Schmadri Hut

The Schmadrihütte (also known as Hütte am Schmadribrunnen) is an unmanned mountain hut owned and maintained by the Akademischer Alpenclub Bern (AACB), a Swiss alpine club founded in 1905. It sits at 2,262 metres above sea level in the canton of Bern, south-west of Stechelberg and north-west of the Grosshorn, beneath a rock rib between the lateral moraines of the Breithorn and Schmadri glaciers. The hut lies within a nature conservation area, and open fires are prohibited. The hut is a small, self-service facility with only eight sleeping places, making advance online reservation mandatory. Visitors who reserve and pay online receive a key-safe code that opens a woodshed where cooking wood is stored; the wood is provided exclusively for cooking, not heating, and must be used sparingly because it is transported by helicopter. Hikers are encouraged to carry additional wood from the valley to reduce the number of supply flights. The hut is reached only on foot, with two marked ascent routes beginning in Stechelberg (910 m) and branching above Trachsellauenen (1,202 m). The shorter route via the Schwand alpine huts takes about 3.5 hours; the longer route via the Berghotel Obersteinberg (1,778 m) and Oberhornsee takes roughly an hour more. Access conditions change frequently due to glacier icefall and storm damage, and the club posts current warnings on its website and Instagram. The Schmadrihütte serves as a base for climbs of the Breithorn (3,780 m), Grosshorn (3,754 m), Tschingelhorn (3,555 m) and Mittaghorn (3,893 m), as well as for the transition over the Gamchilücke (2,836 m) and access to the Mutthornhütte. The AACB operates three huts in total: the Engelhornhütte, the Schmadrihütte and the Bietschhornhütte. The club has around 120 members and was originally restricted to academics and men; women have been admitted since 1984, and non-academics have been welcome for many years.

The Schmadrihütte is owned and operated by the Akademischer Alpenclub Bern (AACB), a Swiss alpine club founded in 1905. The club's stated purpose is the promotion of alpinism and mountain sports and the cultivation of friendship among its members. For much of its history the AACB was an exclusively male and academic association; women were not admitted until 1984, and non-academics have been accepted for many years. The club today has around 120 members and maintains three huts: the Engelhornhütte, the Schmadrihütte and the Bietschhornhütte. In 2005 the club published a 308-page book marking its 100th anniversary, covering its history in detail. The Schmadrihütte itself, also called the Hütte am Schmadribrunnen, is an unmanned hut situated at 2,262 metres above sea level in the canton of Bern, south-west of Stechelberg and north-west of the Grosshorn, below a rock rib between the lateral moraines of the Breithorn and Schmadri glaciers. It lies within a nature conservation area. Because of its remote location and the protected environment, the hut operates on a self-service basis with strict rules: reservations are mandatory, payment is made online, and guests receive a key-safe code for the woodshed. Wood is supplied only for cooking and is transported by helicopter, so hikers are asked to bring additional wood from the valley to reduce supply flights. Open fires are prohibited. Access to the hut is on foot only. Two marked routes start in Stechelberg (910 m) and split above Trachsellauenen (1,202 m). The shorter route via the Schwand alpine huts reaches the hut in about 3.5 hours; the longer route via the Berghotel Obersteinberg (1,778 m) and Oberhornsee takes about an hour more. The hut is a base for climbing the Breithorn (3,780 m), Grosshorn (3,754 m), Tschingelhorn (3,555 m) and Mittaghorn (3,893 m), and for the transition over the Gamchilücke (2,836 m) and access to the Mutthornhütte. Access conditions are subject to change: the club has reported closures due to icefall on the Breitlauenen glacier and a bridge destroyed by severe weather on the Obersteinberg route, directing hikers to an alternative marked path.

• 2005

  AACB publishes a 308-page book for its 100th anniversary.

• 1984

  Women admitted to AACB membership.

• 1905

  Akademischer Alpenclub Bern (AACB) founded.

A small, remote, self-service alpine hut for experienced mountaineers, operated by a traditional Bernese academic alpine club within a protected nature area.

• Schmadrihütte overnight stays

  Self-service mountain hut with 8 sleeping places; reservation and online payment required.

1. 1Schmadrihütte – AACBaacb.ch
2. 2Der Club – AACBaacb.ch
3. 3Vorstand – AACBaacb.ch
4. 4Impressum – AACBaacb.ch
5. 5Schmadri hut – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Schmadrihütte – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org