First post in our mountain series — ski trips, hut reviews, and everything that happens when you get out there with the crew. Merchant Ski Co. is Denver built. This is what that looks like in practice.
Most skiers know Grays and Torreys as a summer fourteener situation. Packed trailhead, trail runners, 2am wakeup, the whole thing. What a lot of those people don't know — and honestly, we didn't either until recently — is there's a hut up there. Grays Hut. About 0.2 miles from the summer trailhead, with solid access to some of the better spring backcountry skiing in Clear Creek County.
We went last weekend. Three of us. Here's how it went.
Getting there
We drove up from Denver on Friday afternoon. The road was cleared about halfway — better than typical for this time of year. Then we found a 4Runner stuck above us, slush everywhere, wheels sinking fast. We dug out a Jeep Gladiator that was stuck below us, found a good pull-off, and started walking.
Skis and boots strapped to packs. We'd brought hiking boots, which turned out to be the right call in a low snow year. Mile and a half to the hut from where we parked. For Colorado backcountry, that's short — most huts out here take real effort to reach. Grays being this accessible is part of what makes it underrated.
The Hut
Sleeps six total. Four comfortably in the heated main house. There's also a bunkhouse, which is unheated — realistically summer or warm spring only for that option and this sleeps two.
Inside: The perfect game table, cast iron skillets, wood stove, standard kitchen setup, two beds downstairs, two beds upstairs and a gas-powered grill outside. The grill is not standard backcountry hut equipment. We used it anyways.
The best part about this hut: no melting snow/boiling water required. Theres a spring about a 5 min walk from the hut that provided some of the best tasting water I've ever had.
Friday night included chicken curry (with chicken made on the grill), a couple glasses of wine and Monopoly Deal until we went to bed early. Objective for Saturday was Dead Dog Couloir off Torrey's Peak which required an alpine start.
Saturday
Up at 4:45 AM. Instant coffee, skins on, gear pre-packed from the night before.
The skin up was rough. Low snow year meant dirt patches, bare sections, and at several points we strapped skis to our backs and hiked in ski boots. It took us close to three hours to reach the base of Torrey's.
Ten minutes into the skin, we got the first warning. A loud whumpf — the snowpack collapsing underfoot. If you haven't heard one, it's exactly as unsettling as it sounds. One of the crew thought it was a bear. It was not a bear. It was the persistent weak layer the forecast had flagged, and it was making itself known.
By the time we reached the base of Torrey's, the math didn't work. Sun up, snowpack already signaling instability, and we still needed another hour-plus to reach the top of Dead Dog. Wet avalanche conditions were building. We made the call. Dead Dog stays on the list for another day — the right call when the mountain tells you something.
We took a break at the base, chatted with some hikers coming through, and skied back down the riverbed to the hut.
The rest of the day
We were back by around 11:30 AM. Made some oatmeal and sat outside to enjoy the unseasonably warm march day.
The porch at Grays Hut is genuinely good. South-facing, long morning sun, good views. That's worth mentioning on its own.
Then we got the wood-fired sauna going. Grays has one. Not a minor detail.
The afternoon looked like this: sauna, snow shower, porch with beer and wine, tricuits, salami, cheddar, repeat. More Monopoly Deal. We cleared 20+ games over the weekend — had to be some kind of record.
Dinner was canned chicken over mac and cheese (drenched in hot sauce), followed by cookies baked in the cast iron. Simple. Just what the doctor ordered.
The verdict
Grays Hut is worth knowing about, but still feels pretty unknown.
It's accessible enough to be practical, comfortable enough to actually enjoy, and positioned right in the middle of a basin with pretty epic skiing when conditions cooperate. There are several consequential couloirs off of Torreys and Grays (Dead Dog, South Paw, and Lost Rat) plus some fun low angle tree skiing in the basin for when conditions don't cooperate.
It sleeps four comfortably in the main house — six if you use the bunkhouse in warmer conditions. If you're looking for a hut that doesn't require a full expedition to reach, this one delivers. We'll be back when the snowpack behaves.
One more thing: Hit Main Street Restaurant in Idaho Springs on the way home. Get the Benedict. All three of us did. Favorite place for breakfast in Colorado.
-Sam
Merchant Ski Co. is Denver built. Follow along for more from the mountain — or join The Ski Bums for updates on Batch 01.