Untapped terrain: Utah’s first year-round backcountry hut-to-hut network opens

Utah's first hut system is open this winter for ski touring in a pristine section of the Western Uintas. Photo: Inspired Summit Adventures

The Western Uinta Hut System, operated by Park City-based Inspired Summit Adventures, unlocks a four-season mecca of adventure in pristine alpine terrain

PARK CITY, Utah — Nestled in the rugged beauty of Utah’s Western Uintas lies a budding hub for backcountry exploration: a carefully planned yurt-to-yurt system that promises to redefine access to this remote and often overlooked terrain. With its pristine wilderness and sparse data, the region is a hidden gem, long favored by hardcore adventurers but largely untouched by mainstream outdoor enthusiasts. 

Utah’s first four-season hut system opened in November and the project, brainchild of Shaun Raskin Deutschlander, founder of Park City-based Inspired Summit Adventures, unlocks 100,000 acres of terrain in what locals call the “Bermuda Triangle” of Utah’s backcountry.

“It’s really the last information-sparse zone we have,” said Shaun Raskin Deutschlander, founder of Park City-based Inspired Summit Adventures, which operates the system. “There are no weather stations. Our Castle Peak yurt’s self-made weather station is the only remote data that UAC can gather.”

A Wilderness Like No Other

The Castle Peak Yurt, situated at 9,800 feet, and the Smith and Morehouse Yurt, located at 7,600 feet, form the current backbone of this system. In summer, these two hubs are connected by a 10-mile hiking trail. But in winter, skiers and snowboarders have the opportunity to traverse the challenging terrain between the two via one of two routes, featuring 2,500 feet of elevation gain and up to 5,000 feet of thrilling descents. 

Each wilderness outpost sleeps 10 adults with wood-burning stoves, ovens and full kitchens. Castle Peak includes a barrel sauna.

The Smith and Morehouse location breaks new ground as a fully ADA-accessible backcountry facility. “If we really want to serve the adaptive community, what better place than by a body of water where you can jump in a kayak, go down the creek into the river, or access motorized trail systems?” Deutschlander said.

Building the system

This winter, the company launches guided hut-to-hut ski tours. “You snowmobile in, leave the sleds, skin with day packs, do a huge day, and end up at Smith and Morehouse where magically all your gear is there, the stove is hot, and there’s a charcuterie board waiting,” Deutschlander said.

The project plans to expand to five interconnected huts by fall 2026, pending Forest Service approval. New locations will target the Big Elk and Ramona areas, with a final yurt planned for Slate Creek.

“The vision is that each hut serves a specific community,” Deutschlander said. “The Slate Creek yurt will speak to the mountain bike and motorized communities in summer, while Big Elk and Ramona give people that true remote backcountry feel without having to pack in tents and kitchens.”

The timing proved critical for Forest Service approval. “We got in by the wire,” Deutschlander said. “All other forest projects in the proposal stage will be shelved for four years.”

The system fills a significant gap in Utah’s backcountry infrastructure. With just 13 public huts serving over a million residents within 50 miles of Salt Lake City, Utah lags far behind neighboring states like Idaho, which has 37 huts serving a much smaller population.

Eco-friendly recreational, a core value

Beyond recreation, the system aims to protect the landscape by concentrating impact. “Having these yurts actually creates less impact than dispersed camping,” Deutschlander said. “We manage waste properly, maintain designated water access points, and give people that sense of accountability that comes with having an established presence in these areas.”

The project has garnered support even from longtime locals initially skeptical of development. “When hunters who’ve lived at Smith and Morehouse for 30 years hear this is going to be open for everyone to rent, they love it,” Deutschlander said. “They think it’s fantastic.”