Schmidt-Zabierow-Hütte

The Schmidt-Zabierow-Hütte (also written von-Schmidt-Zabierow-Hütte) is an Alpine Club hut of the Passau Section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV). It stands at 1,966 m above sea level on the edge of the Große Wehrgrube in the Loferer Steinberge, in the Austrian federal state of Salzburg. As the only high-mountain base in the Loferer Steinberge, it serves as the starting point for almost all summits of the group, which are mostly within easy reach of the hut. The hut was opened on 9 September 1899 after a two-month construction period, following a lengthy planning and approval phase. It was named after Josef Schmidt Edler von Zabierow, the founder of the Passau Section, who had acquired the Loferer Steinberge as the section's working area in 1888. The hut has been rebuilt and extended several times: a side building was added in 1995, increasing the number of dormitory places; the kitchen and sanitary wing was demolished and rebuilt in 2004; and a further extension to the side building followed in 2016. Access is on foot only. The shortest approach leads through the Loferer Hochtal (trail 601) via the Treter in about 2½ hours; other routes come from St. Ulrich am Pillersee over the Wehrgrubenjoch (trail 613) or through the Grieseltal and Rotschartel, from Waidring over the Griesbachsteig and Waidringer Nieder, and from St. Martin bei Lofer over the Schärdinger Steig and the Sattel. The hut lies on the European long-distance hiking trail E4 alpin. From the hut, mountaineers can reach the Großes Ochsenhorn (2,511 m) via the normal route in about 2½ hours, the Reifhorn (2,485 m) in 2 hours, and the Breithorn (2,404 m) in 2 hours via the Waidringer Nieder. The Nuaracher Höhenweg leads over the Mitterhorn/Großes Hinterhorn to St. Ulrich am Pillersee in about 10 hours, and the Nackter-Hund via ferrata climbs to the Mitterhorn/Große Hinterhorn in 2½ hours. Climbers find a wide range of short and long routes in all grades up to the tenth degree, as well as a climbing garden near the hut. The hut is operated by a tenant (Pächterin) on behalf of the Passau Section. It is a seasonal mountain hut, typically closing in early October for the winter break; the official website notes a provisional season end of 4 October 2026. The hut presents itself as a meeting point in the rock arena of the Loferer Steinberge and offers an evening menu for house guests, with updates shared via Instagram.

The history of the Schmidt-Zabierow-Hütte reflects more than a century of alpine development, from the opening of the Loferer Steinberge by the Passau Section of the German Alpine Club through the upheavals of the world wars to modern environmental measures. In 1888 the Passau Section took over the Loferer Steinberge as its working area, with the aim of making the previously little-developed mountains accessible to mountaineers. In the 1890s a new high-altitude shelter was built; during construction it was initially called the "Loferer Hütte". It was ceremonially opened on 9 September 1899 and named after the section's founder, Josef Schmidt Edler von Zabierow. It was the first permanent high-mountain hut of the Passau Section in this range. The namesake himself was never able to visit the hut because of illness; he died in 1904. Josef Ignaz Leonhard Schmidt Edler von Zabierow was born on 1 March 1831 in Innsbruck. His grandfather had been ennobled in 1796 by Emperor Franz II for services to agriculture. Josef Schmidt first became an officer (Kaiserjäger), fought in the Austro-Italian War, and later left military service. He then studied civil engineering in Zurich, graduating as a Diplom-Ingenieur. He entered the service of the Austrian Western Railway, which organized the construction of the railway line from Nuremberg via Regensburg and Passau to Vienna, and during his work in Regensburg he was taken into the Bavarian state service. According to the German Wikipedia, the Passau Section of the DuOeAV took over the Steinbergalm-Hütte at 1,280 m above sea level in the Loferer Steinberge in 1888. To gain a higher base for ascents in the Loferer Steinberge, the Schmidt-Zabierow-Hütte, named after the founder of the Passau Section, was inaugurated on 9 September 1899 after a lengthy planning and approval phase and a two-month construction period. Since then the hut has been rebuilt and extended several times. In 1995 a side building was erected, which also increased the number of dormitory places. In 2004 the kitchen and sanitary wing was demolished and rebuilt, and in 2016 an extension was added to the side building. The hut lies on the European long-distance hiking trail E4 alpin. It is operated by a tenant on behalf of the Passau Section and is seasonal, typically closing in early October for the winter break. The official website notes a provisional season end of 4 October 2026 and thanks guests for a good and beautiful season.

• 2016

  An extension is added to the side building.

• 2004

  The kitchen and sanitary wing is demolished and rebuilt.

• 1995

  A side building is erected, increasing the number of dormitory places.

• 1904

  Josef Schmidt Edler von Zabierow, the hut's namesake, dies without ever having visited the hut.

• 1899

  The hut is ceremonially opened on 9 September after a two-month construction period and named after Josef Schmidt Edler von Zabierow.

• 1888

  The Passau Section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club takes over the Loferer Steinberge as its working area.

The only high-mountain base in the Loferer Steinberge, positioned as a meeting point in the rock arena and a starting point for alpine adventures.

• Mountain hut accommodation

• Dormitory places

• Evening menu for house guests

• Climbing garden near the hut

1. 1von-Schmidt-Zabierow-Hütte (1966 m) – Klettern Loferer Steinbergeschmidt-zabierow.at
2. 2Geschichte der Hütte - von-Schmidt-Zabierow Hütteschmidt-zabierow.at
3. 3Schmidt-Zabierow-Hüttewikidata.org
4. 4Schmidt-Zabierow-Hüttede.wikipedia.org