Colorado Dreaming: 10th Mountain Division Huts & the Tennessee Pass Yurts

The 10th Mountain Division Hut Association system offers outstanding winter and summer recreation opportunities throughout the Colorado Rockies. Here are 3 of my summertime fastpacking trips to huts in the system. Plus images from my trip to one of the Tennessee Pass Yurts, part of Ski Cooper's Nordic system, outside of Leadville, Colorado.


 

Broome Hut is near the Mary Jane/Winter Park ski areas in Grand County, Colorado. Only one mile in from the highway, this well-equipped and modern hut is easy to access. I explored the trails heading towards the ski areas and I also ran back out to my car to drive to the trailhead for the Continental Divide Trail/Colorado Trail at Berthoud Pass.

Broome Hut photos

Broome Hut

Berthoud Pass/CDT photos

Berthoud Pass - Colorado Trail

Margy's Hut is a 10th Mountain Division hut located near Aspen, Colorado, at 11,300 feet. I ran there via the Johnson Creek trail (past the ghost town of Lenado) on July 3, 2011, and stayed overnight at the hut before returning on July 4, 2011. A beautiful and peaceful wilderness experience!

 
Janet's Cabin is one of the highest elevation huts in the 10th Mountain Division hut system at 11,610 feet. I have run to this cabin twice, accessing it from the Copper Mountain ski area and then exploring along the Colorado Trail to Camp Hale. A truly gorgeous and special place! Note: mountain bikers are allowed on this section of the Colorado Trail.

  Colorado Trail
The Tennessee Pass yurt system is accessed from the Nordic trails of Ski Cooper, outside of Leadville, Colorado. There is also the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse, a yurt operated as a restaurant, rather than as a sleeping shelter. The food is fantastic and the cookhouse is accessible by skiing/snowshoeing in winter or hiking in summer. From the sleep yurts you can access a larger trail network.

Tennessee Pass Cookhouse

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