Lodnerhütte

The Lodnerhütte (Italian: Rifugio Cima Fiammante) is a Schutzhaus — a protected alpine mountain hut — in the Texelgruppe range of the Ötztal Alps in South Tyrol, Italy. It sits at 2,259 metres above sea level in the Zieltal valley, southwest of the Lodner peak, within the Naturpark Texelgruppe (Texelgruppe Nature Park). The hut is a well-known base for mountaineers and hikers in the Meran area and is part of the network of alpine shelters catalogued by the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI). The hut was built in 1891 by the Sektion Meran of the Deutschen und Oesterreichischen Alpenvereins (DuOeAV), the German and Austrian Alpine Club. It was enlarged in 1894 and a new building was inaugurated in 1908. After World War I, the hut was expropriated in 1923 and handed over to the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) in 1924. Renovation work followed in 1998. In 2011 the South Tyrolean provincial government decided to purchase the hut from the CAI Sektion Meran for 607,000 euros. Since 2015, the province has been assisted in managing the hut — including leasing it to tenants, monitoring its operation, and carrying out refurbishment — by a parity commission that includes the AVS (Alpenverein Südtirol) and the CAI alongside public authorities. Access to the Lodnerhütte is typically gained via the Zieltal from Partschins (Parcines); the ascent from the end of the road, shortly before the Partschinser Wasserfall (Partschins waterfall), takes a little over four hours. From the mountain station of the Texelbahn cable car, the hut can be reached in about three hours. Owing to its central location in the Texelgruppe, the hut serves as a starting point for many climbs, including the Lodner (3,228 m), the Roteck (3,337 m) and the Tschigat (2,998 m). It is also a stage point on longer traverses: to the Stettiner Hütte in about 3½ hours, and to Katharinaberg in about 6½ hours. The Lodnerhütte is a commercial hospitality operation — a mountain refuge offering food, drink and accommodation to hikers and climbers — and is listed in the Italian alpine hut portal maintained by the CAI Sezione di Lugo di Romagna. It is not a publicly traded company; it is a state-owned heritage and tourism asset administered under a public-management arrangement.

The Lodnerhütte was built in 1891 by the Sektion Meran of the Deutschen und Oesterreichischen Alpenvereins (DuOeAV), the German and Austrian Alpine Club, making it one of the older mountain huts in the Texelgruppe. It was already enlarged in 1894, and in 1908 a new building was inaugurated, reflecting the growing popularity of the Texelgruppe among mountaineers of the era. The hut was operated by the DuOeAV until 1923. In the aftermath of World War I and the transfer of South Tyrol from Austria to Italy, the hut was expropriated in 1923 and handed over to the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) in 1924. This transfer placed the Lodnerhütte within the Italian alpine club system, where it has remained ever since. Renovation work is recorded for 1998. In 2011, the South Tyrolean provincial government decided to purchase the hut from the CAI Sektion Meran for 607,000 euros, making the province the owner of the structure. Since 2015, the province has been supported in the management of the hut — including the leasing of the hut to tenants, oversight of its operation, and refurbishment measures — by a parity commission in which, alongside the public authorities, the AVS (Alpenverein Südtirol) and the CAI are represented. The hut is listed in the portal of Italian refuges and bivouacs maintained by the CAI Sezione di Lugo di Romagna, which also publishes seasonal job announcements and maintains an archive of alpine structures. The Lodnerhütte remains an active mountain refuge, welcoming hikers and climbers and serving as a key node in the network of trails and summits of the Texelgruppe.

• 2015

  A parity commission including the public authorities, AVS and CAI begins assisting the province in managing the hut.

• 2011

  South Tyrolean provincial government decides to buy the hut from CAI Sektion Meran for 607,000 euros.

• 1998

  Renovation work carried out.

• 1924

  The hut is handed over to the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI).

• 1923

  The hut is expropriated from the DuOeAV.

• 1908

  Inauguration of a new building.

• 1894

  The hut is enlarged.

• 1891

  Lodnerhütte built by the Sektion Meran of the DuOeAV.

A historic, publicly owned alpine refuge in the Texelgruppe Nature Park, serving as a central base for mountaineering and hiking in the Meran region.

• Mountain hut accommodation

• Food and beverage service

• Alpine shelter and mountaineering base

1. 1Rifugi e Bivacchi d'Italia - Sezione di Lugo di Romagnarifugiebivacchi.cailugo.it
2. 2Lodnerhütte - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Lodnerhütte - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org