Burro Trailhead
ELEVATION: 9,680 feet
HUTSKI.COM FREE TOPO MAP: Francie's Cabin
GPS: 409 660 E, 43 69 737 N
Huts accessed: Francie's Cabin
USGS topo map: Breckenridge
Drive Colorado Highway 9 to the ski town of Breckenridge. The Burro Trail starts at the base of Peak 9 at the Breckenridge Ski Resort near Beaver Run Resort. While day parking is available here (expensive and paid, arrive early), winter overnight parking is not allowed at this location. What's more, the availability of overnight parking in Breckenridge changes from year to year and is tough to document. Thus, we advise calling Breckenridge and finding out where to park overnight in the busy ski town, 970-453-5000 or see website. Better, we advise simply not using this confusing and distant trailhead for Francie's cabin, instead use the straightforward and simple trailhead on the Spruce Creek Road.
Also: You many need to obtain a parking permit from the 10th Mountain Huts website and post the parking permit on your dashboard (make copies if your group requires more than one vehicle). Again, ask about this when you call Breckenridge.
Once you figure out the parking, take a shuttle bus to Beaver Run Resort. Again, this can be confusing because at least three different bus systems run through the town. Solution is to read signs and ask bus drivers where/when.
Once you're finally at Beaver Run Resort, provided you still have the energy to ski to Francie's cabin, locate the ski school area on the easterly side of the resort, next to the ski runs. The U.S. Forest Service trailhead sign for the Burro Trail is easterly across the ski runs from the ski school area, indicated by an obvious USFS trailhead sign. Follow the Burro Trail to the Crystal Lakes Road or the Spruce Creek Road routes for Francie's Cabin.
[field checked by HutSki 11/07, including accurate 72x averaged GPS]
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