FAQs

Please check out these three short videos to understand more about the Early Booking period and why you would want to become a Summit Huts Members

Self-rescue is the responsibility of your group. You should be prepared and equipped for a bivouac, rescue, evacuation, equipment repair, and any other unexpected mishap. Every group should have complete first aid and repair kits. The Summit County Sheriff should be contacted in the event of an emergency. Call 911 or Summit County Dispatch at 970-668-8600.

Before your trip, leave the following information with a responsible friend or relative:

Your automobile make and license plate, the trailhead you will be parking at, and the Summit County Sheriff’s phone number.
Your exact travel plans, including dates, hut, ski routes, and your plans in the case of an emergency.

Our trails to the huts are marked intermittently with blue diamonds. Trail markers often aren’t visible from one marker to the next, so route finding is an essential skill for a successful trip.

Routes are not maintained in the Winter, so do not expect to find a broken or groomed trail. Even shorter trips with minimal elevation gain can become very challenging in whiteout conditions or if you have to break trail through fresh snow. Map and compass skills are essential.

Being in the backcountry skiing or snowshoeing, there is always the possibility of an avalanche. We recommend staying on our marked trails and avoiding any detours to minimize avalanche danger.  Each group should have at least one person knowledgeable in avalanche awareness, route finding, and first aid.

Before you go, be aware of the Winter travel restrictions in place by reviewing the Travel Management Implementation website and review avalanche conditions for your area on the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s website.

Planning a hut trip is about more than just finding an open date! The huts are stocked with supplies to make your stay comfortable and your pack light.

Here are our suggested packing lists for Winter and Summer.

Take a look at what amenities you will find at each hut before you pack:

Francie’s Cabin, Janet’s Cabin, Ken’s Cabin, Section House, Sisters Cabin

Hut check in time is 2:00 pm. Please time your travels so you arrive after 2:00 pm.

Check out time is 11am. Please be ready to depart by 11am. Upon departure, have your bags packed, cabin clean, and complete all items on the “Departure Checklist” (posted at each cabin).

All water should be treated or filtered before drinking. Francie’s and Janet’s Cabins have water sources within 50 yards of the cabin.

Dogs are not permitted at or near the huts. This is due to the need to maintain pure water for drinking, as well as waste and wildlife concerns. A U.S. Forest Service Supervisor’s Order prohibits dogs within 200 feet of all Summit Huts cabins. Violations are punishable by law.

People visit the huts for all kinds of reasons: outdoor recreation, getting friends and family together, or unplugging and enjoying the wilderness, to name a few. When sharing a hut with other groups a little common-sense courtesy can go a long way toward making sure everyone at the hut has a pleasant and memorable experience. We would suggest you read over our Hut Etiquette 101 document for some helpful suggestions. Above all, please treat fellow visitors as you would like to be treated.

Yes, traveling to the huts on snowshoes is an option. If you are not a confident backcountry skier or are new to traveling with a pack in the winter, snowshoes can be a good choice.

No, snowmobiles are prohibited to access any cabin in the Summit Huts system. Violators will be subject to fines.

Francie’s Cabin and Sisters Cabin were built in accordance with ADA standards, and Section House will also accommodate persons with disabilities. However, none of the trails are considered “easy access” as the trails to the cabins are backcountry experiences. For more information, please contact Summit Huts at (970) 453-8583.

The Vail Pass Fee is a user fee charged for Winter recreation in the Vail Pass area. If you are booking a Winter trip to Janet’s Cabin, the fee will be charged at the time you make your reservation.

Hut users pay per night of hut booking, instead of per day as area day users do. The fee is $10.00 per adult. Children 15 and under are free.

Hut users are expected to clean up after themselves and leave the hut cleaner than when they arrived. ALL trash and food MUST be collected and carried out. Trash bags, brooms, and additional cleaning supplies are available at the hut. We also have our hutmasters make weekly trips to the huts to maintain and restock supplies, ensuring a quality experience for our users.

Reservations cancelled 31 days or more prior to arrival date will receive an 80% refund to the original form of payment. Reservations cancelled between 30 days and 11 days prior to arrival date will receive a 50% refund to the original form of payment. Reservations cancelled 10 days or fewer prior to arrival date are not eligible for a refund.

You may cancel individual beds in your reservation by calling our office. For example, if you have 10 beds reserved you can call and cancel just two beds and retain eight.