William posted this article in February. Calm the fuck down people, some have been there since the 70's. They're not going anywhere.
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This shack is more like a safari-style canvas tent, complete with a heavy, wrought-iron stove for cooking, a mini iPod stereo for music, and a snowboard lounge chair and futon for relaxing. Several hippie tapestries with Eastern religious symbols and some prayer flags hang from the metal support poles at the top; a ragtag carpet covers the wooden platform on which the tent was constructed. But outside, the only thing that stands out from the white snow and green trees surrounding the shack is a small totem pole warding off evil spirits...and forest rangers on skis.
The hut was also a way to stake a claim to public land that's become increasingly expensive to enjoy, they explain. The price of season passes jumps every year, a day pass is more than $100, and even something as cheap as a candy bar at the base lodge costs as much as a gallon of gas. Pointing to the stove, one toker says they stock the tent with eggs and bacon to cook in the morning and other snacks to munch on through the day as they take turns on their favorite part of the mountain. "Fuck paying Vail Resorts for food, you know?" the twenty-something with the raccoon-like goggle tan says while melting snow over a portable camping stove.
The legendary, and lavish, Leo's in Breckenridge.
The well-disguised No Fat Chicks at Winter Park.
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VIDEO: Go inside a smoke shack.
As part of our coverage, we sent the Mile Highs and Lows camera crew (i.e., me and my iPhone) to the high country to get some video footage.
As part of our coverage, we sent the Mile Highs and Lows camera crew (i.e., me and my iPhone) to the high country to get some video footage.
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What I assumed was soup turns out to be water that he uses to fill a tiny bubbler pipe he's pulled out of his backpack. His friend holds out a glass dish of Kush Haze hash oil that he passes around so we can all get a hit; a bowl of herb is sent in the opposite direction.
While ski resorts and the Forest Service officially frown on shacks like the Hash Temple, odds are that it will survive for a few years, then disappear on its own — when its patrons just stop putting it up each winter and move on. These tents tend to have a limited life, and even the wooden smoke huts will collapse without upkeep. But when one goes, another one will replace it.
"They'll pop up," the hash cook promises. "They'll always keep popping up."
36 comments
Leos was spectacular when I accidentally found the structure. I was riding in the trees and saw a building. At first it did not occur to me it was a shack, it was a well made structure. I rode closer unstrapped and walked in. There was a foyer and a spiraling staircase made out of skate decks. I walked up the coolest staircase and went up stairs. The top floor had sky windows and a coffee table surrounded by seating made from retired snowboards. I was in awe, this was the coolest shack I have ever seen until I found Ralphs (RIP).
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Years later the shack is now full of trash and falling apart. No more sky lights, just a regular broken skate deck staircase and busted windows. I hiked to the shack in September and was saddened by the condition. Things were falling apart and it's very dirty. Please don't leave your trash in shacks, this is a good way to get them torn down. If you can bring it in, please bring it out. The mountains will be more tolerant if you keep them clean. I don't think this shack will be around much longer, but I will always remember the day I found it.
Um dude. The first rule of fight club is that you don't talk about the fight club. Trust me, no one needs to know about these places. Only the people that matter. You kinda just blew it.Â
Amazing write-up! This could aid plenty of people find out more about this particular issue. Are you keen to integrate video clips coupled with these? It would absolutely help out. Your conclusion was spot on and thanks to you; I probably won’t have to describe everything to my pals. I can simply direct them here!
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this is cool but i dont see the need to write an article lettin all the tool bags know the secrets
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wow im the "hash cook" that the guys talking about who built the hashrishi temple. Forest service discovered the tent. Fined us $300. Ski patrol was nice enough to help us take it down the mountian. Got the whole thing down within a few hours. My advice to everyone is to keep building shacks whether big or small. Start a shack revolution!!
i'd like to publish some of these comments in our print edition, ideally with the author's full name. Contact me at patricia.calhoun@westword.com
Sometimes, you gotta have some medical marijuana to ease the pain in those knees, or back, and be able to enjoy being on the mountain just like before the pain/injury(s) happened.
Now if there was just a medical marijuana dispensary or caregiver set up in some of those shacks...
I love how the first incident of someone getting sick or being endangered by a shack was kids drinking alcohol.
Stick with weed its natural and safe! Don't drink n ski!
Smoking on the mountain is one of the quickest ways to get hit with a federal possession charge. Be safe and cautious, your med card is no good with Forest Service cops.
They are good with forest service cops, and unless ur blaZin over 2 zones or are maybe growing in there mountain range you will never get a friggin fed charge Or any for that matter! Quit tryin to freak people out bro!
Whoa! People in Colorado ski and smoke pot? Yet another fine bit of investigative reporting by this crack team of go getters. I got a tip for you, there's these things called dog parks that not many people know about. Oh and someone could write about a kid who plays Canasta, way more edgier than Bridge.
I'm sorry, I forgot about another scoop for you. Apparently there are secret spots in City Park where kids from East go to get high. It practically writes itself. You can title it, "East, High?". You're welcome.
Hey man, I'm on your side. I agree with you. But before you hit send, or whatever, read what you're about to send and say it out loud. For example, you wrote, and I quote, "On the upside Petr, and it should be applauded, is anyone who is working in the media who will show that marijuana is safe, and a very common way that many Americans have been enjoying life in recreation, or medically for years." End quote.
What you typed makes no sense. I think the better way to further your cause, hell my cause, is to read OUT LOUD TO YOURSELF what it is you're trying to get across. Seriously, it works.
On the upside Petr, and it should be applauded, is anyone who is working in the mediawho will show that marijuana is safe, and a very common way that many Americans have been enjoying life in recreation, or medically for years. It is nothing new, but we still have the government, and several media members who continue to lie, and make statements to indicate it is bad.
Thanks William, keep up the good work Brother!
Spot on Dave."...but getting stoned is an intrinsic part of the snow-day routines of many skiers and boarders." I love the word intrinsic, but Billy smashed it. While many people on the mountain do enjoy some cannabis or a flask, characterizing those things as 'intrinsic' is the kind of hyperbole WW spins out quite predictably. Lemmings in GoreTex indeed. The better story would have about a wrongly-accused or excessively-punished drug-popping-pushing, once-violent-now-spiritual street urchin turned 25 y/o semi-pro snowboarding pot head with a 17 y/o impregnated "fiance" who is taking on the Forest Service for his god given right to get stoned in comfort instead of on the lift like everybody else. That's cover material right there.
I've been skiing and climbing for 30 years. Nothing new about this "story". Smoke if you want. Or not. But there is no value here in this piece. Just because the backdrop is snowboarding, does not mean that it is not a story about drug use. But then, given that 80% of the ad revenue for this rag comes from dispensaries and 'self-employed models', it fits quite nicely I suppose. I've got a red card, but don't agree with romanticizing controlled substances for the sake of pandering to the hedonistic narcissistic droves.
You could be onto something huge here, Dave. Especially if it involves kids playing stoned Canasta in the previously mentioned dog parks.
Thanks for the tip.
I learned about the Winter Park huts on my first road trip to Colorado in 1991. After moving to Vail in '92, we created many of the great local's hideouts: Berries Hut (made from the remains of an original sheep-herder cabin), The Equilibrium Hut (EQ), Bwana Palace, all gone now thanks to VR and the USFS. We always kept them clean, but after an early spring visit by the wife of a VR executive saw some garbage that had melted out, before we had a chance to do some mainenance; BOOM! A waste of a constantly-shrinking USFS rec budget.
Thanks narcs for telling all of the authorities(and esecially Denver Republicans) where they are located. It's not legal everywhere in Colorado yet.
C, no matter how you look at it cannabis is a social drug, skiing is a social sport, the more the merry! Ain't none of your authorit-eye ever gonna change that. Breckenridge pulls in more skiers than any resort in Colorado and part of that is the smoke shack appeal, and they aren't about to start fucking with the guests and messing with the shacks. It's important that humans be able to enjoy cannabis in secure social settings, combined with skiing, it's a high made in heaven.
We don't give away any specific locations in this story, with the exception of a fully-visible bench at Keystone that is in plain sight - even then, it's a general location.
And I hate to break it to you, but the "authorities" (ski patrol and the forest service) were already well aware of the in-bounds shacks we do mention.
Seriously - anyone who thinks ski patrol isn't aware of nearly every shack is naive. However, in producing this article you did apply further pressure to them and forest service to 'handle' the issue as its now in the public/management's view.
i believe "no fat chicks" is called rasta runnaway, and how could u forget the cliff hut?!?!? but good job not giving locations of where any are, way to keep it G
Joe, thanks for the comment. I'm not a Winter Park rider very often, and had to rely on my my guides for all of that info.
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