29 Huts in the Colorado Rockies

10th Mountain manages a system of 29 backcountry huts in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, connected by 350 miles of suggested routes. They provide a unique opportunity for backcountry skiing, mountain biking, or hiking while staying in safe, comfortable shelter. The name honors the men of 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army, who trained during World War II at camp Hale in central Colorado. I snowshoed to one of them, Fowler-Hillard in April, 2004.

While it may seem simple to load up the car and go “climb a 14’er” or spend the night in a hut, it can be deadly. June, July and August are the most popular months with thousands of people on the hills. Some mountains can have over a hundred climbers on a sunny weekend day. And every year people die on these mountains. Thunderstorms with lightning, sudden snow squalls, high winds all can turn a great day into a nightmare; so be careful and always consult the NFS before going up.

There are many great sites out there about Colordao’s 14’ers, many with excellent maps, route information, trip logs and photos. My pages usually have photos and a very short story about the climb. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did climbing the peaks!