Peter Estin Hut

Route Description

From the Yeoman Park Trailhead at the campground ski (or walk depending on snow cover) N back across the bridge over East Brush Creek, then turn right (E) onto the East Brush Creek Road. The first part of this route uses the snow-covered East Brush Creek (Eagle) Road for 1 1/2 miles to road’s end at Fulford Cave Campground. As you ski up the road, you’ll pass two left turns onto other 10th Mountain suggested trails: the Fulford Road at just under 1/2 mile and the Newcomer Spring Trail after another 3/4 mile at 9,280 feet. Be sure not to turn onto these trails.

At Fulford Cave Campground swing around the east end of a small lake, then angle back W for a few hundred feet to a distinct trail-cut that heads through private property. Stay on the trail as it leads past several buildings and begins to climb—and climb. The switchbacks start at 9,560 feet, and they keep you breathing hard to the Ironedge Saddle at 10,820 feet. Take care at Ironedge Saddle to identify the marked 10th Mountain suggested route that leads SE then S up through timber to the Peter Estin Hut. If you get confused here you could easily end up skiing on the Hat Creek Road up to Hat Creek Saddle. If this happens, just ski E to the hut from Hat Creek Saddle. To prevent confusion, use your compass at Ironedge Saddle.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: Avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route at locations indicated below. Elevations indicate approximate elevation where the slides crossed the trail, not the starting zones.

•  Approx. 1/2 mile beyond the Fulford Cave Campground, just beyond the creek crossing, two slopes on skier’s left (9,520′). D2.
• Approx. 3/4 mile beyond the Fulford Cave Campground, large slope on skier’s right (9,600′). D3.

Avalanche size/destructive force is scaled according to the American Avalanche Association as follows:

• D1 – Relatively harmless to people
• D2 – Could bury or injure a person
• D3 – Could bury a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few trees
• D4 – Could destroy a railroad car, large truck, several buildings, or a substantial amount of forest
• D5 – Could gouge the landscape, largest snow avalanches known

Trailhead Directions

Parking

The Yeoman Park Trailhead parking area has designated spots for hut customers – please PARK SENSIBLY in the designated spots.

Route Description

Begin at Yeoman Park Trailhead. Start with narrow and short skins or cross country kick wax (or wall-to-wall skins if you don’t have either, but you’ll be working a lot harder). Carefully identify the start of the Hat Creek Road. It begins just west of the actual campground and follows a distinct road-cut up a SE-climbing traverse. Follow the road to the first switchback and continue climbing NW through several more switchbacks. Stay on the road; at 9,400 feet you’ll swing S into the Hat Creek drainage.

Once in Hat Creek, the route continues to be obvious and well marked. Basically you stay on the main snow-covered logging road as it parallels Hat Creek. The only deviation from the creek takes switchbacks starting at 9,800 feet elevation. At a 10,820-foot saddle (Ironedge Saddle) at the head of the Hat Creek drainage, the logging road makes a turn to the south. Leave the road here, ski several hundred feet farther E, and intersect the continuation of the Ironedge Trail that 10th Mountain has marked. Climb this trail 3/4 mile SE up through timber to the Peter Estin Hut. This section of trail is less obvious than the logging roads, so pay attention.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.

Trailhead Directions

Parking

The Yeoman Park Trailhead parking area has designated spots for hut customers – please PARK SENSIBLY in the designated spots.

Route Description

Begin at the Sylvan Lake Trailhead. From the parking, ski up the distinct snow-covered West Brush Creek road-cut (also called the Eagle Road) around the north and east sides of the lake, then up into the Brush Creek valley for 4 3/4 miles to Crooked Creek Pass.

Leave the West Brush Creek (Eagle) Road at the summit of the pass and turn NW (on the west side of an obvious fence) up a road-cut that climbs just over 1/4 mile to a switchback, then SE to another switchback, then around the west shoulder of point 11,087. The road, still an obvious cut, follows a long traverse on the north side of point 11,087, then drops 260 vertical feet to a saddle near the head of Spine Creek (10,700 feet). Stay on the road from the saddle for another 1/8 mile NE to a switchback. Leave the road here and climb E 1/4 mile and 90 vertical feet to the top of the ridge separating Spine Creek from Little Lime Creek. Here your route converges with the Lime Ridge Trail (see Lime Ridge route below and on Harry Gates Hut page) and continues N up a well-marked route through aspen and conifer, then through a sparsely timbered logging area.

The Peter Estin Hut is slightly hidden from the trail; you can ski past it if you are not paying attention. To prevent this mistake, as you ski through the forest use your altimeter and map to identify the three-trail confluence that you hit at a broad saddle (Hat Creek Saddle) just west of the hut. Swing E at the saddle, and when you break through a grove of pines the hut will be in front of you. Sniffing for wood smoke can help too, but your compass is more reliable than your nose. A GPS can help as well.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.

Trailhead Directions

Route Description

HUT TO HUT distances are usually longer than from trailhead to hut. Use winter specific topographic maps. Routes between huts are not often used so may not be tracked; navigation and breaking trail may be particularly challenging.

This is the most efficient route between the Peter Estin Hut and Harry Gates Hut. It has some fast downhill sections if you’re traveling from Estin, so be sure you can push a strong “survival” snowplow. The first half of the route descends the ridge separating Little Lime Creek from Middle Creek. Keep this in mind while navigating. While still at the hut enjoy a cup of tea while you do a map check, set your altimeter, and add a few critical waypoints to your GPS. Keep your climbing skins in your pack. From the front steps of the Peter Estin Hut ski W about 600 feet to Hat Creek Saddle. From Hat Creek Saddle travel S down through a sparsely timbered logging area, past the right turn into Spine Creek, and into the trees on the east side of the ridge (10,845 feet). Continue down the ridge and around one switchback to a flat area at 10,200 feet.
From the flat area continue S 1/4 mile down the ridge, through the dense evergreens of Sherwood Forest, and to the meadows at 10,150 feet. Ski the marked trail as it uses intermittent clearings to descend the ridge crest down to the end of the ridge. Here, instead of dropping off the steep end of the ridge, the trail switchbacks left (N) and takes a descending traverse 1/4 mile to cross Little Lime Creek at 9,700 feet. Ski 1/2 mile down the east side of Little Lime Creek, cross the east fork of Little Lime Creek, then begin a gradual climb S then W for 1 mile to an indistinct jeep trail on top of the ridge. Descend this jeep trail 3/4 mile SW along the ridge crest, then drop S into Lime Park and continue S across Lime Park to the bridge crossing Lime Creek at 9,190 feet. The route across Lime Park follows dirt roads. These are usually obscured by the snow cover, but the junctions are well signed and several fence breaks show where the road goes.
Lime Park can be a sublime place for ski touring, Avalanche Peak looms to the east, and the sculpted snowscape of the park lends a special mood. But the place is so vast that navigating in poor visibility can be a nightmare. The danger is that you’ll miss the crossing of Lime Creek and descend into Lime Creek Canyon, a narrow trap where you could die. You must find the bridge crossing Lime Creek at 9,190 feet, and the only way to do that in a whiteout is with compass and altimeter, best combined with a GPS (and perhaps the occasional blue diamond if fortune favors you). From the bridge over Lime Creek follow the snow-covered Burnt Mountain Road as it climbs E than S up to a band of timber, then breaks out into another open area at Slim Jim Gulch. Stay on the road and continue S 3/4 mile to 9,566 feet on the Burnt Mountain Road. Leave the road here. Take a left (E) turn and climb a hill 1/4 mile NE to the Harry Gates Hut. You can’t see the hut when you turn from the road—it comes into sight when you’re about halfway up the hill. This climb is too short to warrant skins, but you may have to use a few herringbone steps.
Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.

Transportation

Route Description

HUT TO HUT distances are usually longer than from trailhead to hut. Use winter specific topographic maps. Routes between huts are not often used so may not be tracked; navigation and breaking trail may be particularly challenging.

There are several connecting routes between the Peter Estin Hut and the Polar Star Inn/Seipel Hut.  You can descend to the East Brush Creek drainage via the Ironedge Trail or Hat Creek Road. The Ironedge Trail is technical and shorter, and the Hat Creek Road is not technical and longer.  You can climb  from the East Brush Creek drainage to the Polar Star Inn/Seipel Hut via Newcomer Spring Trail or the Fulford Road. Those who descend via Ironedge often choose to climb via Newcomer Spring, and those who descend via Hat Creek often choose Fulford Road.

To descend the Ironedge Trail, ski 50 feet W from the Peter Estin Hut, then take care to turn N onto the 10th Mountain suggested route down through timber to the Ironedge Saddle. From the Ironedge Saddle ski the fall line for a short distance to a dropping traverse to the left. This traverse leads to the famous Ironedge switchbacks. Ski down the switchbacks to Fulford Cave Campground and descend about 1/2 mile on the very gradual road to the intersection (9,280′) with the 10th Mountain marked Newcomer Spring Trail, turn right, and and follow it as it climbs a few hundred feet east (paralleling the road below), then switchbacks left (northwest).

Stay on the trail as it makes a climbing traverse to 9,520 feet, switchbacks right, and climbs to 10,000 feet. The trail eases off here, gradually climbs north, makes a long contour around a shoulder, then drops a short distance to Nolan Creek at 10,180 feet. Cross Nolan Creek, then follow the trail north as it winds 3/4 mile to Upper Town (10,060 feet), where you take a right (north) turn onto the 10th Mountain marked route. This next section does not follow a snow-covered road, so it requires more attention. Climb 1 mile up five switchbacks to the New York Mountain jeep trail (10,520 feet). Take a right on the snow-covered jeep trail and follow it as it climbs 1/2 mile to 10,830 feet. Leave the jeep trail here and continue northeast on a 10th Mountain marked trail 1/2 mile to the Polar Star Inn.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: Avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route at locations indicated below. Elevations indicate approximate elevation where the slides crossed the trail, not the starting zones.

•  Approx. 1/2 mile before the Fulford Cave Campground, just before the creek crossing, two slopes on skier’s right (9,520′). D2.
• Approx. 3/4 mile before the Fulford Cave Campground, large slope on skier’s left (9,600′). D3.

Avalanche size/destructive force is scaled according to the American Avalanche Association as follows:

• D1 – Relatively harmless to people
• D2 – Could bury or injure a person
• D3 – Could bury a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few trees
• D4 – Could destroy a railroad car, large truck, several buildings, or a substantial amount of forest
• D5 – Could gouge the landscape, largest snow avalanches known

Lodging

Transportation

Route Description

HUT TO HUT distances are usually longer than from trailhead to hut. Use winter specific topographic maps. Routes between huts are not often used so may not be tracked; navigation and breaking trail may be particularly challenging.

There are several connecting routes between the Peter Estin Hut and the Polar Star Inn/Seipel Hut.  You can descend to the East Brush Creek drainage via the Ironedge Trail or Hat Creek Road. The Ironedge Trail is technical and shorter, and the Hat Creek Road is not technical and longer.  You can climb  from the East Brush Creek drainage to the Polar Star Inn/Seipel Hut via Newcomer Spring Trail or the Fulford Road. Those who descend via Ironedge often choose to climb via Newcomer Spring, and those who descend via Hat Creek often choose Fulford Road.

To descend on Hat Creek, ski fifty feet W of the hut, then N downhill through timber to the 10,820-foot saddle (Ironedge Saddle). Though this route is marked by 10th Mountain, the pull of cutting turns could lead you past the saddle and down the Ironedge Trail. This will be fine for good skiers, since “all roads lead to Rome.” Intermediate skiers, however, should make an effort to stay in Hat Creek since the icy toboggan run downhills of the Ironedge require legs of iron and an edge of courage. Proceed west to the distinct snow-covered Hat Creek Road and follow it gradually downhill 7 miles to Yeoman Park.

From the parking area at Yeoman Park Trailhead follow East Brush Creek Road up the east side of the creek. Follow the obvious road-cut up the valley for just under 1/2 mile and make a hard left turn onto the well-signed Fulford Road, toward Fulford (not toward Fulford Cave). Follow the Fulford Road as it climbs northwest then north around a shoulder, then winds up through superb forest via several switchbacks to McGinley Gulch. Stay on the road from McGinley Gulch as it climbs northwest 1/4 mile, then turns north around another shoulder, then drops 3/4 mile and about 100 vertical feet to cross Nolan Creek (10,060 feet) just east of the small group of buildings known as Fulford.

Just after you cross Nolan Creek and the downhill road into the town of Fulford, turn right on another snow-covered road and ski 1/8 mile to a left (north) turn onto a marked 10th Mountain route. If you had your nose to the grindstone on the roads to this point, look up. This section does not follow a snow-covered road, so it requires more attention. Climb 1 mile up 5 switchbacks to the New York Mountain jeep trail (10,520 feet). Take a right on the snow-covered jeep trail and follow it as it climbs 1/2 mile to 10,830 feet. Leave the jeep trail here and continue northeast on a 10th Mountain marked route 1/2 mile to the Polar Star Inn.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.

Lodging

Transportation

Trailhead Directions

Parking

If no parking is available at the Fulford Cave Trailhead location, backtrack to the Yeoman Park Trailhead parking area which has designated spots for hut customers.

Lodging

Transportation

Route Description

Summer Driving Directions: 4-Wheel Drive/High Clearance Recommended

From the intersection of Two Rivers Road and Midland Avenue in Basalt, begin by heading northeast on Midland Avenue towards Basalt Center Circle for about 0.3 miles. The road will then continue onto Frying Pan Road (CR 4). Follow Frying Pan Road (CR 4) for approximately 25 miles. Turn left, and head North on the Eagle-Thomasville Road (FS Road 400) for 11.3 miles. You will arrive at the intersection of the Eagle-Thomasville Road and the Hat Creek Road at Crooked Creek Pass. At Crooked Creek Pass, turn right onto Hat Creek Road (FS Road 416) and note mileage – from this turn it is approximately 5 miles to the Peter Estin Hut parking (marked with blue 10th Mountain signs). From the parking to the hut is a short walk, gear carts are provided (please return after use unless your group has booked the hut exclusively).

Lodging

Transportation

Route Description

Summer Driving Directions: 4-Wheel Drive/High Clearance Recommended

From the Eagle exit (#147) on I-70 drive S .2 miles to the roundabout on Hwy 6. Drive 1.0 mile W on Hwy 6 to the next roundabout and exit on Sylvan Lake Road. Travel 1.6 miles and take a right on Brush Creek Road (aka Eagle County Road #307). Travel 8.7 miles to a “Y” intersection. Take the right fork to stay on West Brush Creek Road and drive approximately 7.4 miles (passing Sylvan Lake State Park). Turn left onto the Eagle-Thomasville Road (FS Road 400) and in 2.5 miles you will arrive at the intersection of the Eagle-Thomasville Road and the Hat Creek Road at Crooked Creek Pass, turn left onto Hat Creek Road (FS Road 416) and note mileage – from this turn it is approximately 5 miles to the Estin Hut parking (marked with blue 10th Mountain signs). From the parking to the hut is a short walk, gear carts are provided (please return after use unless your group has booked the hut exclusively).

Lodging

Transportation

Route Description

Summer Driving Directions: 4-Wheel Drive/High Clearance Recommended

From the Eagle exit (#147) on I-70 drive S .2 miles to the roundabout on Hwy 6. Drive 1.0 mile W on Hwy 6 to the next roundabout and exit on Sylvan Lake Road. Travel 1.6 miles and take a right on Brush Creek Road (aka Eagle County Road #307). Travel 8.7 miles to a “Y” intersection. Take the left fork (East Brush Creek Road) and drive approximately 6 miles. Turn right into Yeoman Park Campground and onto the Hat Creek Road (FS Road #416) and note mileage – from this turn it is approximately 7.6 miles on the Hat Creek Road to the Estin Hut parking (marked with blue 10th Mountain signs). From the parking to the hut is a short walk, gear carts are provided (please return after use unless your group has booked the hut exclusively).

Lodging

Transportation