Quiet Policy Changes at Colorado's Shrine Mountain Inn

We discover the need for more BYOs at popular backcountry hut

With my husband and/or friends, I have been to Shrine Mountain Inns four times in the last two years -- three times in summer for peak wildflower season (Indian paintbrush and other blooms, top right), once in late winter. I love the trio of easy-access log huts anytime. With flush toilets, showers, and hot and cold running water, Walter's, Jay's and Chuck's represent real backcountry luxury.

In winter, when it is necessary to ski or snowshoe in with a heavy pack loaded with cold-weather gear, food and drink, the route is mercifully short (about 2.7 miles from the Vail Pass parking area) and straightforward, and is an area with minimal avalanche hazard. In summer, it is possible drive up the Shrine Pass Road, pass through the private property gate to the Shrine Mountain Inns and pull practically to the door. That means it's no sweat at all to take a cooler loaded with eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables and whatever meat or other goodies you might want to grill, a couple of bottles or wine, and other "civilized" food and drink.

Six of us -- three who had been to Shrine Mountain Inns before and we thought we knew the drill-- drove in yesterday. We were all looking forward to the tranquility of the backcountry, an overnight at Walter's (center, right) and some hiking amid the splendor of midsummer wildflowers. We brought relatively sumptuous foods and wine. but we didn't bring sleeping bags or bedding, because up until a few months ago, quilts were supplied.

Sherry, the long-time hut keeper, had a stash of sleeping bags -- for rent at $10 each, including a cotton liner. I suppose if any of us had read the info page on the website carefully, we would have brought our own, as we routinely do for other huts in the 10th Mountain Division Hut System, which handles bookings for the privately owned Shrine Mountain Inns.

Sherry wasn't sure whether the quilts would be back for the winter season, so if we go up again then, we'll be sure to inquire when we book. If the policy hasn't changed, next time our sleeping bags will come with us. In summer, so will real wine glasses and decent kitchen knives. Hut kitchens are equipped with a miscellany of yard sale-style cooking implements, dishes, mugs and glasses, which is part of their charm. Still, next time, especially in summer when we can drive right up, I will also bring at least one paring knife and one chef's knife. And if we have wine, I'll bring wine glasses. Since we took the trouble to bring reasonably good wine, it would have been better with wine glasses instead of jelly glasses, water tumblers and coffee mugs.

These, of course, are minor blips on a wonderful 24 hours. We arrived in the early after, hiked the Shrine Mountain Trail with its wondrous wildflowers, put in many hours working on one of the most vexing jigsaw puzzles any of us had ever seen (bottom, right), lingered over a relaxing dinner and after a leisurely breakfast the next morning, packed up to leave -- refreshed relaxed and happy. It is amazing how much of an escape 24 hours not too far away from can provide -- even under gray skies.

We drove back down to I-70, got off in Frisco to a convenient trailhead and hiked the North Tenmile Creek Trail from the outskirts of town into the Eagles Nest Wilderness. More wildflowers. We capped the short getaway with margaritas and a late lunch on the deck of a restaurant called the Boatyard in Frisco. The drinks hit the spot, the food was fine and it was a suitable re-entry from the high-country hut.