Goodwin Greene (Green) Hut
ELEVATION: 11,680 feet (3,560 meters)
HUTSKI.COM FREE MAP: (see below)
GPS:
latitude 39.04994 longitude 106.73389 (decimal degrees, WGS 84)
easting 349960 northing 4323749 (UTM, zone 13S, WGS 84)
TRAILHEADS: Ashcroft, top of Aspen Mountain gondola
10TH MTN HUTS MAP: Star Peak
USGS MAPS: Hayden Peak, Aspen, Pearl Pass, Cement Mountain, Crested Butte, Gothic
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Goodwin Greene hut porch is a fun place after a day of skiing. |
Goodwin Greene (correct spelling, aka Green) is the most remote Braun Hut, the highest in elevation and the hardest to reach.
Though the hut is located near a popular snowmobile route, Goodwin Greene is surrounded on three sides by federal Wilderness, and is thus often a peaceful place.
It is not uncommon to use a snowmobile to approach the Goodwin Greene hut. If you do so, the legal and correct approach is to park above the hut on the shoulder of Gold Hill, and pack your gear to and from the hut. Doing so sends the right message to other skiers and “sledders.” Also, snowmobiles are not allowed in the USFS permit area surrounding the hut, so parking outside that envelope keeps you legal.
Creative mountaineers and backcountry skiers can find a plethora of interesting projects in this area. Just cover your eyes, point in almost any direction, and go. Because of the hut’s elevation it’s the perfect base camp for spring skiing. Note that finding this hut can be challenging.
Goodwin Greene Hut via Richmond Ridge
DIFFICULTY: Advanced
HUTSKI.COM FREE MAP: (see above)
ELEVATION GAIN: 1,300 feet (varies with exact route)
ONE WAY DISTANCE: 11 miles (varies with exact route)
Most of this route is usually packed by snowmobiles and is reasonably easy to navigate if you pay attention to map and compass. Nonetheless, here at HutSki.com we believe a programmed GPS is mandatory for this route, as the latter section can be extremely difficult to find in all but perfect weather.
From downtown Aspen, take the gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain, then exit through a backcountry gate behind the gondola building and ski 8 miles to Barnard Hut. Please see our HutSki.com Barnard Hut route description for details.
Continue southerly past Barnard Hut. This is the slightly less traveled part of Richmond Ridge, though on certain days (especially weekends) it can see a lot of snowmobile traffic. Ski to the upper east side of the open area east of Barnard Hut. Identify McArthur Mountain to the south. Head S, slightly to the left of McArthur Mountain. Your goal is an obvious wide corridor in the timber. Head up this corridor to the east side of McArthur Mountain, then continue ½ mile SE to McArthur Saddle, 11,800 feet, at the head of Waterfall Gulch.
The next section of trail takes a low-angled climb SE for 1 mile to pass over the top of a nondescript hump (12,320 feet). This is a good place for intense map and compass work and a GPS check. Descend E from the hump down easy ground to a saddle (12,080 feet). Gold Hill (12,361 feet) is the little bump rising east and northeast from the saddle. The ski to the summit is trivial, the view terrific.
To reach Goodwin Greene Hut, contour at 12,000 feet around the south side of Gold Hill to a somewhat obvious pass on the east side of Gold Hill (Gold Pass, 12,020 feet). Drop N from the pass ½ mile to the hut, which is located at timberline and fairly easy to spot, though it can be obscured by a deep snowpack. Beware of avalanche slopes on all sides of Gold Hill.
Goodwin Greene Hut from Express Creek
DIFFICULTY: Advanced
HUTSKI.COM FREE MAP: (see above)
ELEVATION GAIN: 2,863 feet
ONE WAY DISTANCE:
6 1/2 miles
See our HutSki.com Markley Hut description for more information about this route. Drive to the ghost town and residential area known as Ashcroft, 10 miles up the Castle Creek Road from Highway 82 (see trailhead information by using our main menu at top of this page). Take the route to Markley Hut from Ashcroft.
Ski up the valley past Markley Hut, staying in the middle of the valley to avoid the runouts of slide paths to either side. At the head of the valley (11,300 feet), swing N and continue up the drainage (do not use the road that climbs S across many avalanche paths).
At 11,600 feet in the upper Express Creek drainage, swing NE and climb steeper terrain to a saddle at 11,917 feet elevation. To reach Goodwin Greene Hut from the saddle, contour for about 1/4 mile NE mile at 12,000 feet, then take a dropping contour through a small gulch, continuing in a NE direction.
Out of the gulch do a moderate climb for about 1/2 mile up the lower angled reach of Gold Hill's south shoulder, to 12,160 feet, then take a dropping contour NE for about 2,000 feet to a somewhat obvious pass on the east side of Gold Hill (Gold Pass, 12,020 feet). Drop N from the pass ½ mile to the hut, which is located at timberline and fairly visible, though it can be obscured by a deep snowpack. Beware of various sized avalanche slopes on all sides of Gold Hill.
Note that navigation in this area may be incredibly difficult. Do your homework. Carry and expertly use your map and compass. A GPS unit is mandatory in our opinion here at HutSki.com, but must be programmed with numerous way points for accurate travel on this circuitous route.
Goodwin Greene Hut Regional Skiing and Mountaineering
You'lll find are plentiful options for skiing and riding with Goodwin Greene Hut as your base. For a short jaunt head for just a few minutes down Difficult Creek then skin back uphill. For radical terrain hit the petite north face of Gold Hill, a training ground for big descents that those of us at HutSki.com have enjoyed for years, albeit with care about avalanches. You can get an exhilarating "raid blanc" by heading E to the long ridge culminating at New York Peak. For an easy summit, HutSki.com recommends taking your access trail back to the south side of Gold Hill and have a snack on the summit while enjoying a sublime view. If you’re looking for practice slopes, you can find rolling terrain near the hut or in the timberline regions on the northeast-facing slopes at the head of Difficult Creek. Lower Difficult Creek is seldom skied because of steep terrain, dense timber and brush.
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