Uncle Bud's Hut
Uncle Bud's Hut is a 10th Mountain Division Hut Association backcountry hut at 11,380 ft, built for winter access and used as a base for backcountry skiing around Hagerman Pass. The hut holds 16 people, with sleeping upstairs in 2 bedrooms (one with 6 beds, one with 4 beds) plus a communal sleeping area with 7 single mattresses; it has a heat system with a wood setup and a wood oven, an outhouse toilet, and no shower or sauna.
Facilities focus on staying warm and cooking: there’s wood fire infrastructure (fire ring) and a wood-fueled stove plus kitchen basics (including propane for kitchen burners) and mattresses and pillows. Use requires booking in advance (reservation required), and the winter route from Turquoise Lake Trailhead is 5.9 miles with 1,694 ft of cumulative gain. Winter use is a core focus—access is also described for summer via driving around Turquoise Lake and then walking from the closure gate; vehicle access is never guaranteed.