The Bench Hut is a wall-tent structure perched on the shoulder of Mount Heyburn, serving as the perfect basecamp for intermediate skiing and advanced technical lines on the surrounding peaks and couloirs.
Nestled at 7400’ on the shoulder of Mount Heyburn in the Sawtooth Mountains, Bench Hut is a spectacular destination for downhill shredders and intermediate skiers. The trail to the hut proceeds gently up a ridge from the Redfish Lake trailhead (or 4 miles up from Fishhook Yurt) through 1,200' gradual elevation gain over 5 miles. Outstanding views of the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains mark this trail. Once at the hut, there are a variety of downhill skiing and snowboarding opportunities. You can ski the gentle powder slopes directly behind the hut or venture into the big alpine bowls, chutes and faces that encircle the lakes basin above Bench Hut. Ski and snowshoe tourers will love the classic 5 lakes tour which winds its way above Bench through frozen lakes surrounded by Sawtooth spires. Bench is a unique wall tent built onsite from local lodge-pole pine with a massive picture window that frames the spires of Mount Heyburn towering above.
Please contribute a trip report to share your experience for those who visit after you! This not only helps fellow riders, but it also helps hutkeepers ensure that the huts remain in good operating condition.
Hut Tripper aims to be the go-to hub for backcountry hut exploration, crowd-sourced beta, and trip planning resources geared toward winter backcountry travelers. We're backcountry enthusiasts, ourselves, combining our love for alpine skiing, the wilderness, and adventure.
We exist to empower new & existing backcountry travelers to explore the mountains in a responsible and informed way, consolidating winter backcountry accommodations as far east as the Rockies and detailing each with an ever-evolving list of hut details and beta.
