Braun Hut Board and Staff L-R: Pete Gaston, Greg Shaffran (Sec/Treasurer), Al Beyer, Casey Ward (Vice President), Ashley Perl (President), Craig Ward, Boots Ferguson, Morgan Boyles (Director), David Swersky
OUR MISSION:
We are a 501c3 non profit with the mission “To sustain and protect a system of small, intimate huts for public use within the fragile, timberline environment centered in the upper Castle Creek Valley.” The Alfred Braun Huts independently owns and operates seven huts in the Elk Mountains: Barnard, Goodwin Greene, Markley, Lindley, Tagert, Green Wilson, and Opa Taylor.
STAFF
Morgan Boyles
morgan@braunhuts.org
970 948 8837
Please contact Morgan regarding: maintenance, volunteer opportunities, and donations!
Our reservations are managed by the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association please visit www.huts.org or call 970 925 5775 with booking inquiries.
MAILING ADDRESS
Alfred Braun Hut System Box 7937 Aspen, CO 81611
Donations
To make an donation or view our financials please visit www.coloradogives.org/BraunHuts/overview
History
We are the oldest system of backcountry ski huts in Colorado, since the construction of the Lindley in 1960 the Braun Huts have provided backcountry skiers with warmth and access to the Elk Mountains.
When interest in skiing developed in Aspen, skiers and mountaineers were attracted to the dramatic alpine terrain in the Castle Creek Valley. The idea for a hut system that would enhance public winter access started with Stuart Mace, Isabel Mace, and John Holden. They--with the support of memorial donations and many volunteers--built three of the original huts: Lindley (1960), Tagert (1963), and Markley (1965).
Fred Braun (1904-1989) skiing at the original Lindley hut in the 1960s (Braun/Stapleton Family Collection)
The management of the huts was then taken over by Fred “Opa” Braun in the late 1960s. Fred added three more huts to the system: Barnard (1967), Goodwin Greene (1976), and Green Wilson (1978). Braun was an experienced mountaineer and an active member of the Aspen community who organized the Aspen mountain rescue team, the ambulance service, and served in local government. With US Ski Association Fred managed the huts that now bear his name until he passed away in 1989. The original six huts were far ahead of their time in terms of the vision of accessing remote backcountry terrain.
By the late 1990s the rugged terrain that the huts are located in and forty years of use began to take a toll on the aging structures. The huts have always been highly affordable and so there were limited funds for much needed upgrades and renovations. In 1997 a group of local hut enthusiasts led by Craig Ward formed the Alfred A. Braun Hut System Inc. non-profit and purchased the huts from the US Ski Association. A massive campaign-- supported by donations from the community and volunteer labor--renovated five of the original huts, built the new Markley Hut in 2003, and in 2012 built the new Opa's Taylor Hut. The original ethos of simple and affordable huts for small groups was preserved. Al Beyer, a skilled architect and board member, worked on the new huts and the renovations that have transformed the huts into beautiful and efficient structures.
Support from our community enabled the creation and revitalization Braun huts, with continued support from the community in the form of volunteer service and donations will assure the continued success of this great public resource for many generations to come.