The Huts > Summit Huts Association > Ken’s Cabin & Section House > Ken’s Cabin

Ken’s Cabin & Section House Ken’s Cabin

Ken’s Cabin is an intimate hut experience for two or three people. Also known as the historic Wagon Cabin, Ken’s was built in the 1860’s when Boreas Pass Road was a mere wagon trail over the Continental Divide. Sitting adjacent to Ken’s Cabin is the Section House which was built in 1882 to house the railroad men and their families who took care of a section of the Denver South Park & Pacific narrow gauge railway that ran from Denver to Leadville over Boreas Pass. These historic buildings, listed with the National Register of Historic Places, were carefully restored from 1992-97 with funding and assistance provided by the U.S. Forest Service, Park County, Texas A&M University, Colorado Department of Transportation, and Harris Construction. Summit Huts Association completed the upgrades to the Section House and Ken’s Cabin and has a special use permit to operate the buildings as winter ski huts. Ken’s Cabin is named in memory of Ken Graff who died in an avalanche near Breckenridge in 1995 at age 34.

Hut Information

Owned By

Summit Huts Association

Open

Winter

Winter Mileage*

6.5

Closest Town

Breckenridge

Hut Elevation

11,481 '

Cumulative Elevation Gain *

1,208'

Layout

One small room with a double bed and a single day bed.

*from Boreas Pass Trailhead

Amenities

Heat

Wood

Oven

No

Refrigeration

No

Water

Snow Melt**

Toilet

Outhouse

Ada Accessible

No

Sauna

No

Fire Ring

No

Grill

No

Dogs

No

Charging

None

Gear Cart

No


** Winter only

Details

  • Firewood, starter paper, matches, axes
  • Propane for kitchen burners
  • Plastic bins for food storage
  • Snow collection buckets and large pot for melting snow on wood-burning heat stove (bring your own filter)
  • Outhouse is shared by Ken's Cabin and Section House guests, toilet paper
  • Pots, pans, potholders, dishware, cooking and eating utensils, percolator or French press, salt & pepper
  • Paper towels, dish soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, trash bags
  • Solar powered lights
  • Mattresses, pillows

Book This Hut

Capacity

3

Price

$85/night

Visit our Online Booking Platform to search for availability and book this hut.

Location

39.410534, -105.967644

Official 10th Mountain Division Map

CalTopo

Winter Map : Boreas Pass Map

View / Print

National Geographic

Map : Breckenridge/Tennessee Pass

USFS

Map : Pike National Forest

Trailheads/Routes

Most hut users access Ken’s Cabin from the Boreas Pass trailhead. This is a gradual ski/snowshoe up an old railroad grade. There are access routes from the south that begin outside Como, but they aren’t used as often so some trail-breaking and navigation may be required.

NO MOTORIZED ACCESS: During the winter season (November to May), motorized access, including snowmobiles, is strictly prohibited on the Boreas Pass Road leading to Ken’s Cabin and/or the Section House. The winter gate at the Boreas Pass Trailhead is closed to all motorized vehicles during the winter months per the US Forest Service.

Ken’s Cabin Winter Information & Parking Permit PDF

Routes

Ken's Cabin from Boreas Pass Trailhead/Standard Winter Route

Total Mileage

6.5

Trailhead Elevation

10,350'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

1,208'

Ken's Cabin from Gold Dust Drop-Off/No Parking

Total Mileage

4.7

Trailhead Elevation

10,330'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

1,263'

Ken's Cabin from Peabody Trailhead

Total Mileage

7

Trailhead Elevation

10,096'

Cumulative Elevation Gain

1,451'

Hut-Specific Weather

Tonight : Mostly clear. Low around 16, with temperatures rising to around 19 overnight. Northwest wind around 8 mph.

Tuesday : A chance of snow after noon. Mostly sunny. High near 38, with temperatures falling to around 35 in the afternoon. West northwest wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday Night : A slight chance of snow before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 17. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Wednesday : A chance of snow after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. West northwest wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday Night : Mostly clear, with a low around 18. West northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Thursday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 39.

Thursday Night : A slight chance of snow before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday : A chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 38. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Friday Night : A slight chance of snow before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 21.

Saturday : A chance of snow after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday Night : A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.

Sunday : Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Sunday Night : Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Monday : Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Contents

Notices

Avalanche Hazard Information

Colorado is known for its avalanche prone snowpack. A number of the suggested routes to 10th Mountain Division Huts pass through or are next to terrain that may be prone to avalanches. Accordingly, pick the suggested route that most suits your group and its abilities, carry appropriate equipment, and always exercise prudent backcountry travel techniques when passing through avalanche prone terrain. Remember, avalanches can occur in forested areas and can run into forested areas from open slopes. Moreover, a number of huts booked are situated in the midst of extreme avalanche terrain. Many other huts, while located in more modest terrain, still have access routes that cross avalanche paths.

We strongly suggest that someone in every group be experienced in evaluating avalanche and snow stability hazards and practicing prudent backcountry and winter mountain travel techniques. For up-to-date avalanche information for all of Colorado, visit the website for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). Another excellent resource is the Forest Service National Avalanche Center website. While this site doesn’t have local forecasts, it does have a wealth of information on backcountry travel in avalanche terrain and snow science, as well as tutorials on some basic skills and snow science.

We recommend that you start checking the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) website regularly before your trip to see how conditions are evolving. Study your maps to see what type of terrain you will be traveling through to see if there are alternative routes that might be feasible if snow stability conditions deteriorate. During most of the winter, travel to the huts, other than those in the Braun Hut System and the Friends’ Hut, is possible with a relatively minor degree of risk. However, if your trip falls within a period or cycle of high or extreme instability, you must make the decision of whether or not to go. The huts are not closed for avalanche hazard reasons.

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