Vance’s Cabin

Route Description

From the Ski Cooper parking lot, find the start of the snow-covered road that leaves from the northeast corner of the lot. Follow the road northeast along a water ditch that traverses into Piney Gulch. At 3/4 mile from the ski parking lot the gulch splits (10,520 feet). Continue up the left fork of the gulch for 1/4 mile to a large clearing (10,660 feet).

Climb northwest up through the clearing to the north end of the saddle at 10,963. At the saddle use your map and compass to identify the slopes of Taylor Hill. Climb east for a short distance, then swing back north and make a long 1/2-mile traverse along the west face of Taylor Hill. At 11,160 feet, just to the east of the hut, you enter an open area. Turn left here and descend 1/4 mile to Vance’s Cabin. Some structures around the cabin are visible from several hundred yards.

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

Trailhead Directions

Parking

Ski Cooper Trailhead parking for Vance’s and Sangree’s is on the right side after you go through an entrance gate. Notes: 1. If you’re headed for Vance’s Cabin, there is NO parking at Forest Service Road #731.

Transportation

Route Description

This 10th Mountain suggested route is the longer trailhead to hut route for Vance’s Cabin. It serves most often as part of the ski-through route from the Jackal Hut, but it also makes a fine tour in its own right.

From the South Camp Hale Trailhead ski E across the flats of Camp Hale (no bridge across Eagle River). Intersect the snow- covered road at the base of the mountain (usually packed by snowmobile) and ski this road for 2 1/4 miles up the East Fork of the Eagle River to 9,560 feet, just past a flat marshy area with a small pond. In winter this pond will be obscured by snow. Turn right (S) off the road just after you cross the East Fork of the Eagle River (no bridge). Continue S for several hundred feet across the flat area. Swing SW and begin a climbing traverse that leads up a marked trail-cut for 2 miles through timber to Jones Gulch. Stay on the northeast side of Jones Creek and parallel the creek to a marshy clearing at the 10,400-foot level.

Follow the marked trail W along the north side of the clearing, then continue on a climbing traverse NW (on sections of road and trail) to 10,600 feet on a shoulder. Swing S and climb the shoulder to 11,033 feet. From here the trail leaves the crest of the shoulder and follows a long 1 1/2-mile climbing traverse through medium density timber to the lower edge of a burn area at 11,000 feet on the west shoulder of Taylor Hill.

The hut sits at the lower southwest end of the burn on the side of a rise and is not too visible from where you enter the burn. However, several structures around the hut are easier to spot.

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

Trailhead Directions

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.

From the front door of Vance’s Cabin ski N across a clearing. In the timber at the north end of the clearing take care to find the marked 10th Mountain trail that leads N from the clearing on a 1 1/4-mile traverse (on roads and trails) to 11,033 feet. From here continue N down the ridge for 3/4 mile to 10,600 feet.

Turn right (E) and follow another dropping traverse to a flat marshy clearing at 10,400 feet in Jones Gulch. Stick to the north edge of the clearing, cross Jones Creek, then descend N down the east side of Jones Gulch (can be a scary downhill). When the angle eases off at 10,220 feet, turn right (E) again and drop through several curves to a long easterly trail-cut that takes you to the East Fork of the Eagle River.

Cross the Eagle River and ski the snow-covered road for about 1/4 mile and take a right (9,580 feet) onto the well-signed Cataract Creek jeep trail. From here climb the jeep trail. The Colorado Trail uses the Cataract Creek jeep trail, so you’ll find the little triangular Colorado Trail markers along with standard 10th Mountain markers. Cataract Creek is nestled in a steep-sided gulch, so the road winds as it works its way through the gulch. At 10,720 feet in the Cataract Creek drainage you leave the jeep trail and climb N 1/2 mile and 700 vertical feet to a wide saddle (11,420 feet) atop the north ridge of the drainage.

Ski W from the saddle over a bump to another 11,420-foot saddle. which intersects with the route to Jackal via Pearl Creek. From here stick to the ridge and ski 3/4 mile W to the open clearing at the highest point on the ridge (11,716 feet), then drop S to the Jackal Hut (11,660 feet) which sits just below and to the south of the highest part of the ridge. The hut is visible from several hundred feet away, but you can miss it if you are skiing on the north side of the wide ridge crest, especially in a whiteout.

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 3/4 mile up Cataract Creek on the Colorado Trail, small bank on skier’s left (10,240′). D1-2.

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

Transportation