Backcountry
Industry News
Park City, Utah (November 19, 2024) – The new Western Uinta Hut System is set to transform backcountry recreation in Utah, offering year-round access to Utah’s Western Uinta Mountains in a hut-to-hut experience.
As Utah’s first and only four-season backcountry hut system, the network will feature five strategically located huts that unlock recreational access to 100,000 acres of rugged backcountry terrain. The routes that make up the hut system include 96.17 miles of developed trails, including non-motorized, mountain bike, and UTV-designated trails. The new system can be used for backcountry skiers, snowmobilers, hikers, mountain bikers, and UTV enthusiasts.
The Western Uinta Hut System will open for the 2024-2025 winter season, beginning with two of the five huts (Castle Peak Yurt; Smith and Morehouse Yurt) and progressing with the following timeline:
- The Castle Peak Yurt is the first hut in the system. It was renovated in 2021 when it was acquired by Inspired Summit Adventures.
- The newly constructed Smith and Morehouse Yurt (Nov 2024), located near the iconic reservoir of the same
- Construction of the final three huts is in the planning phase and will connect the system through the areas of Slate Creek, Erikson Basin, and Smith and Morehouse.
Each yurt provides a cozy and fully-equipped basecamp with sleeping spaces for 6-10 adults, a wood stove with an oven, a 3-burner propane stove, kitchen utensils, and flatware. In the winter, the surrounding terrain is a playground for backcountry skiing, with pristine powder lines. The summer months invite hiking through lush forests, paddling across reservoirs, fishing, mountain biking, climbing, and stargazing around a campfire.
Conceptualized by founder and lead guide Shaun Raskin Deutschlander, the Western Uinta Hut System is operated by Inspired Summit Adventures–Utah’s premier backcountry mountain guides. For more than 12 years, Deutschlander and her team have been dedicated stewards of the land, earning recognition for their commitment to sustainable recreation and successfully working within their existing Special Use Permit issued by the Heber Kamas Ranger District of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest to allow for the creation of the Western Uinta Hut System.
“The Western Uinta Hut System is a culmination of our dedication to stewardship, access and community,” said Deutschlander. “When I started Inspired Summit over a decade ago, I only dreamed that one day I would be in a position to work with the Forest Service and the outdoor community in such a profound way. This opportunity to create a lasting legacy for the greater outdoor community is a dream come true.”
The Castle Peak and Smith and Morehouse Yurts are now open for booking. For more information on reservations, available dates, and the full hut system, visit inspiredsummit.com/western-uinta-huts.
