← Hut lottery & booking calendar 2026-27

OPUS Hut lottery: winter booking is open, next draw for summer 2027

Q: Is the OPUS Hut winter lottery still open?

No. The winter 2026-27 OPUS lottery has concluded and normal booking is open.

Q: When is the next OPUS lottery?

The summer 2027 lottery: entries open December 26 at 8am MT and close with the draw on January 2, 2027 at 7pm MT. Non-winners can book from January 3 at 9am MT, and everyone from January 4 at 8am MT.

Q: How does the OPUS lottery work?

Entries are weighted by number of people times number of nights, and your card is only charged if you win.

Q: How much is OPUS Hut?

Room prices show in OPUS Hut's live booking calendar. Meals (afternoon soup, dinner and breakfast) are required for every guest; kids 12 and under pay half price for meals ($35 a night). The hut has 20 beds in 5 rooms at 11,765 feet on Ophir Pass.

Short answer: the winter 2026-27 lottery is over and normal booking is open. The next lottery is for summer 2027: enter Dec 26 (8am MT) to Jan 2 (7pm MT draw). The winter 2027-28 lottery hasn't been announced. [lottery] [book]

Get hut deadline alerts

Key dates

Season Winter openingOPUS lists Dec 26, 2026 as its committed winter opening. [opushut.com]
Dec 26
Lottery Summer 2027 lottery entries openSat Dec 26, 8am MT. [lottery]
Dec 26
Draw Entries close, draw heldSat Jan 2, 2027, 7pm MT. [lottery]
Jan 2
Open Booking reopensJan 3, 9am MT for lottery non-winners; Jan 4, 8am MT for everyone. [lottery]
Jan 3
Lottery Winter 2027-28 lotteryNot announced yet. [lottery]
TBA

The hut

Where	Ophir Pass, Colorado, at 11,765 ft. Approaches: Red Mountain Pass or Ophir Pass Road
Beds	20 in 5 private rooms
Price	Room prices in the live booking calendar. Meals required for every guest (kids 12 and under: $35/night) [book] [FAQ]
Lottery odds	Weighted by people x nights; card charged only if you win
Avalanche	Cancellation credits tied to the CAIC forecast (see the FAQ)
Sources	[lottery] [book] [FAQ]

Before you go

Avalanche kit

Every person in the group carries a beacon, shovel and probe, and knows how to use them. Skins get you up; an inReach (or similar satellite messenger) gets a message out where phones don't work.

Beacon (avalanche transceiver): REI
Shovel: REI
Probe: REI
Climbing skins: REI
Garmin inReach (satellite messenger): Garmin

Plain store links: we don't earn anything from these. Gear is no substitute for an avalanche course and today's forecast.

Avalanche safety

Most hut approaches cross or sit near avalanche terrain. Before you go, read the forecast at avalanche.org and CAIC, carry a beacon, shovel and probe, and have at least one person trained in companion rescue. If you can't judge the terrain, hire a guide or pick an easier hut.

Colorado: carry a CORSAR card

A Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) card is $5 for 1 year or $20 for 5 years from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The money reimburses county sheriffs and search-and-rescue teams for mission costs, and when a rescued person holds a card the county's reimbursement is processed right away. It is not insurance and doesn't pay for medical transport. Call 911 in an emergency either way. [CPW]

Where to stay the night before: Telluride and Ophir

Telluride is the nearest lodging town to the Ophir side of the pass. Map priced for Jan 8-10; change the dates in the map.

Affiliate disclosure: this lodging map is from Stay22. If you book through it, Skier Stash may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money

Want a reminder when OPUS lottery entries open? Get notified

FAQ

Is the OPUS Hut winter lottery still open?

No. The winter 2026-27 lottery has concluded and normal booking is open. [lottery]

When is the next OPUS lottery?

The summer 2027 lottery: entries open Dec 26 at 8am MT and close with the draw on Jan 2, 2027 at 7pm MT. Non-winners can book from Jan 3 at 9am MT; everyone from Jan 4 at 8am MT. [lottery] [book]

How does the OPUS lottery work?

Entries are weighted by people times nights, and your card is only charged if you win. [lottery]

When is the winter 2027-28 lottery?

Not announced yet. [lottery]

How much is OPUS Hut?

Room prices show in the live booking calendar. Meals (afternoon soup, dinner and breakfast) are required for every guest; kids 12 and under pay half price for meals ($35 a night). The hut has 20 beds in 5 rooms at 11,765 feet on Ophir Pass. [book] [FAQ]