10th (Tenth) Mountain Division Huts and Summit Huts Online Guidebook
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Hunter Creek Trailheads - Aspen

Hunter Creek Trailhead on Red Mountain
ELEVATION: 8,380 feet
Hutski.com map: Aspen
GPS: 13 343 858 E, 43 40 622 N
Huts accessed: Margy's, McNamara, Benedict
USGS 7.5 min map: Aspen
10TH MTN OFFICIAL MAP: Smuggler Mountain

Start in the town of Aspen. Drive Main Street (HWY 82) in Aspen to Mill Street (stoplight intersection near the center of town, next to the Hotel Jerome). Turn N on Mill and drive a short distance down a hill, then across a bridge over the Roaring Fork River (.25 miles).

Bear left after the bridge and follow the Red Mountain Road 1.2 miles to its second switchback. Just before the switchback, turn right and downhill on the Hunter Creek Road. Drive approximately .5 miles on Hunter Creek Road, then take a hard left on an unpaved driveway that leads up past a water tank 300 feet to a parking area. The actual trailhead is a few hundred yards farther along Hunter Creek Road, but this is the only parking.

You have several choices for foot travel to the actual trailhead. The simplest method is to walk back down the driveway to the Hunter Creek Road, turn left through two stone gate posts marked "Private," and follow the paved Hunter Creek Road 1/3 mile around a hairpin switchback to the well-signed Hunter Creek Trailhead on the right side of the road, just past the hairpin. Your other choice for foot travel is to follow a foot trail that traverses up the mountain from the parking area to the trailhead, finding this is more complex and is not recommended, especially with snowcover or icy mud that may make foot travel difficult.

Upper Hunter Creek Trailhead  in Hunter Creek Valley
Elevation: 8,400 feet
Hutski.com map: Aspen
GPS: 13 344 776 E, 43 41 244 N
Huts accessed: Margy's, McNamara, Benedict
USGS 7.5 min. MAP: Aspen
10TH Mountain Huts map: Smuggler Mountain

Parking here is limited to several vehicals and is usually full, as of 2007 signs indicate the parking is for senior citizens and hut users only.

As described above, drive N on Mill Street from Aspen and take the road up up Red Mountain. Instead of turning onto the driveway to the parking area, continue NE on the Hunter Creek Road through a pair of short stone pillars. Drive the road .7 mile to a 3-way intersection. Take a hard tight turn, and continue E .10 mile through two sharp switchbacks. Continue up the road following signs and avoiding private property, to eventually reach the well signed parking area in the Hunter Creek valley.

Be prepared to drop your gear here and return your car to the Hunter Creek Parking area. There are a total of four parking spaces. Two are designated parking spots for 10th Mountain Hut users. One is for senior citizens and the last is for handicap parking. If you do use one of the two 10th Mountain spots for overnight parking, you must leave a copy of your confirmation sheet on the dashboard of your car showing your hut use dates, otherwise your car will be towed. Four-wheel drive is recommended for winter access to this trailhead.
 
 
 
 
This book goes great with our maps, highly recommended for any hut skier.
 
   
   
 
 
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Please note: The information in this website is based on the experience and research of the site owners and their sources, may not be accurate, and might not be perceived as accurate by other persons. Therefore, extreme care should be taken when following any of the backcountry skiing 10th Mountain Huts, Summit Huts and Braun Huts routes described in this website. This website is not intended to be instructional but rather is a guide for backcountry users who already have the requisite training, experience, and knowledge for the activities they choose. An advanced level of expertise and physical conditioning is necessary for even the "easiest" of the routes and activities described herein. Proper clothing and equipment is essential. Failure to have the necessary knowledge, equipment, and conditioning will subject you to physical danger, injury, or death. Some backcountry skiing routes for 10th Mountain Huts, Summit Huts and Braun Huts have changed and others will change; avalanche hazards may have expanded or new hazards may have formed since this website's publication.

Mission statement: The mission of HutSki.com is to provide backcountry skiers and other Colorado hut users with a complete set of high quality free topo maps, plentiful how-to information, and brief route descriptions that include alternate routes as well as standard trails.