#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <cstring>
#include <cmath>
#include <ctime>
#include <cassert>
#include <iostream>
#include <cctype>
#include <sstream>
#include <string>
#include <list>
#include <vector>
#include <queue>
#include <set>
#include <stack>
#include <map>
#include <utility>
#include <numeric>
#include <algorithm>
#include <iterator>
#include <bitset>
#include <complex>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;
typedef long long ll;
const double EPS = 1e-9;
typedef vector<int> vint;
typedef pair<int, int> pint;
#define rep(i, n) REP(i, 0, n)
#define ALL(v) v.begin(), v.end()
#define MSG(a) cout << #a << " " << a << endl;
#define REP(i, x, n) for(int i = x; i < n; i++)
template<class T> T RoundOff(T a){ return int(a+.5-(a<0)); }
template<class T, class C> void chmax(T& a, C b){ if(a < b) a = b; }
template<class T, class C> void chmin(T& a, C b){ if(b < a) a = b; }
template<class T, class C> pair<T, C> mp(T a, C b){ return make_pair(a, b); }

const int INF = 1 << 30;
const int hardCost = 100000;
const int dx[] = {1, 0, 0, -1};
const int dy[] = {0, 1, -1, 0};
struct P{ int x, y; P(int x, int y) : x(x), y(y) {} };

int main()
{
    for(int n, m; cin >> n >> m && (n || m); )
	{
		P c(0, 0);
		vector<string> field(m);
		vector<vint> cost(n, vint(m, INF));
		
		rep(i, m)
		{
			cin >> field[i];
			
			int pos = field[i].find("&");
			if(pos != string::npos)
			{
				c.x = pos;
				c.y = i;
			}
		}
		
		queue<P> que;
		cost[c.x][c.y] = 0;
		for(que.push(c); !que.empty(); que.pop())
		{
			P cur = que.front();
			
			rep(i, 4)
			{
				P nxt(cur.x + dx[i], cur.y + dy[i]);
				
				if(0 <= nxt.x && nxt.x < n && 0 <= nxt.y && nxt.y < m)
				{
					int ct = cost[cur.x][cur.y] + (field[nxt.y][nxt.x] == '#' && field[cur.y][cur.x] != '#');
					
					if(ct < cost[nxt.x][nxt.y])
					{
						cost[nxt.x][nxt.y] = ct;
						que.push(nxt);
					}
				}
			}
		}
		
		int res = 1 << 30;
		
		rep(i, n) chmin(res, min(cost[i][0], cost[i][m-1]));
		rep(i, m) chmin(res, min(cost[0][i], cost[n-1][i]));
		
		
		cout << res << endl;
	}
}