Route Description

This is the 10th Mountain suggested route from the McNamara Hut to Margy’s Hut. For most of the tour you’ll be in dense conifer forest. From McNamara, follow the trail to the Spruce Creek/Woody Creek confluence, where the Spruce Creek Trail intersects the Woody Creek Trail (9,400 feet). Keep a careful eye out for this junction – use your map and your GPS. At the junction put on your skins and ski N then NE up the Spruce Creek Trail. You have a long pull ahead of you, as the trail follows the Spruce Creek drainage 3 1/4 miles and 1,560 vertical feet to the west end of Sawmill Park (11,000 feet).
As soon as you enter Sawmill Park keep a sharp eye out for another trail fork on your left. Many groups miss this junction—the trick is to identify Sawmill Park, then stay at the lower (west) end of the park and carefully search out the 10th Mountain junction markers on a couple of medium-sized evergreens (yes, those green trees.) GPS recommended. If you’ve skied more than 75 feet into the open park, you have gone too far. Once you find the junction, leave the main trail and follow a spur W then SW as it makes a 1 3/4-mile climbing traverse up to the hut. The hut is usually visible from several hundred yards away, but it may be hidden by snow on heavy snow years, with just the upper front windows visible.

Be careful on the downhill into Woody Creek. Use care identifying the junction in Sawmill Park.

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

Lodging

Transportation