7.1
9,060'
2,228'
Begin at Yeoman Park Trailhead. Start with narrow and short skins or cross country kick wax (or wall-to-wall skins if you don’t have either, but you’ll be working a lot harder). Carefully identify the start of the Hat Creek Road. It begins just west of the actual campground and follows a distinct road-cut up a SE-climbing traverse. Follow the road to the first switchback and continue climbing NW through several more switchbacks. Stay on the road; at 9,400 feet you’ll swing S into the Hat Creek drainage.
Once in Hat Creek, the route continues to be obvious and well marked. Basically you stay on the main snow-covered logging road as it parallels Hat Creek. The only deviation from the creek takes switchbacks starting at 9,800 feet elevation. At a 10,820-foot saddle (Ironedge Saddle) at the head of the Hat Creek drainage, the logging road makes a turn to the south. Leave the road here, ski several hundred feet farther E, and intersect the continuation of the Ironedge Trail that 10th Mountain has marked. Climb this trail 3/4 mile SE up through timber to the Peter Estin Hut. This section of trail is less obvious than the logging roads, so pay attention.
Locations of Observed or Reported Avalanche Activity: No avalanche activity has been reported along this suggested route.
From the Eagle exit (#147) on I-70 drive south .2 miles to the roundabout on Hwy 6. Drive 1.0 mile west on Hwy 6 until the roundabout and exit on Sylvan Lake Road. Travel 1.6 miles and take a right on Brush Creek Road (aka Eagle County Road #307). Travel 8.7 miles to a “Y” intersection. Take the left fork (East Brush Creek Road) and drive approximately 6 miles to Yeoman Park. Turn right off of the main road and travel a few hundred feet along a short spur road (over a bridge) to the obvious parking area.
The Yeoman Park Trailhead parking area has designated spots for hut customers – please PARK SENSIBLY in the designated spots.