Sangree M. Froelicher Hut

Route Description

Start from Buckeye Gulch Trailhead and follow the well marked trail out that begins at the back of the parking lot. Follow the trail up the right (easterly) side of Buckeye Gulch as it parallels the road on your left. At approximately 10,600ft the trail crosses the road and continues up the left side of the drainage for a short distance before swinging to the left and continuing to climb the valley through timber on the south side of the creek. The trail then swings north and east to the hut. As an option, you can also climb a more direct route to the hut if you’re certain of the location or are using GPS.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.

Trailhead Directions

Parking

NOTE THAT PARKING IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ALONG BUCKEYE GULCH ROAD AND VIOLATORS MAY BE TOWED AT THEIR EXPENSE.

Transportation

Route Description

Travel to the Ski Cooper trailhead. Walk a few hundred feet from trailhead parking to the Cooper Hill Nordic Center, which is located on the southwest edge of the large base area parking lot. You start the route on one of the designated nordic trails, so obtain a trail map at the Nordic Center in case you get confused while navigating. From the Nordic Center, ski the Cooper Loop trail southeasterly. Soon you’ll be on a well defined summer road. Note signs for Tennessee Pass Cookhouse at 1 1/4 mile from start, but stay on road . Take care just after Cookhouse to NOT swing southwest, but rather stay on summer road as it continues SE then swings E as a shelf road above East Tennessee Creek. Continue east to cross creek over culvert at 10,750′.

Just past culvert, continue east and north at two road intersections as you continue to climb through timber on a summer road that parallels the right side of the creek. At 3/4 mile from the culvert you’ll break into a clearing where you leave the road and make a critical swing southeast. Slightly more aggressive climbing begins here as you head up through forest for a few hundred feet than break into a large logged area. Take the fall line up the logged area. Near the top of the logged area ski a short traverse east and enter a tongue of trees at 11,530′ and continue easterly through light timber for a short distance to another open area. Climb the right side of the open area to High Mountain Saddle, 11,645′, and turn left (east) to enter the timber again. Climb east up through light timber for a few hundred yards to timberline on the end of a ridge.

Now your alpine tour begins. Looking southeast you’re facing a large basin. Take a climbing contour into the head of the basin, eventually reaching a point just below the highpoint of the saddle at the east crest of the basin. Take a definitive swing south here and follow a mostly level route 1/4 mile to Sangree Saddle (12,070′). Drop from Sangree Saddle 1/2 mile south and southeast to Sangree Hut.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.

Trailhead Directions

Parking

Ski Cooper Trailhead parking for Vance’s and Sangree’s is on the right side after you go through an entrance gate. Notes: 1. If you’re headed for Vance’s Cabin, there is NO parking at Forest Service Road #731.

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.

Currently there are no blue diamonds or tree blazes on this route (pending permits). The suggested route from Sangree’s Hut to the Emmelyn Hut requires strong navigational and winter travel abilities because much of the route is above treeline and winter storms can cause difficulties. Deviation from the route can have severe consequences. From Sangree’s, ski northwest angling uphill for about 1/3mile to 11,900′, then head west on that contour more or less for 1/2 mile to an evident saddle on the ridge. Climb gradually west to the high point at 12,036. Carefully descend through the timber west/southwest to 11,800 feet then descend northwest on the nose of the ridge to about 11,300 feet, then north to the hut.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.

Transportation

Route Description

Start from Buckeye Gulch Trailhead and follow the well marked trail out that begins at the back of the parking lot. Follow the trail up the right (easterly) side of Buckeye Gulch as it parallels the road on your left. At approximately 10,600ft the trail crosses the road and continues up the left side of the drainage for a short distance before swinging to the left and continuing to climb the valley through timber on the south side of the creek. The trail then swings north and east to the hut. As an option, you can also climb a more direct route to the hut if you’re certain of the location or are using GPS.

Trailhead Directions

Parking

NOTE THAT PARKING IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ALONG BUCKEYE GULCH ROAD AND VIOLATORS MAY BE TOWED AT THEIR EXPENSE.

Transportation

Route Description

Extreme 4WD High Clearance Access/SANGREE M FROELICHER HUT via Mt. Zion Road (FS Road 109):

From the intersection of Highways 91 and 24 N of Leadville, turn onto Highway 24 W for about 1.4 miles. Next, turn right onto Trail Road (FS Road 109). Note your mileage and continue approximately 6 miles to a right hand turn and the last .5 mile stretch downhill to the Sangree M. Froelicher hut parking.

Transportation