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By Colleen Thomas, Tribune News Service
I’m trekking down the side of a Swiss mountain, and I see my salvation far below in the lush green valley. The structure appears no bigger than a dot, yet it has what I’m craving: a hot meal and a bed.
On foot, it’s still three hours away. I breathe in, filling my lungs with fresh Alpine air, and I put my legs back to work as I exhale, revitalized.
My destination is Rotstockhutte, one of hundreds of hiker huts across the Alps that offer food, rest and respite from the elements amid stunning mountain scenery. Many can be reached only by trail or helicopter. All guarantee a memorable experience for outdoor adventurers.
I had heard about Switzerland’s legendary hut system, and I was excited to see what the huts were like. Some require expert mountaineering skills to reach, but many can be accessed by hikers with less experience, including children.
But right now my hiking pals — my husband, my brother and his wife — and I have just a few hours of daylight to reach Rotstockhutte.
Our trek started from the peak of Mount Schilthorn after a cable car from the town of Stechelberg dropped us and our backpacks off at the trailhead (elevation 9,750 feet). After hours of hiking, we still have about 1,000 feet of elevation to lose.
Though I am tired, the colorful wildflowers dancing in the breeze lift me. The small but frequent creek crossings keep me on my toes — literally. We pass through the wire gate to the hut just before dinner is served.
The goal for our visit to Switzerland was to stay in two different huts on separate hikes: Rotstockhutte in the Interlaken region, and Fluhalp in the Zermatt area, which has views of the iconic Matterhorn.
In our research we learned that huts offer varying levels of service, ranging from four-walls-and-a-roof types to large complexes with gift shops and restaurants.
Most require reservations, which typically include dinner and breakfast and a bed that’s either in a small shared room or a large communal sleeping space.
The thought of sleeping next to a stranger who’s hiked all day (and likely hasn’t showered) certainly makes hut life a no-go for some people. But I found my fellow hikers to be respectful of my personal space. Earplugs are a must, however. Guests tend to settle down by 10 p.m., but there’s no way to control anyone’s snoring.
The individually owned Alpine huts have house rules to keep order. Before entering Rotstockhutte, we were required to remove our hiking boots and grab a pair of Crocs from a shelf to wear inside. It was ingenious. So many muddy and dusty boots would make a constant mess.
The dinner menu at Rotstockhutte was soup and homemade bread, with a piece of pie available for purchase for dessert. At our table were three young women from Germany, who chatted patiently with us as we muddled through what we could recall from high school German classes.
The dining room served as the gathering place, and there was time for conversation. I met Brandon from Washington, D.C., who had been hiking hut-to-hut for 17 days and was still going strong. I talked with another American who was backpacking solo through Europe before starting her postdoc program in the fall.
As the sun slipped behind the mountains, the guests began to settle into their assigned sleeping spaces, all lined up in a very spartan upstairs room. The shared bathroom was separate from the main house and had flush toilets and running water.
Hut “warden” Simon Furrer told me Rotstockhutte was built in 1946 and can hold up to 43 guests. It is often filled to capacity in peak summer months. A helicopter brings supplies weekly, but the milk and cheese served are locally sourced from the cows roaming the mountainside.
Our group stayed two nights, exploring the landscape during the day and bedding down just after dusk. We woke to the pleasant sound of cowbells the morning of our departure, and the four of us hiked two miles to Murren, then took a cable car the rest of the way down to Stechelberg. Next stop: the resort town of Zermatt and then up to Fluhalp hut.
We allowed ourselves one night in a regular hotel between hut experiences. The thick mattresses seemed like a luxury after sleeping on hut beds. Rejuvenated, we set off to find our second hut.
Fluhalp can be reached via a long trek up from the valley. We opted for a shorter route, which began with us boarding a funicular at street level in Zermatt. The ride, mostly through a tunnel, brought us to a gondola, which we took to the Blauherd station and also to the start of an easy hike over to the hut.
I have to say that I wasn’t used riding up mountains instead of walking. In fact, it felt like cheating. But that’s part of hiking in Switzerland, and the Swiss take pride in their infrastructure of mountain trains, cable cars and gondolas. It is truly amazing.
From the windows of the gondola we could see the Matterhorn, standing like a gargantuan mottled witch’s hat against the clear sky. I’d seen it in pictures, and now here it was!
The hike to Fluhalp took about an hour; we took our time to enjoy the scenery. When we came to Stellisee Lake, a small crowd was gathered at the far end of it. I soon discovered the attraction. The lake’s glassy surface reflected an image of the Matterhorn, allowing for a beautiful photograph.
We could see the Fluhalp hut and headed straight for it. After checking in, we checked out our room. It was little tight for four people and their packs, with two single beds and one bunk bed. But the space was comfy enough, and the view of the Matterhorn from our balcony made up for any annoyances. We waited our turn to use the coin-operated showers in the building.
Fluhalp has a dining room that’s warm and inviting. Our room reservation included dinner, and the food was deliciously Swiss and simple. Same with breakfast the next day. No Michelin stars here, but isn’t it true that all food tastes better amid scenic outdoorsy settings?
During hiking season, the Fluhalp can host up to 66 people per night. It sits at 8,500 feet elevation with no nearby water source. Drinking water has to be piped in, so we paid for it by the liter. The hut is near a ski resort, and the restaurant stays open through the winter months, offering specialties like fondue, raclette and rosti.
The afternoon of our arrival was a good time to explore the area, and we made it back in time for a pasta dinner. After a full day, we slept very well in our extra-cozy room.
Hiker huts aren’t for everyone, but they are an intriguing option for those who love immersing themselves in the mountains. They allow hikers to connect with the agrarian culture deeply rooted in the Swiss Alps. Since there’s little or no cell service, a stay in a hut feels like a true escape from normal life. Huts also are an economical option, as most stays are priced much lower than at hotels in town.
But perhaps most importantly for our group, they offered a chance to interact with people of all ages and from many countries, sharing an experience that both stretched us and helped us appreciate the creature comforts of our own homes.
If you go
Rotstockhutte
Phone: +41-33-855-24-64
Info: www.rotstockhuette.ch
The closest city is Murren.
Fluhalp Mountain Hut & Restaurant
Phone: +41 27 967 25 97
Info: www.fluhalp.swiss
The closest city is Zermatt.
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