Hut of the Month: (The NEW!) Green Wilson Hut

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For our April Hut of the Month feature, we’re excited to highlight the Green Wilson Hut, a favorite destination within the storied Alfred A. Braun Hut System – the oldest backcountry hut network in Colorado! – that is set to be rebuilt this year.

Alfred A. Braun Hut System, which is booked through our team here at 10th Mountain Division Huts, has launched a major campaign to help fund the Green Wilson Hut rebuild, which will begin this spring.

For those who’d like to contribute, you can give a gift at braunhuts.org/future.

Decades of Love

Located in the heart of the Elk Mountains south of Aspen, near treeline below Castle Peak and adjacent to the Tagert Hut, the Green Wilson Hut has hosted backcountry skiers for nearly 50 years. Beloved for its phenomenal access to high alpine ski terrain, Green Wilson Hut is a soulful retreat for adventurous, skillful backcountry skiers.

The hut was originally built back in 1978 from a pan-abode log cabin kit, and was named for Lu Lynn Green Wilson, a laboratory technologist who lived in Aspen in the 1970s. The original hut was renovated in 1999, but after decades of love from thousands of visitors, and exposure to extreme alpine weather and heavy snow loads, the structure has reached the end of its lifespan and must be replaced.

A New Hut for the Next Generation

The new Green Wilson Hut will be built at its current location, with structural improvements designed to withstand the heavy snow loads typical of Colorado’s high alpine environment, and will also be fire resilient – helping to ensure an enduring mountain refuge for the next generation of hutgoers. The new design will maintain the intimate scale and 8-person capacity of the original hut, with three improved cozy sleeping rooms, while adding a dedicated entry room for gear storage, and a bright common space with south-facing windows to showcase the surrounding views. The hut will also boast a highly efficient passive solar design.

The project was designed by Al Beyer Design Inc., and principal architect, Al Beyer, has donated his architectural services. Beyer has designed several Colorado backcountry huts, including the Markley, Opa’s Taylor, Emmelyn, and Benedict huts.

“Our goal was to design a hut which connects users with that amazing setting, while respecting the character and scale of the original, making sure it functions better, and creating a resilient structure suited to the high mountain elements,” Beyer says of the new hut design.

Check out the renderings below to get a sneak peek!

Help Support the Green Wilson Hut Rebuild!

The Braun Huts team is asking for support from the Colorado hut community and fellow backcountry enthusiasts to help reach its $2 million funding goal for the Green Wilson Hut rebuild.

“This project is about preserving a cherished community resource and passing on the tradition of backcountry hut trips to the next generation,” says Ashley Perl, president of the Braun Huts board. “The Braun Huts have provided our families and community with unforgettable experiences in the mountains, and rebuilding the Green Wilson Hut ensures that those opportunities will continue for decades to come.”

Visit www.braunhuts.org/future to learn more about the fundraising effort, and to make your gift today, whether online or by check.* Right now, there is a $100,000 matching gift in place, which will double your impact!

To discuss leadership gift opportunities, interested parties can call Alfred A. Braun Hut System’s Fundraising Chair, Craig Ward, at 970-379-1254.

*The Alfred A. Braun Hut System Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit, all donations are fully tax deductible EIN # 84-1441504

 

Braun Huts Winter Bookings Open May 1st

With the rebuild currently in progress, Green Wilson Hut bookings for the 2026-27 Winter season are expected to open up later this fall as construction on the new hut wraps up.  

In the meantime, Winter bookings for the remaining huts in the Alfred A. Braun Hut System (including Barnard, Goodwin-Greene, Tagert, Lindley, Markley, and Opa’s Taylor), will open as scheduled on Friday, May 1st, at 8am MT. 

At that point, all hutgoers looking to book a trip to one of these huts for next winter season can book online through our website (our recommended method!), or by calling our reservation line at 970-925-5775.