Krinner-Kofler-Hütte

The Krinner-Kofler-Hütte is a bewirtschaftete Selbstversorgerhütte (a serviced self-catering mountain hut) of the Sektion Mittenwald of the Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV), located at 1,407 m above sea level just south below the Soiernspitze in the Karwendel range of Bavaria, Germany. It is a seasonal alpine refuge rather than a year-round hotel: it has no winter room and is open only from the beginning of June to mid-September. Its operating section, DAV Mittenwald, is one of the oldest sections of the German Alpine Club, founded in January 1874 as the 21st section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club, and today the largest club in Mittenwald with more than 3,500 members. The hut is named after two Mittenwald section climbers, Matthias Krinner and Hannes Kofler, who died in 1932 on the Aiguille du Dru in the Mont-Blanc massif. Its history reaches back further than that name: in 1920 the section leased the former grand-ducal hunting lodge on the Fereinalm and converted it into a serviced refuge, inaugurated on 17 July 1921 as the "Großherzog-Adolf-Hütte" in honour of the grand duke. After about ten years the lease was terminated, and the section converted its own horse stable into a refuge. From 1933 the club accommodation was renamed Krinner-Kofler-Hütte in memory of the two extreme climbers. The building has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. It burned down in February 1947 through carelessness and was rebuilt in 1951 as a stone structure on the old site, somewhat larger, and ceremonially handed over to climbers on 6 July 1952. At Easter 1967 it narrowly escaped destruction when an avalanche buried and severely damaged it. In 2000 an avalanche again struck and completely destroyed the hut; a new building was completed in 2004. As a mountain hut brand, the Krinner-Kofler-Hütte is defined by its location, its access routes and its role in the local tourism and mountaineering infrastructure. It is reached from the Seinsbach car park on the B 11 between Krün and Mittenwald via the service road (easy, about 2 hours), from Hinterriß (easy, about 3.5 hours) and from Vorderriß (about 4.5 hours). It serves as a base for transitions to the Soiernhaus via the Jägersruh, the Hochlandhütte via the Wörnersattel (about 3 hours) and the Karwendelhaus via Bäralpl (about 4.5 hours), and for summit ascents of the Soiernspitze, the Schöttelkarspitze and the Wörner via the Wörnersattel and normal route. The section's official website announced that the Krinner-Kofler-Hütte would remain closed for the summer season 2026.

The Krinner-Kofler-Hütte is a mountain hut of the Sektion Mittenwald of the Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV), one of the oldest sections of the German Alpine Club, founded in January 1874 as the 21st section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club. The section played an important role in the tourist development and opening-up of Mittenwald, and clubs such as the ski club, the mountain rescue service, the tourist association and even the DAV's Oberland section emerged from it. Today it is the largest club in Mittenwald with more than 3,500 members and contributes to the local tourist offering through the management of its mountain huts and the maintenance of important mountain paths. The hut's own history begins in 1920, when the section succeeded in leasing the former grand-ducal hunting lodge on the Fereinalm and converting it into a serviced accommodation house. The inauguration took place on 17 July 1921. In memory of the always well-disposed princely hunting lord it was named "Großherzog-Adolf-Hütte". After ten years the section was given notice on the hut, but was able to convert and operate its own section horse stable as accommodation. From 1933 the club accommodation was renamed Krinner-Kofler-Hütte, in memory of the two extreme climbers of the section, Matthias Krinner and Hannes Kofler, who died in 1932 on the Aiguille du Dru in the Mont-Blanc massif. In February 1947 the hut burned down as a result of carelessness. It was rebuilt in 1951 as a stone building and on a somewhat larger scale at the old site, and could be ceremonially handed over to climbers on 6 July 1952. At Easter 1967 the hut narrowly escaped destruction when it was buried by an avalanche and severely damaged. In 2000 the hut again fell victim to an avalanche and was completely destroyed. A new building followed, completed in 2004. In its present form the hut is a bewirtschaftete Selbstversorgerhütte at 1,407 m above sea level, south below the Soiernspitze. It offers no winter room and is open only from the beginning of June to mid-September. Access is from the Seinsbach car park on the B 11 between Krün and Mittenwald via the service road (easy, about 2 hours), from Hinterriß (easy, about 3.5 hours) and from Vorderriß (about 4.5 hours). Transitions lead to the Soiernhaus via the Jägersruh, to the Hochlandhütte via the Wörnersattel (about 3 hours) and to the Karwendelhaus via Bäralpl (about 4.5 hours). Summit ascents include the Soiernspitze, the Schöttelkarspitze and the Wörner via the Wörnersattel and normal route (marked, climbing sections of UIAA grade II, unprotected, about 3.5 hours). The section's website announced that the hut would remain closed for the summer season 2026.

• 2026

  Section announces the hut will remain closed for the summer season 2026.

• 2004

  New building completed.

• 2000

  The hut is again hit by an avalanche and completely destroyed.

• 1967

  At Easter the hut is buried by an avalanche and severely damaged, narrowly escaping destruction.

• 1952

  Ceremonial handover to climbers on 6 July.

• 1951

  Rebuilt as a stone building on a somewhat larger scale at the old site.

• 1947

  The hut burns down in February as a result of carelessness.

• 1933

  The club accommodation is renamed Krinner-Kofler-Hütte in memory of the two climbers.

• 1932

  Section climbers Matthias Krinner and Hannes Kofler die on the Aiguille du Dru in the Mont-Blanc massif.

• 1921

  Inauguration of the hut on 17 July as the "Großherzog-Adolf-Hütte".

• 1920

  Section leases the former grand-ducal hunting lodge on the Fereinalm and converts it into a serviced accommodation house.

• 1874

  Sektion Mittenwald founded in January as the 21st section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club.

A traditional club-owned alpine self-catering hut in the Karwendel, valued for its location, access routes and mountaineering base function rather than for commercial hospitality scale.

• Serviced self-catering hut accommodation

  Summer-only refuge accommodation at 1,407 m; no winter room.

• Mountaineering base services

  Base for summit ascents (Soiernspitze, Schöttelkarspitze, Wörner) and hut-to-hut transitions.

1. 1DAV Mittenwalddav-mittenwald.de
2. 2Krinner-Kofler-Hütte – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Krinner-Kofler-Hütte – Wikidatawikidata.org