Tiny Alpine Cabin near Aspen / Vail

Your wilderness adventure awaits, complete with modern mountain accommodations. Regardless of season, adventure is guaranteed, but please read this about access so you are educated about our wilderness travel options in all seasons: In summer, most guests will want to hike about 2.5 miles (or more depending on the choice of trails) to the site, as the hike is beautiful, and the drive is best reserved for motorbikes, atvs, or 4wd jeeps with big tires, lockers, and winches. 

In winter (Nov 20th - May 21st), access is by over-snow vehicles such as snowmobiles (with proper experience), backcountry skis (with proper experience), snowshoes, or some combination. Expect 10.5 - 11+ miles of over-snow transport Guests booking around the start / end dates of the season can check with host about current conditions as these are USFS guidelines and depend on conditions. 

El Refugio is your place to stay in comfort in the middle of Holy Cross Wilderness. Scandinavian design meets Colorado nature. El Refugio is a one room cabin with full bed for two and extra mattresses for a couple others. Property accommodates 5 inside (with sleeping bags for 5 as well - bring your own liners). Perfect alternative to 10th mountain huts with a huge variety of excellent skiing, hiking, and climbing just out the door. Leave No Trace style property blends the best of conservation and comfort; your LNT practices help us keep hosting awesome people.

Please remember food, water, and sleeping bag liners if you want to use our bags, wag bags (for use with the gray folding NRS toilet, located under the table), firewood/ starter (see notes below), and either your own small stove or jetboil/MSR/snowpeak fuel for the small 1-burner stove (preferable; in the kitchen bin). Pots and pans and utensils and such are available for your use. A solar shower is also available.

There is a small, very efficient wood burning stove inside the original cabin for emergency and winter use (please bring 6" length logs if you'd like to use this) and there is a fire pit/ring outside (please bring 8-16" length logs if you'd like to use this) on the ledge overlooking Holy Cross City and the mountains. Check local fire bans (Eagle County and White River National Forest) before burning!

Expect to have no cell service along the way so if you're using Google Maps, we would suggest downloading the area map to your phone before taking off. A printed topo map is an excellent item for your pack as well.

There are several different routes you can take when getting to the cabin, which you will pass in this order as you go along the 703/ Homestake road and you'll see outlined in detail further below. Please research these when planning your trip:

1. Hike in from the start of Holy Cross City Road (road 759) (3.7 miles, 39.403140, -106.443517)

2. Hike in from Fancy Pass Trailhead (~4.4 miles, 39.390546, -106.470555)

3. EASIEST ROUTE: Hike in from intersection of 727 and 759 (2.5 miles, for getting here you should have 5-8+” clearance and AWD, as the 727 road is a somewhat tricky drive and not appropriate for most compact rental sedans), 39.409698, -106.455588)

Note: For winter the best route is on Homestake Reservoir Road (road 703) for about 7-7.5 miles from the closure to the 759 Holy Cross City jeep road and then up to Holy Cross City

Directions:

1. Off highway 24, take Homestead Reservoir Road (road 703).

2. Drive about 7.8 miles and take a right onto Missouri Creek Road (road 704). Note: before Missouri Creek Road, your GPS may try to take you to the right up Holy Cross City Road (road 759). Unless you have a high clearance, off-road vehicle, we would not turn here. However, you can hike in from this point. Please check signs regarding current parking restrictions if you choose this option.

3. Drive 2.2 miles and take a right on Fancy Creek Road (road 727). For this road you may want a good Colorado trailhead vehicle like a Subaru, unless you are used to driving your lower-clearance vehicle on narrow and at time challenging forest roads. Note: you'll pass Fancy Pass Trailhead which is another hiking route you can take to the cabin.

4. Drive 1.8 miles and you'll reach an opening where you can park your vehicle.

5. Head up the 759 jeep road to the cabin. Further directions and GPS coordinates provided at booking.

Winter (Nov 20 - May 20, approx, check USFS website for exact): Plan on the road being unplowed about 1/4 mile off of HWY 24, so plan on 7-7.5 miles flat (depending on where you can park) on the 703 road and then 3.5-4 miles up (depending on what quick shortcuts you are familiar with) on the Road 759 (right turn off of 703) over snow by snowmobile, snowshoes, touring skis, etc. We do our best to keep a skin/ snowshoe track up maintained but not always possible after new snow. Parking is often available at start of 703 road a little before bridge, or off of 24.

Note: if you would like exclusive guest use of the full property, please be sure to rent all sites/ buildings.