The Huts > Privately Owned > High Lonesome Hut
High Lonesome Hut
High Lonesome hut is nestled on a timbered mountainside, built on an historic logging claim and operated by the father/son team of Andy and Skyler Miller. Andy, a contractor in Grand County for 25 years, designed and built this hybrid timber frame hut in 1995 with tight interior log work for a cabin feel. Miller grew up in a family-owned lodge – the Idlewild Inn at Winter Park – so he has made sure that High Lonesome extends the same family-style mountain experience. Andy’s two sons helped their father as young children. “When I was five, I remember pounding nails for floorboards,” reflects Skyler, who is a builder in his own right.
The hut sits on a wooded peninsula at the edge of meadow and is named for a nearby mountain where ski touring is inviting through conifer forests and open glades, and where routes go off the property onto Forest lands opening to vistas of the Front Range and surrounding ranges.
High Lonesome is an ideal beginner/intermediate hut trip given its moderate altitude of 9,300 feet when compared to most of the far higher 10th Mountain Huts. Many High Lonesome visitors are first time hut users because the Hut is accessible to anyone in good physical condition and is an excellent playground for children. The trail is a short 2.5 miles over rolling terrain that climbs 600 feet.
Another unique aspect of the hut is that dogs are welcome. This is the only hut reserved by 10th Mountain that allows dogs.
Hut Information
Owned By
Privately Owned
Open
Summer / Winter
Winter Mileage*
2.5
Closest Town
Winter Park/Fraser
Hut Elevation
9,300 '
Cumulative Elevation Gain *
337'
Layout
Main Level: Bunk bed (2 singles). Upstairs: 3 singles and 1 double in a communal sleeping area, 2 singles and 1 double in a separate room. Downstairs: Bunk bed (2 singles).
Please respect High Lonesome Hut’s maintenance crew and the next guests by not allowing your dog (welcome at this hut only), onto the beds or furniture. We suggest you bring a dog bed if your companion needs a padded refuge. Thank you.
Note About Layout & Capacity: When planning your guest list, be sure to consider this hut’s unique layout. The hut is set up with beds for 12; however, the well-appointed kitchen and indoor bathroom are quite small, and while the amazing built-in dining table can fit 12 – it might be a tight fit! There’s also a seating nook, but keep in mind these seats do not surround a heat stove, which is strategically located downstairs to maximize heating the hut. If concerned about space, you might consider a party size of less than 12.
*from Meadow Creek Trailhead
Amenities
Heat
Wood
Oven
Propane
Refrigeration
No
Water
Running
Toilet
Flush Toilet
Ada Accessible
No
Sauna
No
Fire Ring
No
Grill
No
Dogs
Yes
Charging
120V
Gear Cart
No
Details
- Firewood, starter paper, matches, axes
- Propane is provided for full sized 4 burner gas range with standard oven
- Cooler for food storage
- Potable hot and cold running water in kitchen and indoor bathroom
- Bathroom has flush toilet, toilet paper and shower
- Pots, pans, potholders, dishware, cooking and eating utensils, percolator or French press, salt & pepper
- Paper towels, dish soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, trash bags
- Solar powered lights
- Mattresses, pillows
- Portable crib
- CD player, guitar
- Sledding tubes
Book This Hut
Visit our Online Booking Platform to search for availability and book this hut.
Location
Official 10th Mountain Division Map
CalTopo
Winter Map : Grand County Hut Map
View / PrintNational Geographic
Map : Indian Peaks/Gold Hill
USFS
Map : Arapaho National Forest
Trailheads/Routes
The route to the High Lonesome Hut in winter is 2.5 miles of generally flat, rolling terrain through picturesque meadows and open timber. There is limited downhill skiing around the hut but the gentle, rolling terrain offers numerous cross-country touring options.
Routes
High Lonesome Hut from Meadow Creek Trailhead/Standard Winter Route
Total Mileage
2.5
Trailhead Elevation
9,128'
Cumulative Elevation Gain
337'
Cumulative Elevation Loss
310'
In the summer you can get to the High Lonesome Hut by hiking the winter trail. There are numerous day hiking and mountain biking options around the hut in summer. There is no vehicle access to the High Lonesome Hut in summer.
Summer Water Source Information
Summer Hut Information PDF
Routes
Hike on Trail to High Lonesome Hut from Meadow Creek Trailhead via Strawberry Trail
Total Mileage
2.5
Trailhead Elevation
9,128'
Cumulative Elevation Gain
337'
Cumulative Elevation Loss
310'
Hut-Specific Weather
Overnight : Mostly clear, with a low around 19. West wind around 7 mph.
Saturday : Sunny. High near 38, with temperatures falling to around 31 in the afternoon. West northwest wind 2 to 6 mph.
Saturday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. West wind 5 to 8 mph.
Sunday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. West wind around 7 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Sunday Night : A chance of snow showers after 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. West wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
Monday : A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
Monday Night : A chance of snow showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
Tuesday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 32.
Tuesday Night : A chance of snow showers after 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.
Christmas Day : Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
Wednesday Night : A slight chance of snow showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
Thursday : A slight chance of snow showers between 11am and 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 31.
Thursday Night : A chance of snow showers after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.
Friday : A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. 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.