#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
using namespace std;
#define MAX 100

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

int G[MAX+2][MAX+2], m, n;

bool dfs(int D[MAX+2][MAX+2], int x, int y, int num){
	if(x*y==0 || x==(m+1) || y==(n+1) ) return true;
	if(G[x][y] == 1 && num==0)  return false;
	if(D[x][y] >= num+1)  return false;
	D[x][y] = num+1;
	for(int r=0; r<4; r++){
		if(dfs(D, x+dx[r], y+dy[r], (G[x][y]==0)?(num):(num-1))){
			return true;
		}
	}
	return false;
}


int main(void){
	while(cin>>m>>n, m){
		int sx,sy;
		char c;
		for(int i=1; i<=n; i++){
			for(int j=1; j<=m; j++){
				cin >> c;
				if(c == '&'){
					G[j][i] = 0;
					sx = j;
					sy = i;
				}else if(c=='#'){
					G[j][i] = 1;
				}else{
					G[j][i] = 0;
				}
			}
		}
		for(int i=0; i<1000; i++){
			int D[MAX+2][MAX+2]={0};
			if(dfs(D,sx,sy,i)){
				cout << i <<endl;
				break;
			}
		}
	}
	return 0;
}