Brünnsteinhaus

The Brünnsteinhaus is a mountain hut (Schutzhütte) owned and operated by the Rosenheim Section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV). It sits at 1,342 metres above sea level in the municipality of Oberaudorf, in the district of Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria, at the foot of the Brünnstein peak in the Bavarian Prealps. The hut serves as a base for hikers, ski tourers, mountain bikers and climbers, with several marked routes leading to the summit and neighbouring peaks. The hut was conceived in 1893, when the Rosenheim Section decided to build its own mountaineering lodge. Construction began after plans were submitted on 18 October 1893, the topping-out ceremony was held in June 1894, and the Brünnsteinhaus was officially opened on 12 August 1894. Around the turn of the 20th century the Brünnstein area became a centre for sledding (rodeling), with a 6 km toboggan run laid out by the section in 1899; the first Bavarian sledding championship was held there on 3 January 1906, and Brünnstein sledders twice won European championships, in 1911 and 1914. After the First World War, skiing gradually displaced sledding as the dominant winter sport. Over the decades the hut has been repeatedly modernised. In the 1980s the sanitary facilities were renovated and a new sewage treatment plant and water supply were installed. In the 1990s a photovoltaic system, a storage shed and an apartment for the hut keepers were added. Between 2001 and 2004 a self-catering room for young people was built, the building was connected to the public electricity and sewage networks, and a new staircase was added. In 2013 the kitchen and dining room were renewed, and in 2018 fire protection was modernised and the drinking water systems were replaced. The Brünnsteinhaus operates seasonally, typically from late spring to mid-October for the summer season, with limited winter service. As of the 2026 summer season it was open daily from 11:00 to 16:00, with the kitchen open from 11:00 to 15:00 and longer hours for overnight guests. The hut offers food, drink and accommodation, and hosts events such as the Oberaudorfer Trail Festival supply point and a mountain mass at Himmelmoos. In late 2026 new tenants, Simon and Wiebke, were scheduled to take over operations. The hut has also faced water scarcity, restricting water use and overnight bookings during dry periods. As a club hut of the German Alpine Club, the Brünnsteinhaus is not a commercial company in the conventional sense but a membership-based alpine facility. It is a well-known landmark and service point in the Bavarian Prealps, valued by outdoor recreationists and maintained by volunteer and professional effort within the DAV Rosenheim Section.

The Brünnsteinhaus was built by the Rosenheim Section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV). In 1893, the section's board convinced members at a meeting to build their own mountaineering lodge. The section chose the Brünnstein location, influenced by the convenient railway connection between Rosenheim and Oberaudorf. The building plan was submitted on 18 October 1893, the topping-out ceremony took place in June of the following year, and the opening celebration of the Brünnsteinhaus was held on 12 August 1894. The Brünnstein developed into a centre of sledding (rodeling). On the 6 km toboggan run laid out by the section in 1899, the first "men's sled race" was held, and on 3 January 1906 the first sledding championship for the Kingdom of Bavaria took place. Twice, in 1911 and 1914, Brünnstein sledders won the European championship. The Brünnsteinhaus rose to become a centre of sledding until, after the First World War, the emerging ski sport gradually displaced this winter sport. A new summit path on the Brünnstein was inaugurated on 15 August 1898 under the name Dr.-Julius-Mayr-Weg, as a special honour for the first chairman. In the 1980s, the sanitary facilities in the Brünnsteinhaus were renovated and a new sewage treatment plant and a new water supply were installed. In the 1990s, a photovoltaic system, a storage shed (Remise) and an extension of an apartment for the hut keeper couple were created. In the years 2001 to 2004, a self-catering room for young people was built, the building was connected to the public electricity supply and sewage line, and a new staircase was added. In 2013, the kitchen and dining room were renewed, and in 2018 fire protection was modernised and the drinking water systems were renewed. The hut continues to operate seasonally. As of the 2026 summer season, it was open daily from 11:00 to 16:00, with the kitchen open from 11:00 to 15:00, and longer hours for overnight guests (dinner 18:00–19:00). The summer season was scheduled to end on 18 October 2026. From 1 November 2026, new tenants Simon and Wiebke were to take over the hut, with published winter opening hours. The hut has also faced water scarcity, limiting water availability and new overnight bookings during dry periods.

• 2026

  Summer season ends 18 October; new tenants Simon and Wiebke take over from 1 November.

• 2018

  Fire protection modernised; drinking water systems renewed.

• 2013

  Kitchen and dining room renewed.

• 2001

  Start of construction of a self-catering room for young people, connection to public utilities and new staircase (completed 2004).

• 1990

  Photovoltaic system, storage shed and hut keeper apartment added (during the 1990s).

• 1980

  Sanitary facilities renovated; new sewage treatment plant and water supply installed (during the 1980s).

• 1914

  Brünnstein sledders win the European championship again.

• 1911

  Brünnstein sledders win the European championship.

• 1906

  First sledding championship for the Kingdom of Bavaria held on 3 January.

• 1899

  Section lays out a 6 km toboggan run; first men's sled race held.

• 1898

  New summit path inaugurated on 15 August as Dr.-Julius-Mayr-Weg.

• 1894

  Topping-out ceremony in June; Brünnsteinhaus officially opened on 12 August.

• 1893

  Rosenheim Section members agree to build a mountaineering lodge; building plan submitted on 18 October.

A traditional, club-owned alpine hut in the Bavarian Prealps, offering simple food, drink and shelter to outdoor recreationists.

• Mountain hut accommodation

  Overnight stays for hikers, climbers and ski tourers, subject to availability.

• Food and beverage service

  Daily dining service with kitchen hours; dinner for overnight guests.

1. 1Brünnsteinhaus official websitebruennsteinhaus.de
2. 2Brünnsteinhaus – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Brünnsteinhaus – Wikidatawikidata.org