Schwarzenberghütte

The Schwarzenberghütte is a Category I alpine refuge of the Österreichischer Gebirgsverein (ÖGV), a section of the Österreichischer Alpenverein (ÖAV), located at 2,267 metres in the Glockner Group of the Hohe Tauern in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It stands south of the Großes Wiesbachhorn above the Ferleiten toll station on the Großglockner Hochalpenstraße near Fusch an der Großglocknerstraße. The hut is a classic base for summit tours in the Glockner Group and for transitions to neighbouring refuges, and in spring it is used by ski tourers when avalanche conditions permit. The hut was built in 1882 by the Sektion Austria of the Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein (DuOeAV) below the Hochgruberkees and named after Friedrich zu Schwarzenberg, Cardinal and Archbishop of Salzburg and Prague, who was the first tourist to climb the Wiesbachhorn. Storm and avalanche damage forced repeated rebuilding: the Sektion Mainz of the DuOeAV erected a new hut, inaugurated in 1897, and after further avalanche destruction in 1904 and 1908 the operation continued as the Alte Mainzer Hütte and the Neue Mainzer Hütte. In 1944 the Mainz section sold the hut to the Ostmärkischer Gebirgsverein, which from 1945 again carried its old name Österreichischer Gebirgsverein. Avalanches in 1949 and 1951/52 left the hut increasingly dilapidated; the ÖGV rebuilt it and the present house was inaugurated on 7 September 1986. Today the Schwarzenberghütte is a bewirtschaftete Hütte (serviced hut) open from mid-June to mid-September, staffed on an honorary basis by members of various Alpine Club sections and alpine associations, with full board available every day of the week. It offers 26 mattress places in a Matratzenlager, no private rooms, and a four-place winter room that is unlocked but has no heating or cooking facilities. The hut is owned by the Alpenverein Gebirgsverein, Lerchenfelder Straße 28, A-1080 Wien, and its website is hosted under alpenverein.at. Access is normally from the large Ferleiten car park (1,152 m) via the Käfertalweg and the Vögerl-Alm, then a well-marked path with many switchbacks gaining about 1,000 metres of elevation to the hut. Popular summit objectives include the Steinkarkopf (2,520 m), Remsköpfl (2,640 m), Hohe Dock (3,348 m), Großer Bärenkopf (3,396 m), Klockerin (3,422 m), Wiesbachhorn (3,571 m) and Vorderer Bratschenkopf (3,400 m), while the Gruberscharten-Biwak, Oberwalderhütte and Heinrich-Schwaiger-Haus are reachable as hut-to-hut transitions.

The Schwarzenberghütte was built in 1882 by the Sektion Austria of the Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein (DuOeAV) below the Hochgruberkees, and was named after Friedrich zu Schwarzenberg, Cardinal and Archbishop of Salzburg and Prague, the first tourist to climb the Wiesbachhorn. In October of the same year storms tore off its roof, and in the winter of 1887/88 avalanches destroyed it almost down to its foundations. The Sektion Mainz of the DuOeAV then rebuilt the hut: the foundation stone was laid on 31 August 1895 and the inauguration took place in August 1897. In 1900 the hut was extended with an annex, but in 1904 the upper floor was again destroyed by avalanches. In the same year operations resumed on the ground floor as the Alte Mainzer Hütte, and in 1908 a new building, the Neue Mainzer Hütte, was erected somewhat lower down. In 1944 the Mainz section sold the hut to the Ostmärkischer Gebirgsverein, which from 1945 again used its old name, Österreichischer Gebirgsverein. Avalanches also struck the hut in 1949 and 1951/52, and it fell increasingly into disrepair. The ÖGV rebuilt it, and the inauguration of the rebuilt hut took place on 7 September 1986. The hut has since operated as a Category I refuge of the Österreichischer Gebirgsverein within the Österreichischer Alpenverein, open in summer and used as a ski touring base in spring.

• 1986

  Rebuilt by the ÖGV and inaugurated on 7 September.

• 1951

  Hit by avalanches again in 1951/52, leading to increasing decay.

• 1949

  Hit by avalanches again.

• 1945

  The Ostmärkischer Gebirgsverein reverts to its old name, Österreichischer Gebirgsverein.

• 1944

  Sold by the Sektion Mainz to the Ostmärkischer Gebirgsverein.

• 1908

  New building erected somewhat lower down as the Neue Mainzer Hütte.

• 1904

  Upper floor destroyed by avalanches; operations resumed on the ground floor as the Alte Mainzer Hütte.

• 1900

  Extended with an annex.

• 1897

  Inauguration of the rebuilt hut in August.

• 1895

  Foundation stone laid by the Sektion Mainz of the DuOeAV on 31 August.

• 1887

  Almost completely destroyed by avalanches in the winter of 1887/88.

• 1882

  Built by the Sektion Austria of the DuOeAV below the Hochgruberkees and named after Friedrich zu Schwarzenberg.

• 1882

  Lost its roof in storms in October of the same year.

A traditional, member-run Category I alpine refuge of the Austrian Alpine Club, positioned as an affordable and historic base for mountaineering and ski touring in the Glockner Group of the Hohe Tauern.

• Serviced hut accommodation (mid-June to mid-September)

• 26 mattress places in a Matratzenlager

• 4-place winter room (unlocked, no heating or cooking facilities)

• Full board available Monday to Sunday

• Ski touring base in spring under safe avalanche conditions

1. 1Schwarzenberg-Hütte – official websitealpenverein.at
2. 2Schwarzenberghütte – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Schwarzenberghütte (Glocknergruppe) – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org