The Brian Head Peak House lost its roof during a catastrophic windstorm in November.
The structure, which was built in 1934-35 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and renovated by Sierra Club volunteers in the 1990s, had stone walls and a wood roof supported by timbers.
Local resident Mike Saemisch believes the roof was destroyed sometime between November 7 and November 15. During that time, on November 8-9, the area recorded wind gusts exceeding 80 mph.
The Byway obtained a photo of the destroyed shack, dated November 14.
Saemisch chronicles the destruction of the structure on his Facebook page, “Life of Brian Head, Utah.” He also includes footage provided by others, including hiker Brittany Feller, who was probably the first to visit the shack in person after the windstorm. On November 20, she and others visited the windswept 11,307-foot summit to photograph the debris.
Feller wrote, “Upon inspection, it appeared a south wind had taken the roof and the support beams and flung them hundreds of feet away. There was stone scattered at the base from part of the structure crumbling with it. The wood debris was scattered off to the north of the house. I found what appeared to be pieces of the roof as well as the support beams.”
Saemisch and other Brian Head residents scoped the northwest cliffs of the summit to find that most of the roof’s pieces had been scattered down the slope toward the top of Chair 2, the resort’s highest ski lift.
Brian Head Town has spoken with the Forest Service about a possible restoration of the Peak House in the future, and left the conversation feeling that it would be a very difficult process.
– The Byway
Feature image caption: Debris from the broken-up Brian Head Peak House. Courtesy Brittany Feller.