Chamanna d'Es-cha

Chamanna d'Es-cha (German: Es-cha-Hütte) is a mountain hut of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), Sektion Bernina, located at 2,594 metres above sea level in the Albula Alps of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It sits above the Upper Engadin at the southern foot of Piz Kesch, one of the eight Swiss mountains classified as an 'Ultra' with more than 1,500 metres of prominence. The panorama from the hut includes the Bernina Group. The hut was built in 1934 by the Sektion Bernina of the SAC. It was renovated and expanded in 1989 and further rebuilt between 2019 and 2020. It offers 50 sleeping places and is staffed in the summer season from mid-June to mid-October and in the winter season from late February to mid-April. In summer the hut can be reached in 2.5 hours from Madulain and in 3 hours from Zuoz via Alp Es-cha Dadour, or in 2 hours from Punt Granda on the Albula Pass road via the Fuorcla Gualdauna. In winter only access from Madulain and Zuoz is possible because the Albula road is closed. The hut is a base for circular hikes and summit objectives, glacier and ski tours, for example to Piz Kesch. It is suitable for families and is a stage point of the Bündner Hauteroute and of the 'Kesch-Trek', a multi-day hike between the Engadin and Davos. On the north side of Piz Kesch lies the Kesch-Hütte, which can be reached from Chamanna d'Es-cha via the white-blue-white marked path over the Porta d'Es-cha and the Porchabella Glacier in 2.5 hours, or via the Fuorcla Pischa at 2,781 m and the Val Plazbi in 5–6 hours.

The Es-cha-Hütte was built in 1934 by the Sektion Bernina of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) in the Albula Alps of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It lies at 2,594 metres above sea level above the Upper Engadin at the southern foot of Piz Kesch, one of the eight Swiss mountains classified as an 'Ultra' with more than 1,500 metres of prominence. The panorama at the hut includes the Bernina Group. The hut was renovated and expanded in 1989 and further rebuilt between 2019 and 2020. It offers 50 sleeping places and is staffed in the summer season from mid-June to mid-October and in the winter season from late February to mid-April. In summer the hut is reachable in 2.5 hours from Madulain and in 3 hours from Zuoz via Alp Es-cha Dadour, or in 2 hours from Punt Granda on the Albula Pass road via the Fuorcla Gualdauna. In winter only access from Madulain and Zuoz is possible because the Albula road is closed. The hut is suitable for circular hikes and summit objectives, glacier and ski tours, for example to Piz Kesch. It is suitable for families and is a stage point of the Bündner Hauteroute and of the 'Kesch-Trek', a multi-day hike between the Engadin and Davos. On the north side of Piz Kesch lies the Kesch-Hütte, which can be reached from Chamanna d'Es-cha via the white-blue-white marked path over the Porta d'Es-cha and the Porchabella Glacier in 2.5 hours, or via the Fuorcla Pischa at 2,781 m and the Val Plazbi in 5–6 hours.

• 2020

  Further rebuilding completed.

• 2019

  Further rebuilding begins.

• 1989

  Renovated and expanded.

• 1934

  Built by the Sektion Bernina of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC).

A traditional Swiss Alpine Club mountain hut in the Albula Alps, positioned as a family-friendly and mountaineering base for the Upper Engadin and Piz Kesch region.

• Mountain hut accommodation

  50 sleeping places, staffed in summer and winter seasons.

• Meals for hikers and climbers

  Food service during staffed seasons.

• Ski touring base

  Winter access from Madulain and Zuoz; base for ski tours.

• Family-friendly hiking base

  Suitable for families and circular hikes.

1. 1Wikidata: Chamanna d'Es-chawikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia (German): Es-cha-Hüttede.wikipedia.org
3. 3Official websitees-cha.com
4. 4Official website (alternate)es-cha.ch