Bertgenhütte

The Bertgenhütte is a small, unstaffed self-service mountain hut and bivouac box owned by the Sektion Maria Alm of the Österreichischer Touristenklub (ÖTK). It sits at 1,846 metres above sea level in the Schneekar cirque at the foot of the Hochseiler, within the Hochkönig massif in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The hut is always open and accessible to any mountaineer, though it is not supervised. It offers blankets but no cooking or heating facilities, and there is a water source immediately nearby; otherwise visitors must carry their own food and drinks. With only 12 sleeping places, it is generally not suitable for groups. The hut keeper is Josef Kysela of Maria Alm. The Bertgenhütte serves as a staging point for the demanding alpine traverse of the Hochseiler from the Teufelslöcher to the Torscharte or to the Matrashaus on the Hochkönig. It is reached from Hinterthal via the Hüttenweg in about 2.5 hours (medium difficulty). Transitions include the Erichhütte (1,545 m) via the Poschalm on an easier high trail (3 hours) and the Franz-Eduard-Matras-Haus (2,941 m) via the Teufelslöcher and the Übergossene Alm (UIAA grade II, partly secured, 4 hours). Summit ascents from the hut include the Hochseiler (2,795 m) via the Teufelslöcher (UIAA II, partly secured, 3 hours) and the Hochkönig (2,941 m) via the Teufelslöcher and the Übergossene Alm (UIAA II, partly secured, 4 hours). The original hut in the Schneekar was a provisional shelter for the builders of the trail from Hinterthal to the Hochkönig. In 1895 it was destroyed by an avalanche; its location was about 100 metres higher than the present hut. In the same year, the Sektion Maria Alm of the Touristenklub began rebuilding at the current site. From 1920 to 1935 the hut even had tenants, whose main income came from guiding climbers to the Hochkönig. In 1995 the ÖTK planned to renovate the Bertgenhütte, but the dilapidated foundation could not be repaired, so the hut was rebuilt. It was flown to the site by helicopter and assembled there. Problems with avalanches and rockfall recur, but the location has been kept because it is the only place with water along the route.

The first hut in the Schneekar served merely as a provisional shelter for the builders of the trail from Hinterthal to the Hochkönig. At that time the starting point for the enormously long march was still Saalfelden, as there was no road to Hinterthal yet. In 1895 the hut was destroyed by an avalanche; its location was about 100 metres above today's Bertgenhütte. In the same year, the Sektion Maria Alm of the Österreichischer Touristenklub (ÖTK) began rebuilding at the present site. From 1920 to 1935, tenants were even found for the Bertgenhütte, whose main income consisted of mountain guiding on the Hochkönig. In 1995 the ÖTK wanted to renovate the Bertgenhütte, but repairing the dilapidated foundation was out of the question, so the hut was newly built. It was flown to the site by helicopter and assembled and mounted there. Problems with avalanches and rockfall recur, but it is the only place with water along the route, so the location had to be retained.

• 1995

  ÖTK rebuilds the hut because the foundation cannot be repaired; the new hut is flown in by helicopter and assembled on site.

• 1920

  Tenants operate the Bertgenhütte, earning mainly from mountain guiding on the Hochkönig (until 1935).

• 1895

  Original hut in the Schneekar destroyed by an avalanche; Sektion Maria Alm of the ÖTK begins rebuilding at the current site.

Unstaffed, self-service alpine hut and bivouac for mountaineers on the Hochkönig traverse; simple, free, and open to all.

• Bertgenhütte bivouac box

  Unstaffed self-service hut at 1,846 m with 12 sleeping places, blankets, no cooking or heating, water source nearby; always open.

1. 1Bertgenhütte • Biwak » Schutzhütten und Aussichtswarten des ÖTKschutz.haus
2. 2Bertgenhütte – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Bertgenhütte – Wikidatawikidata.org