Janet's Cabin

Overview

Located at timberline next to the Copper Mountain Ski Resort, Janet's Cabin attracts both novice and expert skiers. The hut was completed in 1990 by Summit Huts Association (the hut owner). The lovingly crafted 3,000 square foot cabin is built with 10" Montana pine logs. Four bedrooms sleep a maximum of 20 guests. If you like mountain lounging you'll feel at home on the large front deck, where you can bake in the sun while you watch skiers descend from the high bowls.

Janet's Cabin is dedicated to the memory of Janet Boyd Tyler, a Vail resident and avid skier who passed away in 1988. According to her eulogy, "Janet was renowned for her quick smile and readiness to constantly re-discover the joy of life. She discovered her life-long passion for skiing while attending school in New Hampshire. Early on, Janet met the challenges of the slopes, including (if the legends are true) Tuckerman Ravine in the White Mountains. She dug into all her pursuits with the same enthusiasm she gave to skiing, and she often viewed life's challenges from a skier's perspective. Mountain views, fresh clear air, the beckoning of trees beside the trails, but most of all a good powder morning-these were all perceptions she carried every day. Janet's lifetime ski pass is now buried in the foundation of Janet's Cabin.

Janet's Cabin has a wood-burning sauna.

Layout and capacity: Beds are all upstairs, bunk-style in 4 different rooms (1 room with 1 single bunk and 2 single beds, 2 rooms with a double bunk and 2 single beds, and 1 room with 2 double bunks, no double beds). Capacity: 20 (Winter) 14 (Summer)

Logistics
Parking and access are a little unusual for Janet's Cabin. During the winter Janet's Cabin is primarily accessed via the Copper Mountain Ski area by either riding the lifts up and exiting out one of the backcountry gates or by skiing up from the bottom of the ski area and exiting out the backcountry gate. Your cabin reservation can be shown at the Copper Mountain lift ticket office and exchanged for a special ticket for the Kokomo lift and Lumberjack lift, which will shorten your approach quite a bit.

You can also access the cabin from Vail Pass but because this trail is less traveled it may require more difficult route-finding and trail-breaking. Both of these routes are official 10th Mountain routes and are marked with our customary blue diamonds. There is no snowmobile access to this hut in the winter.

Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area Fee This hut is located in the Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area. Use of this hut during most of the winter requires payment of additional fees to the U.S. Forest service that will be charged at the time you make your reservation. This is not a parking fee; it applies regardless of which trailhead is used. The $6.00 per person per night fee is in effect from 11/29/13 though 4/30/14, children 13 and under are free.

Nearby Skiing
This hut has it all: tight tree skiing (Guller Trees), very easy alpine (Janet's Cruise), and a great summit with somewhat difficult skiing (Point 12,596).

Official Site and Reservations