The Huts > 10th Mountain Division Hut Association > Benedict Huts > Fritz Hut

Benedict Huts Fritz Hut

Tucked away at the edge of the Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness, high above Aspen, the Benedict Huts are beautifully crafted cabins built in 1997 to honor the late Fritz Benedict and his wife, Fabi, the spiritual parents of the 10th Mountain Division Hut System. Fritz and a small group of Aspenites first conceived of the hut system in the early 1980s, modeled on European mountain refuges Fritz had seen as a Tenth Mountain Division trooper during World War II. The 10th Mountain Hut System started as a trail network and has matured into the premier hut system of the Colorado Rockies.

The Benedict Huts are adjoined by boardwalks on a remote, wooded hilltop surrounded by a vast and virtually untouched winter wilderness. For outhouse aficionados, there is no finer facility than the shared commode at Benedict Huts, with its glassed-in wall fronting the dense forest wilderness.

Hut Information

Owned By

10th Mountain Division Hut Association

Open

Winter

Winter Mileage*

5.9

Closest Town

Aspen

Hut Elevation

11,370 '

Cumulative Elevation Gain *

2,895'

Layout

3 small bedrooms with double beds, 3 single beds in the main room, and 1 daybed that doubles as a couch.

*from Hunter Creek Trailhead

Amenities

Heat

Wood

Oven

Propane

Refrigeration

No

Water

Cistern, Snow Melt**

Toilet

Outhouse

Ada Accessible

Yes

Sauna

No

Fire Ring

No

Grill

No

Dogs

No

Charging

None

Gear Cart

No


** Winter only
Applies to the hut structure, not to route considerations

Details

  • Firewood, starter paper, matches, axes
  • Propane for kitchen burners and oven
  • Cupboard or closet for cold food storage
  • Snow collection buckets and large pot for melting snow on wood-burning heat stove (suggested use of snowmelt water is for drinking)
  • Hand pump in kitchen dispenses water from cistern filled with roof-catchment system (suggested use of cistern water is for cleaning only)
  • Pots, pans, potholders, dishware, cooking and eating utensils, percolator, salt & pepper
  • Paper towels, dish soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, trash bags, toilet paper
  • Solar powered lights
  • Mattresses, pillows
  • Slippers

Book This Hut

Capacity

10

Price

$40/person/night*
*Children 12 & Under 50% Off

Visit our Online Booking Platform to search for availability and book this hut.

Location

39.179047, -106.755524

Official 10th Mountain Division Map

CalTopo

Winter Map : Mt. Yeckel N/S Map

View / Print

National Geographic

Map : Aspen, Independence Pass

USFS

Map : White River National Forest

Trailheads/Routes

Hut access is via Hunter Creek or Smuggler Mountain, where one may ski right from Aspen. For advanced ski tourers who enjoy a route-finding challenge, the Benedict Huts offer a rarely traveled link to the McNamara Hut via Hunter Creek and Bald Knob.

Winter Hut Information PDF

Routes

Fritz Hut from Hunter Creek Trailhead/Standard Winter Route

Total Mileage

5.9

Trailhead Elevation

8,380'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

2,895'

Fritz Hut from Upper Hunter Creek Drop-Off Limited Parking

Total Mileage

5.3

Trailhead Elevation

8,691'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

2,507'

Hut to Hut/Fritz Hut to McNamara Hut via No Name Creek

Total Mileage

7.5

Trailhead Elevation

8,691'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

1,520'

Cumulative Elevation Loss

2,120'

Hut-Specific Weather

This Afternoon : Sunny, with a high near 44. Southeast wind around 0 mph.

Tonight : Mostly clear, with a low around 19. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Veterans Day : Sunny, with a high near 46. South southwest wind 0 to 5 mph.

Monday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 21. South southeast wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday : A chance of snow showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Tuesday Night : A chance of snow showers before 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Wednesday : Sunny, with a high near 39.

Wednesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 18.

Thursday : Sunny, with a high near 45.

Thursday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 22.

Friday : Sunny, with a high near 45.

Friday Night : A slight chance of snow showers after 5am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.

Saturday : A chance of snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.

Saturday Night : A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Contents

Notices

Avalanche Hazard Information

Colorado is known for its avalanche prone snowpack. A number of the suggested routes to 10th Mountain Division Huts pass through or are next to terrain that may be prone to avalanches. Accordingly, pick the suggested route that most suits your group and its abilities, carry appropriate equipment, and always exercise prudent backcountry travel techniques when passing through avalanche prone terrain. Remember, avalanches can occur in forested areas and can run into forested areas from open slopes. Moreover, a number of huts booked are situated in the midst of extreme avalanche terrain. Many other huts, while located in more modest terrain, still have access routes that cross avalanche paths.

We strongly suggest that someone in every group be experienced in evaluating avalanche and snow stability hazards and practicing prudent backcountry and winter mountain travel techniques. For up-to-date avalanche information for all of Colorado, visit the website for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). Another excellent resource is the Forest Service National Avalanche Center website. While this site doesn’t have local forecasts, it does have a wealth of information on backcountry travel in avalanche terrain and snow science, as well as tutorials on some basic skills and snow science.

We recommend that you start checking the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) website regularly before your trip to see how conditions are evolving. Study your maps to see what type of terrain you will be traveling through to see if there are alternative routes that might be feasible if snow stability conditions deteriorate. During most of the winter, travel to the huts, other than those in the Braun Hut System and the Friends’ Hut, is possible with a relatively minor degree of risk. However, if your trip falls within a period or cycle of high or extreme instability, you must make the decision of whether or not to go. The huts are not closed for avalanche hazard reasons.

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