The Huts > Privately Owned > Vance’s Cabin

Vance’s Cabin

Vance’s Cabin is located on a timbered mountainside near Tennessee Pass. Construction of the cabin began in 1981 and was completed in 1988. The hut is named in honor of one of the original owner’s father Vance Faulkenberg, who was involved in building the cabin using timber from the site.

Hut Information

Owned By

Privately Owned

Open

Winter

Winter Mileage*

3.0

Closest Town

Leadville

Hut Elevation

10,980 '

Cumulative Elevation Gain *

778'

Layout

Upstairs: 4 beds in a loft. Downstairs: 5 single bunk beds (sleeping 10) in a communal sleeping area.

*from Ski Cooper

Amenities

Heat

Wood

Oven

Propane

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 and oven
  • Snow collection buckets and large pot for melting snow on wood-burning heat stove
  • Coolers for cold food storage
  • Pots, pans, potholders, dishware, cooking and eating utensils, percolator or French press, salt & pepper
  • Paper towels, dish soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, trash bags, toilet paper
  • Solar powered lights
  • Mattresses, pillows

Book This Hut

Capacity

14

Price

$546/night

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

Location

39.383138, -106.299807

Official 10th Mountain Division Map

CalTopo

Winter Map : Continental Divide E/W Map

View / Print

National Geographic

Map : Eagles Nest/Holy Cross

USFS

Map : White River National Forest

Trailheads/Routes

The suggested route into Vance’s Cabin begins at Ski Cooper and follows rolling terrain and gently climbs to the hut. An alternate choice is to ski in from Camp Hale which is further and requires more climbing and stronger navigation and trailbreaking capabilities.

Winter Hut Information PDF

Routes

Vance's Cabin from Ski Cooper Trailhead/Standard Winter Route

Total Mileage

3.0

Trailhead Elevation

10,480'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

778'

Cumulative Elevation Loss

251'

Vance's Cabin from South Camp Hale

Total Mileage

7.8

Trailhead Elevation

9,280'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

1,891'

Hut to Hut/Vance's Cabin to Jackal Hut via Cataract

Total Mileage

8.4

Trailhead Elevation

10,980'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

2,324'

Cumulative Elevation Loss

1,643'

Hut-Specific Weather

Tonight : Patchy blowing dust before 9pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.

Wednesday : A slight chance of snow showers between 11am and noon, then a chance of snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Southwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Wednesday Night : A chance of snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. West wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Thursday : A slight chance of snow showers before noon, then a chance of snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 42. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Thursday Night : A chance of snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Friday : A slight chance of snow showers before noon, then a slight chance of snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday Night : Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.

Saturday : A chance of snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Saturday Night : A slight chance of thunderstorms and a slight chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Sunday : A chance of snow showers before noon, then snow showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Sunday Night : Snow showers likely and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Monday : Snow showers likely before noon, then snow showers likely and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Monday Night : A chance of snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Tuesday : A chance of snow showers before noon, then a chance of snow showers and a chance of thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 41.

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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