Polar Star Inn & Seipel Hut Polar Star Inn

Route Description

From parking at Yeoman Park Trailhead follow East Brush Creek Road up the east side of the creek. Do not take Hat Creek Road which passes through the Yeoman Campground. Follow the obvious road-cut up the valley for just under 1/2 mile and continue straight toward Fulford Cave (do not take the hard left towards the town of Fulford). Continue another 3/4 mile to 9,280 feet. At this point look carefully to your left for a 10th Mountain marked trail which leaves the road. Turn left onto the trail 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: 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

From the parking area at Yeoman Park Trailhead follow East Brush Creek Road up the east side of the creek. Do not take Hat Creek Road which passes through the Yeoman Campground. 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.

Trailhead Directions

Parking

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

Route Description

From the West Lake Creek Trailhead ski a snow-covered road up the east side of Card Creek. Stay on the road as it crosses Card Creek at 1/4 mile, then follows the west side of Card Creek another 3/4 mile to another crossing (8,560 feet). Just past this crossing it is critical to swing back right (SW) to stay in the Card Creek drainage. From here the snow-covered jeep trail climbs the east side of the drainage for 1 1/4 miles to another critical junction at 9,370 feet.

Here you turn right (southwest) off the jeep trail onto the Card Creek Springs foot trail. Follow this trail south then west past Card Creek Springs (not that obvious), then up 500 vertical feet via 4 switchbacks to Card Creek Saddle (9,980 feet). From the saddle follow the 10th Mountain marked route as it drops along the New England Traverse west then northwest into the Squaw Creek drainage to 9,800 feet. Stay on the route as it takes a gradually climbing traverse 1/2 mile, crosses Squaw Creek, then follows the Squaw Creek drainage (crosses creek several more times) up to nondescript Squaw Creek Saddle at the head of the drainage (10,620 feet). The route passes slightly to the east of the low point in the saddle. From Squaw Creek Saddle follow the 10th Mountain marked route another mile southeast to Polar Star Inn and the Seipel Hut.

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. Learn more about avalanche hazards here.

• Approximately 1/2 mile from the trailhead on skier’s right at approximately 8400′. D2

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

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.

Pick your favorite route down into the Brush Creek drainage. The Newcomer Spring trail is more technical than Fulford Road, and either will bring you to the  snow-covered East Brush Creek Road. Follow it up to road’s end at Fulford Cave Campground. 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. Learn more about avalanche hazards here.

• 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

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.

Skiers with minimal skiing skills who wish to connect Polar Star Inn to the Peter Estin Hut might want to consider descending using as much of Fulford Road as possible to  Yeoman Park Trailhead, then traveling up Hat Creek Road to Estin. This adds about five miles to the trip relative to the Newcomer Spring/Iron Edge alternative. Narrow and short skins on Hat Creek Road and and an abundance of patience will make this a pleasant climb. At Yeoman Park Trailhead, 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.

Lodging

Transportation

Route Description

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

From the Eagle exit (#147) on I-70 drive south .2 miles to the roundabout on Highway 6. Drive 1.0 mile west on Highway 6 to the next roundabout and exit on Sylvan Lake Road. Travel 1.6 miles and take a right on Brush Creek Road (Eagle County Road 307). Travel 8.7 miles to a “Y” intersection. Take the left fork (East Brush Creek Road) and drive approximately 6.2 miles (you will drive past the entrance to the Yeoman Park Trailhead parking area). Turn left on to FS Road 418 and note mileage – from this turn it is 8.6 miles on FS Road 418 to the parking area/vehicle closure gate for the Polar Star Inn and the Seipel Hut.

Parking

From the parking to the huts is a short walk, a gear cart is provided (please return after use unless your group has booked both huts exclusively).

Lodging

Transportation

Route Description

Park at the West Lake Creek winter trailhead and start your hike, or if you have a suitable vehicle, driver and conditions – continue driving to the Baryeta Cabins and hike Forest Service Trail #1876 from there.

Once on Forest Service Trail #1876 (aka the New York Mountain Trail) hike until you reach the upper New York Mountain trailhead (accessible with a 4-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle at the top of Forest Service Road #418). Instead of continuing on the trail towards New York Mountain, Polar Star Inn guests should now hike on Road #418 for a short distance until they get to the hut’s parking and closure gate. Just past the gate is a trail that leads to Polar Star Inn and the Seipel Hut.

Trailhead Directions

Lodging

Transportation