Route Description

*Please Note: This route description assumes you’ll spend a layover night at the Beyul Retreat, a historic guest ranch nestled deep in the Fryingpan River Valley, between the Margy’s Hut and Harry Gates Hut. Beyul offers a warm and cozy break on what would otherwise be a long 16-mile trek between huts. The retreat provides both cabins with kitchenettes and rooms in their lodge, where guests have access to a communal kitchen.

Beyul has long been a favorite stopover on this route, offering a comfortable place to rest and recharge. To make winter reservations, you’ll need to call them directly at (970) 927-4188, as bookings during this season are phone-only. For more information and photos, you can visit their website at beyulretreat.com.

Starting from Margy’s Hut, begin your journey by heading NE and then E along the Margy’s Hut Trail. This trail involves a long 1 3/4-mile descending traverse until you reach Sawmill Park. Keep an eye out for the junction markers on a couple of medium-sized evergreens at the west end of the park.

Once in Sawmill Park, ski up to the upper (east) end of the park to a divide at 11057 feet, where you’ll enjoy a view of the Elk Mountains. From the divide you’ll find a steep descent. Follow this trail E, then NE, as it descends to the meadows at 10,400 feet. Continue your descent E to 10,240 feet, then NE until you reach Foster Gulch at 9,920 feet. The trail now parallels Foster Creek for 1/2 mile before crossing Deeds Creek. Continue following the trail as it leads into Twin Meadows on the north side of Deeds Creek.

Once you reach Twin Meadows, enter the forest on the obscure summer trail cut for the Aspen/Norrie trail, following the west shore of the north lake. Continue skiing around the north side of the north lake, and stay on the north end of Twin Meadows. After reaching Twin Meadows, take the spur that leads 1/4 mile E through conifer forest until it intersects with the South Fork Road (FS road # 504).

Turn left onto the road and follow it for 2 1/4 miles, descending through a series of switchbacks. Continue on the well-defined road as it winds down through aspen forests, leading you back to the snow closure at the Norrie Trailhead. From the Norrie Trailhead continue down FS Road #504 approximately 150 yards to a private road named Elliott Way. Take a left and head NW on Elliott for .5 miles until the road swings N towards the last cabins. Leave the road and continue NW through a large meadow for approximately .5 miles before entering the woods on a well-defined trail for the last .3 miles to the Beyul Retreat.

After a restful night at the Beyul Retreat walk up the parking lot driveway to the Fryingpan River Road. Take a left and walk W on the Fryingpan River Road for approximately 1/3 mile to the entrance to the Montgomery Flats Trailhead.

From the Montgomery Flats Trailhead, travel west out of the parking lot on the marked 10th Mountain trail past an old corral. The trail quickly swings north and then back east as you wind around private land. Please respect all signed boundaries. The trail eventually intersects an old two-track which climbs to Montgomery Flats (9,100 feet). Stay on the trail NE through Montgomery Flats for 1 1/2 miles to a junction with the Burnt Mountain Road at 9,560 feet. The Burnt Mountain Road is a wide, distinct road-cut. From the junction, follow the Burnt Mountain Road as it takes a northerly tack with several switchbacks for 1 1/2 miles to the road summit at 10,030 feet. You can navigate by how many times you pass under the power lines—four times to the road summit.

Consider removing your skins at the road summit and very gradually descend through beautiful evergreen forest 1 3/4 miles to a clearing at 9,566 feet. At the clearing, turn right (NE) off the road and ski 1/4 mile (134 vertical feet) up the hill to the northeast of the road, unlock the door of the hut, and make tea.

Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: Avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route at locations indicated below. Elevations indicate approximate elevation where the slides crossed the trail, not the starting zones.

• Approx. 1.5 miles from Norrie along the road to Twin Meadows, steep hillside on skier’s right (8,760′). D2-3.

Avalanche size/destructive force is scaled according to the American Avalanche Association as follows:

• D1 – Relatively harmless to people
• D2 – Could bury or injure a person
• D3 – Could bury a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few trees
• D4 – Could destroy a railroad car, large truck, several buildings, or a substantial amount of forest
• D5 – Could gouge the landscape, largest snow avalanches known

Lodging

Transportation