Fowler Hilliard Yurt

As many of you know by now the Fowler/Hilliard Hut recently burned down. Thankfully no one was in the hut when it burned down and the fire didn't spread to the surrounding forest, but the hut was a total loss. This is a difficult and tragic loss for not only us at 10th Mountain but for all of our hut users as well. The Fowler/Hilliard hut was one of the most popular huts because of its location and its design, and the surrounding ski terrain is some of the best in our hut system. As sad as this loss is, we will rebuild the hut and hope to have it up and running for the 2010-2011 winter season.

In the meantime we will be constructing a yurt in an effort to accommodate those hut users who already had reservations for the Fowler/Hilliard Hut for this winter and for any new reservations.

When can the General Public make reservations at the yurt?

The general public can reserve the yurt beginning Monday, November 2, 8:00 A.M. New multi-party reservations will be capped at 12 people. New single party reservations will be able to have exclusive use of the hut with 12 spaces reserved, and can book up to 16 spaces if so inclined.

Doing nothing would have been frustrating, unproductive, and not consistent with how we do business. You reserved the Fowler/Hilliard Hut and you deserve to have the opportunity to stay – if not at the hut – then the next best thing.

Constructing a yurt is the right thing to do because it honors the commitment to advance reservations, provides a continuity of backcountry shelter experience, and demonstrates that 10th Mountain is able to appropriately and swiftly respond to a completely unexpected and untimely occurrence. It is, quite frankly, a lousy idea from strictly a financial point of view and our accountants are having a really difficult time with the whole idea.Their job is to worry about these things.Our job is to provide a good experience, and this is why we decided to construct a yurt. It might be a bit of a push to get it built before the onset of winter but at this time I am very optimistic we can get it done. After all, this is what we do - mess around in the high country well after good reason warrants.

The yurt is 30 feet in diameter; 6’7”exterior round walls; 14 feet tall in the middle; and has approximately 700 sq ft of living space. This structure is designed for high altitude, snowy and windy environments and comes with insulation in the floor, walls, and ceiling. It has five windows that are 5’x4’ and both doors have windows. There is an 8’x16’ deck on the south side. Since the yurt is still being constructed, we are unable to show you pictures of exactly what it will look like but we have included sketches of what we intend to do and pictures of similar yurts in Colorado. We will replace these with actual photos as we get them. Below is a link to the yurt manufacturers website and an exterior view of the yurt as well as some sample photos of other yurts here in Colorado..

The yurt will not be quite as spacious as the Fowler-Hilliard Hut was but it will still provide a cozy escape from the elements. We will provide interior design models as soon as they become available.

The yurt will have all the same amenities as other 10th Mountain huts, including a new large wood burning heat stove, firewood, propane burners for cooking, photovoltaic lights, matches, TP, candles, and a fully stocked kitchen with cooking and eating utensils. There will be no oven at this yurt. There are 16 comfortable mattresses with flannel cover sheets, pillows, and beds arranged in a combination of singles and doubles in a large shared sleeping room. As with all the huts, you need to bring a sleeping bag, food, personal, and emergency gear. Yurt users melt snow for water in the winter and are responsible for drinking water purification. The yurt will often be booked to capacity and may be shared by more than one group.

Will it be cold in the yurt? The yurt will be as warm as a hut if you keep the heat stove going. There is less thermal mass in a yurt than there is in a hut, and this allows the yurt to heat up and cool off very quickly. 10th Mountain installed a large, new, and efficient wood burning heat stove that, if operated correctly, will keep the yurt at a comfortable temperature. If, however, your group is not completely familiar with the stove, it might be a good idea to bring a slightly warmer sleeping bag than you normally would bring on a hut trip.

Will the yurt be crowded? It will be cozier than a hut, certainly, with 16 people booked at one time. 10th Mountain understands that even though the yurt can comfortably accommodate 16 people, it will likely be more comfortable with fewer people. Advance reservations already comprised of multiple parties may find themselves with a full yurt. Advance single party reservations will have the opportunity to reduce their group to 12 people and still have exclusive use of the yurt, or keep it at 16.

New multi-party reservations will be capped at 12 people. New single party reservations will be able to have exclusive use of the yurt with 12 spaces reserved, and can book up to 16 spaces if so inclined.

Will the yurt be dark? This yurt has five windows that are each 5’ x 4’ and both doors have windows. We think it will be filled with natural light during the day and the latest and greatest in photovoltaic lighting will provide good lighting during the evening.

Will the yurt offer privacy and quiet? A modicum of privacy and quiet will be provided by constructing a wall to separate the sleeping area from the common area. There will be no private rooms available in the yurt.

This endeavor will likely generate more goodwill within the backcountry community than operating receipts. 10th Mountain is prepared to take a financial hit on the project because, again, providing a good backcountry experience is most important to us in this situation. Obviously, we would like to minimize these losses and would appreciate any and all financial support. Contributions are tax-deductible and you can participate by giving online, sending a check, or calling with your credit card information. Using the yurt may be the best way to support 10th Mountain’s initial response to the loss of the Fowler/Hilliard Hut: and, using the yurt and making a contribution would be even better.

Who is helping to build this yurt (in nasty weather, with horrible access, and unyielding timeline)?

The Fowler/Hilliard Hut burned September 22, 2009. No one was staying at the hut. Word quickly got out to a number of agencies including the US Forest Service, Eagle County Fire Protection Department, Eagle County Sheriff, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the Interagency Fire Response Team (US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management) and the Eagle County Fire Protection District responded immediately with two fire response teams with engines and were prepared to help extinguish remaining hot spots and monitor the scene. Other investigators also responded. The hut was a total loss. It is too early to come to any conclusions regarding the cause, but it is known that significant lightning activity occurred in the area during that time. Results of the investigation are not complete at this time, but these agencies determined that there was no criminal intent – i.e., arson was not the cause.

Hut visitors will be glad to know that the logbooks of the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association are regularly archived offsite. We are currently retrieving all logbook entries beginning with the first entries in winter 1988 through spring 2009. Regrettably, we had not archived entries from the summer 2009.

10th Mountain Division and Summit Huts Associations, Alfred A. Braun Hut System, and Friends Hut operate under special use permits from the US Forest Service, and are equal opportunity service providers.