Hiking Huts

Wilderness hiking in the San Juans with a hut waiting for you at the end of each day.

UPDATE: Unless any new challenges occur, we will be able to provide sleeping bags for the 2022 season!

North Pole Backcountry Hiking Hut

  • General Information

    Layout

    The North Pole Hut accommodates eight people via padded bunk-style beds and Crazy Creek Chairs. The hut includes a propane stove, propane lamp, wood stove, cookware, and utensils.

    Water

    There is a stream and beaver pond nearby and five-gallon jugs at the hut to haul it in. Hut users are responsible for treating water with Iodine, Pump/Filter, or UV Scanner.

    Location

    Located on the edge of a meadow, west of beaver ponds and below the North Face of Hayden Peak (12,987′). Great views of North Pole (12,208′), Hayden (12,987′), and S-9/Dark Horse (13,134′).

    Route Miles Ascent Descent
    Summer Trailhead to North Pole Hut 3.1 970' 260'
    Last Dollar Pass to North Pole Hut 8.6 1,548' 2,271'
    North Pole Hut to Blue Lakes Hut 7.3 1,166' 1,697'

    Dates & Prices

    From June 1 through October 15, we only book the Hiking Huts in the 4 night/5 day Sneffels Traverse. The Sneffels Traverse is $275 per person and includes your shuttle to the start of the hike. 

    During "Off-Season" or the months of May, part of October, and November, we allow custom bookings in the Hiking Huts. During these months, the huts are $30 per person per night and SLEEPING BAGS AREN'T PROVIDED!

    Please call or email the office with any specific questions!

    Access

    This is a 2-4 hours intermediate hike. Park at Box Factory Park (4x4 vehicle recommended) about 12 miles from Ridgway on West Dallas Creek/ CR 9 Hike west on the Dallas Trail for 3.1 miles to the North Pole Hut. This is an Intermediate hike with the north faces of the Sneffels Range directly above, all towering over 13,000 feet.

  • Hiking

    Hayden Basin, 2-5 Hours, Intermediate

    Intermediate hiking into the basin below the north face of Dark Horse/S-9 and Hayden peaks is a great day’s hike.

    Access The Last Dollar Hut, 4-6 Hours, Intermediate/Advanced

    A beautiful 8.2-mile traverse through aspen and spruce with many small streams, parks, and meadows through the Sneffels Wilderness Area.

    Access The Blue Lakes Hut, 3.5-5 Hours, Intermediate

    A spectacular 7.3 mile walk with phenomenal parks, meadows, and aspen groves.

  • Wildlife Viewing

    Many sightings of the resident Big Horn sheep herd are possible in the environs of the connecting ridge lines of the access described by Han Shan (12,311′), Hayden (12,987′), and Dark Horse/S-9 (13,134′) peaks.
  • Mountaineering

    Hayden Peak (12,987′), 5-8 Hours, Advanced

    Ascend the North Ridge of Hayden Peak to the summit of and views of the Island Ranges of Utah including the La Sals, The Abajos, and the Henrys (190 miles line of sight).

    The Hayden Traverse

    Traverse from the summit of Hayden (12,987′) to the summit of Dark Horse/S-9 (13,134′) with descent down “The Ramp” into the headwaters basin of West Dallas Creek underneath the towering north face of Mears Peak (13,496′).


What You Get

  • Comfortable Huts to Stay in
  • Crazy Creek Chairs
  • Wood Stoves
  • Custom Maps
  • Custom GPS Tracks
  • Turn by Turn Directions
  • Backup Support
  • An Adventure of a Lifetime

Accommodations

Our mountain huts hold eight people per night. The wooden huts are equipped with padded bunks, sleeping bags, a propane cook stove, propane light,wood stove, and necessary utensils, and cookware. Each hut is equipped with a composting toilet facility.

San Juan Hut Systems

Adventure Without the Weight

San Jan Huts is based in Ridgway, Colorado. Contact us for planning your next mountain bike trip, ski tour or hiking adventure. Let's talk maps, trails, food, terrain and huts. The San Juan Hut Systems extends from the high mountains around Ouray, Telluride & Durango, descending hundreds of miles toward Moab, Utah. We are passionate about supporting you in all Rocky Mountain outdoor sports & adventures; backcountry skiing, nordic trails, alpine climbing and snowshoeing, backcountry mountain biking trails with vast single track, trail running, backcountry camping & alpine hiking. Durango to Moab and Telluride to Moab are classic mountain bike trails in Colorado & Moab.

The San Juan Huts are located in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison, San Juan, and Manti La Sal National Forests and maintains licenses under Special Use Permits from the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management as well as permit agreements with several private ranch owners.


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