The Huts > Summit Huts Association > Ken’s Cabin & Section House > Ken’s Cabin
Ken’s Cabin & Section House Ken’s Cabin
Ken’s Cabin is an intimate hut experience for two or three people. Also known as the historic Wagon Cabin, Ken’s was built in the 1860’s when Boreas Pass Road was a mere wagon trail over the Continental Divide. Sitting adjacent to Ken’s Cabin is the Section House which was built in 1882 to house the railroad men and their families who took care of a section of the Denver South Park & Pacific narrow gauge railway that ran from Denver to Leadville over Boreas Pass. These historic buildings, listed with the National Register of Historic Places, were carefully restored from 1992-97 with funding and assistance provided by the U.S. Forest Service, Park County, Texas A&M University, Colorado Department of Transportation, and Harris Construction. Summit Huts Association completed the upgrades to the Section House and Ken’s Cabin and has a special use permit to operate the buildings as winter ski huts. Ken’s Cabin is named in memory of Ken Graff who died in an avalanche near Breckenridge in 1995 at age 34.
Hut Information
Owned By
Summit Huts Association
Open
Winter
Winter Mileage*
6.5
Closest Town
Breckenridge
Hut Elevation
11,481 '
Cumulative Elevation Gain *
1,208'
Layout
One small room with a double bed and a single day bed.
*from Boreas Pass Trailhead
Amenities
Heat
Wood
Oven
No
Refrigeration
No
Water
Snow Melt**
Toilet
Outhouse
Ada Accessible
No
Sauna
No
Fire Ring
No
Grill
No
Dogs
No
Charging
None
Gear Cart
No
** Winter only
Details
- Firewood, starter paper, matches, axes
- Propane for kitchen burners
- Plastic bins for food storage
- Snow collection buckets and large pot for melting snow on wood-burning heat stove (bring your own filter)
- Outhouse is shared by Ken's Cabin and Section House guests, toilet paper
- 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
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 : Boreas Pass Map
View / PrintNational Geographic
Map : Breckenridge/Tennessee Pass
USFS
Map : Pike National Forest
Trailheads/Routes
Most hut users access Ken’s Cabin from the Boreas Pass trailhead. This is a gradual ski/snowshoe up an old railroad grade. There are access routes from the south that begin outside Como, but they aren’t used as often so some trail-breaking and navigation may be required.
NO MOTORIZED ACCESS: During the winter season (November to May), motorized access, including snowmobiles, is strictly prohibited on the Boreas Pass Road leading to Ken’s Cabin and/or the Section House. The winter gate at the Boreas Pass Trailhead is closed to all motorized vehicles during the winter months per the US Forest Service.
Ken’s Cabin Winter Information & Parking Permit PDF
Routes
Ken's Cabin from Boreas Pass Trailhead/Standard Winter Route
Total Mileage
6.5
Trailhead Elevation
10,350'
Cumulative Elevation Gain
1,208'
Ken's Cabin from Gold Dust Drop-Off/No Parking
Total Mileage
4.7
Trailhead Elevation
10,330'
Cumulative Elevation Gain
1,263'
Ken's Cabin from Peabody Trailhead
Total Mileage
7.2
Trailhead Elevation
10,096'
Cumulative Elevation Gain
1,451'
Hut-Specific Weather
Tonight : Blowing snow and snow likely before 11pm, then snow likely and areas of blowing snow between 11pm and midnight, then areas of blowing snow and a chance of snow. Cloudy. Low around 6, with temperatures rising to around 8 overnight. Wind chill values as low as -13. Northwest wind 23 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Wednesday : Blowing snow and a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 16. Wind chill values as low as -16. Northwest wind around 25 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Wednesday Night : Partly cloudy. Low around 4, with temperatures rising to around 6 overnight. Wind chill values as low as -13. West northwest wind 14 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
Thursday : Partly sunny, with a high near 30. Wind chill values as low as -11. West wind 16 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 47 mph.
Thursday Night : A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 9. West northwest wind 26 to 33 mph, with gusts as high as 53 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Friday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 27.
Friday Night : A slight chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday : A chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 32. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
Saturday Night : A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. New snow accumulation of around one inch possible.
Sunday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 31.
Sunday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Monday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.
Monday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 23.
Tuesday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.
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.