#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
#include <queue>
#include <vector>
#include <cstring>

using namespace std;

int H, W;
char grid[110][110];

int const dx[4] = {-1,1,0,0};
int const dy[4] = {0,0,-1,1};

int memo[101][101];

inline bool IN(int x, int y) {
  return 0<=x && x<W && 0<=y && y<H;
}

int const INF = 1<<29;

int main() {
  
  while(cin >> W >> H && W) {
    
    int sx, sy;
    
    for(int i=0; i<H; i++) {
      for(int j=0; j<W; j++) {
        cin >> grid[i][j];
        if(grid[i][j] == '&') {
          sx = j, sy = i;
        }
      }
    }
    
    int ans = 1<<29;
    
    memset(memo, -1, sizeof(memo));
    typedef pair<int, int> Pii;
    typedef pair<int, Pii> Piii;
    
    priority_queue<Piii> Q;
    Q.push(Piii(0, Pii(sx, sy)));
    while(!Q.empty()) {
      Piii piii = Q.top(); Q.pop();
      int const x = piii.second.first;
      int const y = piii.second.second;
      int const cost = -piii.first;
      
      bool ok = 0;
      
      for(int k=0; k<4; k++) {
        int nx = x + dx[k], ny = y + dy[k];
        if(IN(nx, ny)) {
          int ncost = cost + ((grid[y][x] == '.' || grid[y][x] == '&') && grid[ny][nx] == '#');
          if(memo[ny][nx] == -1 || memo[ny][nx] > ncost) {
            memo[ny][nx] = ncost;
            Q.push(Piii(-ncost, Pii(nx, ny)));
          }
        }
        else {
          cout << cost << endl;
          ok = 1;
          break;
        }
      }
      if(ok) break;
    }
    
  }
  
  return 0;
}