Getting Here

The OPUS Hut sits just below the top of Ophir Pass at 11,765 feet, roughly halfway between Silverton (via US-550) and the town of Ophir on the Telluride side. Whichever side you come from, you're crossing one of the great high passes of the San Juans to get here.

Here's an online map with all the roads and hiking trails around the hut: caltopo.com/m/LA7QE. And here's a Google Maps link to the parking area closest to the hut — save it in your phone before you leave cell service, because there typically isn't much once you leave Silverton, Ouray, or Telluride.

In summer you can drive to within a quarter mile of the hut on Ophir Pass, then walk the last stretch to the front door.

From the Highway 550 / Silverton side:the pass road is doable in a Subaru Outback, a RAV4, or almost any kind of SUV. We don't recommend doing it in a sedan.

From the Ophir / Telluride side:this side is only doable in a high-clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicle like a Wrangler, Bronco, or Tacoma. Many normal SUVs are not capable of driving up this side — if you're unsure, come around via Silverton.

If you have questions about roads or getting here, email us at info@opushut.com.

Want to earn your dinner? There are two classic approaches, both with fairly spectacular high-alpine views:

• Columbine Lake trail → Treeline Traverse — about 5.5 miles and 1,900 feet of vertical gain. The scenic standard.
• From Telluride— a number of different trails on the map will get you here. It's about 14 miles and around 4,500 feet of gain (and some loss) depending on which trail you take.

All routes are on the caltopo map. Bring lunch, water, and rain gear — afternoon thunderstorms are a regular feature up here.

There are often marmots around the parking area for the hut (and on Ophir Pass in general). This can be a problem, because sometimes they like to crawl up into engine compartments and chew on things.

We have a few ways of trying to minimize the marmots and the potential car damage, though nothing is guaranteed — we are in the backcountry, after all:

• There are ultrasonic noise makers around the parking area to help keep them away.
• We scatter anti-critter fox urine and peppermint oil crystals that make a smell the marmots don't like.
• The best protection, though, is to wrap your car in a tarp. We keep tarps and rope in the parking area, under a pine tree. Put the tarp down, drive onto it, then tie it up around your car — like a diaper. If you think you need protection, this is it.

Anecdotally, about half of our guests tarp their car and half don't. The owner has parked there many nights without a problem; other people have parked one night and had damage done. We had no incidents last year (that we know about), and one the year before, if you're wondering how common it is. If you're unsure what to do, tarp it to be safe.

One more tip: if you park down low near the Highway 550 turnoff, you're less likely to have problems — the marmots typically hang out higher up around treeline.

There is no cell phone service at the hut, and typically not much once you leave Silverton, Ouray, or Telluride. Save your maps, directions, and these numbers before you go:

• Emergency text: 701-779-0604 — goes to the owner and the hut hosts working that day.
• Emergency satellite phone at the hut: 970-919-0208.

Please share these with friends and family, and ask them to use them only for real emergencies — not just to check in. For everything else before your trip: info@opushut.com.