Phoenix Rises, A Component of San Juan Huts

Phoenix Rises provides Veterans, First Responders and their families, including those with mobility challenges, the opportunity to reflect and enjoy shared experiences in the physically challenging environment of the Colorado mountains and Utah’s desert utilizing the San Juan Huts Routes. Phoenix Rises refers to a mythical golden bird associated with renewal and regeneration, rising from the ashes of its previous life. The Phoenix is a symbol of hope, life and of better things to come, born from the knowledge and experience of difficult times and challenging circumstances of the past.

Phoenix Rises was initiated by Joe Ryan, the Founder of the San Juan Huts. Since 2002 San Juan Huts has been providing full complimentary trips to Active Duty Military on the Telluride to Moab or Durango to Moab Mountain Bike Trips as well as the Backcountry Ski Huts. The purpose is to show appreciation as well as to provide an area to train pre-deployment. Over the years, those Active Duty people became Veterans and the partnership between these amazing individuals and San Juan Huts has become Phoenix Rises. Phoenix Rises now provides several complementary backpacking, bike-packing, and backcountry ski hut trips throughout the year for Veterans, First Responders, and their Families to bond with those like themselves and to enjoy camaraderie in the beautiful mountains of SW Colorado and Utah’s deserts.

Upcoming Trips

Sneffels Traverse September 9th-13th, 2026

TRIP DETAILS

  • All trips will be fellow Veterans, First Responders and their family members. Each trip
    can accommodate eight participants.
  • Lodging and food are provided. Participants will carry personal gear, food, and water
    needed for the hiking, riding and skiing.
  • Provided at no cost to Veterans, First Responders, and their family members. Participants
    must pay for their own travel expenses to the event.
  • All trips will begin in Ridgway, Colorado.

Interested in joining one of the Phoenix Rises trips? Email us at joe@sanjuanhuts.com,
info@sanjuanhuts.com, or call Joe at (970) 318-1088.

Joe Ryan

Joe Ryan & Kelly Ryan (father daughter team now running San Juan Huts)
Founder of Phoenix Rises and San Juan Huts

In 1987, Joe created San Juan Huts on the North slope of the Sneffels Range in the Uncompahgre National Forest. This hut system is the manifestation of Joe’s dreams and determination. Spending many hours, days and years establishing routes, Joe intimately knows these routes and is a wealth of knowledge. Since 2002 Joe Ryan has formed a relationship with the US Military Special Operations Community. Providing his knowledge of climbing and skiing within mountainous terrain and allowing the different US Military units to utilize the Hut system (San Juan Huts) established by Joe.

“What I tell Kelly, “It’s not my fault you picked me to be your dad!”

Chris Crum

Chris is a US Army Veteran and a US Army Special Forces Green Beret Veteran. Chris served on Active duty from 1994 to 2004. Chris is also the founder of Crum’s Hot Sauce (now provided in all SJH Huts). Chris has been involved with complimentary trips since his Active Duty Days (beginning in 2002) and as a Veteran Since 2015. Chris has completed a number of week long winter ski trips through the Hut Rout as well as several week long Sneffels Travers Hiking Trips. Chris now lives in Divide, Colorado after spending 13 years in the DC Area.

Paul Mundt

Paul is a Veteran of the US Department of Defense and US Special Operations Delta Force community with 39 years of service. Paul currently lives in the beautiful mountains of South East Tennessee. Paul has been involved with and partaken in a number of week long Phoenix Rises / San Juan Huts ski trips starting in 2015 as well as several of the Sneffels Traverse / Phoenix Rises hiking trips. Paul has also worked cutting firewood and clearing trails with San Juan Huts!

Ronald Young

Ronald is a United States Marine Corps Veteran, avid mountain biker, bike-packer, and thru-hiker. After his Active Duty service within the USMC, Ronald spent several years with the US Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service. Ron has ridden the week long Telluride to Moab Mountain Bike Route a few times and The Tour of Canyons ride, as well as hiked the Sneffels Traverse week long trips a number of times. Ron has also worked with San Juan Huts during the Summer Season on a couple of occasions as well as cutting firewood for winter hut use and clearing endless trails between huts.

Michael Marinkovich

Michael is a US Army Ranger Veteran and originally from Western Pennsylvania. After Mike’s time in the US Army, he attended Edinboro University in Pennsylvania and earned a teaching degree in Social Studies. Mike has been very involved in many community groups going through and utilizing San Juan Huts in summer as well as winter.