving one bed at the communal Uncle Bud’s or 10th Mountain huts. 

The next affordable hut along the trail is Janet’s Cabin near Copper Mountain. To reach Janet’s Cabin, you would continue hiking the CDT on through Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument.

If you’re done hiking and will depart the trail from Tennessee Pass, consider driving about 8 minutes on US-24 to reach Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument. Interpretive signs at the site of their training camp will invite you to pay homage to this adventurous unit one last time.

Another idea to finish out your trip with a bang is to hike in to the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse and Sleep Yurts! I have only done this as an evening snowshoe trip in the winter, but in the summer they are open for dinner on Wednesdays-Sundays, plus brunch on Sundays.

What to expect from the terrain

This section of the CDT/CT involves a few creek crossings, but when I did it in early July, they were not nearly high or wide enough to get me wet. There were enough well-spaced rocks to hop across and it’s hard to imagine the crossings being problematic in any season.

Especially on the second day, the trail is very rocky and rooty. In early July, one very brief stretch still had lingering snow, but it was crunchy and easy to cross without microspikes. The second day also had some muddy places.

Be prepared for mosquitos! You may not need to go as far as bringing a head net, but you’ll be grateful for bug spray.

The highest elevation on this trip is 11,830 feet at St. Kevin’s Lake, according to my tracker. Other sources call it 11,915 feet. The lowest elevation is about 10,076 feet at Timberline Trailhead. If you’re not acclimated, breathing at this altitude can be extremely laborious and your pace may be slower than usual. It’s a good idea to arrive in Leadville at least a few days before attempting this hike so your body can get used to the thin air. Drink tons of water during your hike, more than you think you need, and maybe pack some electrolyte tablets. 

The trail is in great condition and there are waymarking signs for the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail everywhere. As long as you keep following those, you’re on the right path. 

There may be unexploded munitions in these mountains that were left behind by the training camp. Don’t touch anything that looks manmade and out of place! 

This is black bear country. Bring bear spray and pack your food Leave No Trace style. 

Colorado has afternoon thunderstorms that can sometimes roll in without much warning. Pack a rain jacket regardless of the forecast, and try to do most of your hiking in the morning so you can get back down below treeline before lightning and thunderstorms arrive.

Colorado is truly the perfect stateside location for Tour du Mont Blanc-style refuges and huts, and in fact there are more throughout the state and not just in the Holy Cross Wilderness and San Isabel National Forest near Leadville. The Sneffels Traverse from Telluride to Ouray is a particularly interesting multi-day trek that uses a series of San Juan mountain huts.

Do you think hut-to-hut trekking in America will start to take off more in the future, or is our penchant for roughing it in the Wild West simply too great?

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