Summary
Organization name
Alfred A. Braun Hut System. Inc
other names
ABHS
1997
Tax id (EIN)
84-1441504
Category
Recreation & Sports
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
1280 Ute Ave. Suite 10Aspen, CO 81611
Pitkin County, CO, US
The Alfred A. Braun Hut System (ABHS) is an Aspen based non-profit that operates seven backcountry ski huts that connect Ashcroft and Crested Butte. For almost sixty years the Braun Huts have provided the public with warm shelter that enhances access to the beautiful and rugged Elk Mountains.
Mission
To Sustain and protect a system of small, intimate huts for public use within the fragile, timberline environment centered in the upper Castle Creek Valley.
Background Statement
The Alfred A. Braun Hut System is Colorado's first hut system. When interest in skiing developed in Aspen, skiers and mountaineers were attracted to the dramatic alpine terrain beyond the lifts. The idea for a hut system that would enhance public winter access started with Stuart Mace, Isabel Mace, and John Holden. In the 1950s and 1960s they--with the support of memorial donations and many volunteers--built three of the original huts. The management of the huts was then taken over by Fred Braun who added three more huts to the system. Braun was an experienced mountaineer and an active member of the Aspen community who organized the Aspen mountain rescue team, the ambulance service, and served in local government. With US Ski Association Fred managed the huts that now bear his name until he passed away in 1989. The original six huts were far ahead of their time in terms of the vision of accessing remote backcountry terrain.
By the late 1990s the rugged terrain that the huts are located in and forty years of use began to take a toll on the aging structures. The huts have always been highly affordable and so there were limited funds for much needed upgrades and renovations. In 1997 a group of local hut enthusiasts led by Craig Ward formed the Alfred A. Braun Hut System Inc. non-profit and purchased the huts from the US Ski Association. A massive campaign-- supported by donations from the community and volunteer labor--renovated five of the original huts, built the new Markley Hut, and in 2012 built the new Opa's Taylor Hut. The original ethos of simple and affordable huts for small groups was preserved. Al Beyer, a skilled architect and board member, worked on the new huts and the renovations that have transformed the huts into beautiful and efficient structures.
Support from our community enabled the creation and revitalization Braun huts, with continued support from the community in the form of volunteer service and donations will assure the continued success of this great public resource for many generations to come.
Media gallery
Organization Data
Aspen, CO 81611