Skiing into a 10th Mtn Division Hut with Twin Babies
Overview
This past April, our family skied to the Continental Divide Cabin, a kid-friendly 10th Mtn Division Hut near Leadville, CO. We spent 3 days cozying up in the cabin and getting out for daily ski adventures with our burley trailer. After doing plenty of research, talking to other mamas who had done this trip with their young kids, and finally experiencing it for ourselves, we were shocked to find just how doable this trip is with babies.
The Continental Divide Cabin came equipped with everything you would need to have a safe and enjoyable adventure with kids. We were grateful to learn that the cabin came equipped with:
2 pack n plays, which we used for our boys at night,
a child safety gate to go around the wood burning stove,
a solar powered small refrigerator (we didn’t use this, but I imagine that some families could find this useful!),
a child seat for the outhouse,
and even bumbo seats for kids!
They seriously thought of it all! The cabin itself had two private bedrooms and 4 beds in the main area, making it the perfect place for a couple of families to enjoy a winter (or summer–the huts are available year round) adventure together. We brought a large down quilt blanket that doubled as extra warmth in the trailer while skiing and a blanket for the boys to play on in the hut. We set it down over two z rest pads, brought 2 toys, and the boys were in their glory!
The trail to the cabin starts at the Tennessee Pass trailhead and is a quick 0.8mi ski into the hut on relatively flat terrain. One of the reasons we chose this hut specifically (other than it being kid-friendly) is because of this short ski in. This gave us the peace of mind to know that we could bail if the boys weren’t doing well or if something went wrong. If you are not able to find any openings at the Continental Divide Cabin, check out the Point Breeze Cabin, which neighbors the Continental Divide Cabin and is another kid-friendly hut.
Right outside the hut was a variety of xc ski trails perfect for a mid-day ski outing. These trails ranged in difficulty and we were able to stay on hours of trails that were relatively easy. We found that skiing during the boys’ naps was a great way to keep them on a consistent schedule (they slept extremely well in the burley trailer) while also getting out and exploring the trails.
Overall, we were surprised at how doable this trip was and found it so worth the money to have this distraction-free time adventuring as a family. We all seemed to be in our element–Chris and I had the joy of exploring new trails and trying something new together and the boys seemed in their glory getting to play with mama and papa in the cabin and enjoy the beautiful crisp air as we hung out on the front deck and went out on the trails. We 10/10 would recommend doing this trip with your family!
Trip Details
Trip date: April 8 -10, 2023
Distance: 4.8mi (1.6mi roundtrip from trailhead)
Elevation gain: 534ft (102 ft from TH to hut))
Trailhead: Tennessee Pass TH
Difficulty: Easy
Water: During the winter months, you melt and boil snow for water. During the summer months, they have a cistern with a pump that you can use for water.
Permits: Reserve the cabin through the 10th Mtn Division Hut website. These huts are in high demand and there is a lottery system to reserve the huts. I would highly recommend planning this trip at least a year in advance and making sure you know when the lottery opens so that you can get the best chance to reserve a spot in a hut. Go here for the latest lottery dates.
Pets: Dogs are NOT allowed in the 10th Mtn Division Huts
Trip Description
Day 1: Tennessee Pass TH to Continental Divide Cabin (0.8 mi)
On the first day of our trip, we took a leisurely drive down to the Tennessee Pass TH from Denver, CO. The arrival time for the hut is no earlier than 2pm, so this gave us plenty of time to finish up last minute packing, eat a good breakfast, and get on the road in time to ski into the cabin.
Since we were driving to a higher elevation with our babies, we made sure to have pacifiers for them to suck on and plenty of formula for them to drink on the drive to the TH. The pacifier helped them in case they had pressure build up in their ears and the formula ensured that they stayed well hydrated throughout the day as they went to a higher elevation. We upped their formula amount just to make sure they were well hydrated and fed for the trip. Luckily, our boys had no issue with the altitude. We fed them at the start of the drive and they took their nap on the drive. By the time we arrived, they were ready for their next feeding and diaper change and were happy campers! Check out my blog for more information on how I time outdoor excursions so that our little ones can stay on their routine while we adventure.
Once we got to the trailhead, my husband assembled the burley trailer with the ski attachments, put the skins on our skis, and loaded the back of the trailer with extra items that we couldn’t fit in our backpacks while I changed diapers in the car and put layers on our boys.
The ski to the hut was incredibly beautiful. The snow was gently falling and the trail was relatively flat as it meandered through trees. We passed by the Point Breeze Cabin (thinking it was our cabin at first!) and continued on to the Continental Divide Cabin. When we got there, we found a cozy space that was already warm from the people who had stayed there prior to us. After exploring the cozy space, we began to boil some water, set up the 2 pack n plays, a playing area for the boys which we created with 2 z rest pads under a large quilt on the floor, and a diaper changing station.
We decided to keep things simple when it came to dinners–mostly because we didn’t want to have to wait too long to eat after putting the boys down for bed. We brought dehydrated meals that we were able to soak while we put the boys down for bed. Once they were asleep, our food was ready and Chris and I got to enjoy a cozy evening to ourselves.
How we did sleeping arrangements: We set up both pack n plays in one of the private bedrooms, where we would all sleep. The room had room darkening shades which helped us make the room dark for the boys to sleep in. Both boys slept in Morrison Outdoor Sleeping Bags, which were the perfect piece of gear for the job! They stayed warm and there was no risk of them getting anything over their face at night. We brought a portable rechargeable sound machine that made the night routine feel familiar for the boys.
Our boys were still doing feedings at night at that point. We brought a large thermos with us that we filled with hot water at the start of the night. This allowed us to mix formula for each feeding without having to worry about reheating water each time. The cabin came with several rocking chairs which were perfect for those late night feedings!
Day 2: Ski-venture along the Mitchell Creek Loop (3.2 mi roundtrip, 432ft)
The next morning, I woke up before everyone else and got to enjoy some solitude (a rare occasion!). The air was crisp outside and the snow was sparkling. There was something magical about being away from distractions and taking time to focus on the simplicity of gathering wood, starting a fire in the stove, and boiling some water. The boys woke up and we started the morning with feedings, play time, and pancakes!
When it was time for the boys’ naps, we bundled the boys up and placed them in the burley trailer with a down quilt and headed out exploring the Mitchell Creek Loop. As mentioned earlier, there is a series of xc ski trails right outside the cabin, which made this a super easy adventure to do in the middle of the day. The trail had a bit more incline than the first day, but it was still very manageable. I will say that if you have the option to go on this trip earlier in the spring, take that opportunity! The snow conditions vary from year to year, but this year, we had to navigate around some patches of dirt. We found it helpful to have one person pulling the trailer behind while the other person skied behind and helped redirect the trailer around trees and patches of dirt. For the most part, the trail was gorgeous and had great views!
When we got back to the cabin, we had more play time, read stories (the hut even had children’s books in the cabin!) and got ready for bed.
Day 3: Continental Divide Cabin to Tennessee Pass TH (0.8 mi)
Checkout the next day was at 11am, so we made more pancakes (if you haven’t tried Kodiak Protein Cakes, they are definitely worth trying!) and got the cabin ready for the next group. The hike out was a beautiful sunny day and a very chill ski back to the TH. At the TH we saw the next group that would be staying in the cabin. They had a group with a burley trailer as well as sleds loaded with food and other items that they pulled behind. This goes to show that you can go all out or take a more minimalist approach–there is no wrong way to do this! Personally, we enjoyed being able to carry everything on our backs and in the trailer for simplicity’s sake.
After arriving to the car and packing up our gear, we headed to Leadville for the best pizza in town at High Mountain Pies. This is a must try place and the perfect way to end a trip like this!
How we kept our little ones warm
We made sure to not pack any cotton clothing items for the boys in order to keep them as dry and warm as possible. This was the layering system we packed for the boys:
2 Fleece onesies and a bamboo onesie (in case they got too warm)
Thick fleece bunting (with attached mitts and booties)
Warm hat
Down blanket for inside the trailer
The days were warm with the sun and this ended up being the perfect layering system for our boys. If your kiddos are crawling or walking, a rain suit is a must have for being able to crawl around without getting themselves wet (this is great for time around camp/the hut in any season--whether it be raining, sunny, cold, or relatively warm). Depending on the weather, it might be appropriate to bring a down bunting as well.
Again, hydration is important not just for being at a high elevation, but also for staying warm! Check your little one frequently to make sure they are not too warm–if so, they can sweat and once that sweat evaporates, they will get cold.
Game changer items:
Mausito Baby Sunglasses: These are perfect for snowy conditions. We wanted to make sure we could protect our blue-eyed babies eyes from the sun reflecting off of the snow. These sunglasses provide complete coverage around their eyes and have an adjustable velcro strap to secure the glasses. This was a great option for making sure they stayed on and didn’t dig into their head.
Portable Sound Machine: This was perfect for putting in the room at night as well as in the trailer as they took their naps on skis. This provided some familiarity to their sleep environment throughout the trip.
Morrison Outdoor Sleeping Bag: If there is anything to splurge on, this is it! These bags are perfect for keeping your kiddo warm while also providing them freedom of movement for their arms, mits for their hands, and a zipper that goes up to their neck so that you don’t have to worry about them sinking into the bottom of the sleeping bag.
Burley Trailer with Ski Attachment and Snuggler Seats: This trailer was the perfect option for bringing our boys along on the ski adventures. The waterproof flap allows them to stay protected from snow, wind, and cold, which is why we chose this over attaching them to the front of us. The Snuggler Seats provided more cushion for them (our boys were still quite small) while also providing an extremely soft and warm seat surrounding their head and body. If your babies are still fairly small, I would recommend this for added warmth and protection.
Z Rest pad with quilt over it: This was perfect for keeping them insulated from the ground and giving them a relatively soft surface to play on. OUr boys were still working on rolling at this point and we didn’t want them to hit their head against the ground.
