Tübinger Hütte

The Tübinger Hütte is a Category I alpine shelter (Schutzhütte) owned and operated by the Tübingen section of the Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV), the German Alpine Club. It stands at the head of the Garneratal valley above Gaschurn in the Montafon region of Vorarlberg, Austria, in the Silvretta group. The hut was built by the Tübingen section — then part of the Deutsch-Österreichischer Alpenverein — and inaugurated on 19 August 1908 at a cost of 19,000 Kronen, originally providing accommodation for 50 people. Its location was chosen to create a link between the Silvretta and the Rätikon ranges and to ease the crossing between them. The hut has weathered a turbulent history. It was heavily damaged by dust avalanches in 1910 and 1928, after which it was stabilised with avalanche anchors and protected by an avalanche wall. During both World Wars it was closed to hikers and climbers because it served as a base for military border guards and customs authorities. After reopening it was managed by the Austrian Alpine Club until 1954; under the so-called "Hüttenbestandsvertrag" (hut holdings treaty) with Austria, it returned to the unrestricted ownership of the Tübingen section in 1956. Since then it has been affectionately described as "a piece of Neckar-Alb in the Montafon." Major works have punctuated its modern life. For its 50th anniversary the hut underwent extensive renovation, followed by a new turbine water intake, renewal of the material cableway and a complete overhaul of the power supply. The first sod for a long-planned extension was turned in 1978; completed in 1979 and inaugurated in 1981, it doubled the number of beds, enlarged the guest room and added a new kitchen, drying room, self-catering and winter rooms, laundry and staff quarters. From 2017 a comprehensive renovation began, installing a new heating system, renewing fire protection, renovating the sanitary facilities and modernising the kitchen, with staff rooms fundamentally refurbished. A new sewage treatment plant followed in 2020 and the winter room was renewed in 2022, with care taken to preserve the hut's character. In 2019 the hut recorded about 2,700 overnight stays. The normal approach from Gaschurn leads through the Garneratal, taking four to five hours. The hut is a fixed part of the Tübingen section's alpine training, offering a practice via ferrata and the chance to train crevasse rescue, and in recent years a climbing garden has been developed and bouldering established on the blocks around the hut. It remains a base for summits and a classic round tour — Kessispitze–Hühnersee–Innersäß–Garnerjoch–Tübinger Hütte — recommended only for the experienced.

The Tübingen section of the Deutsch-Österreichischer Alpenverein (DuOeAV) was founded on 4 March 1891. Fifteen years later, in 1906, a working committee for hut construction was formed under the leadership of Bohnenberger, and by the end of that year the building of a hut was decided. The site chosen was in the rear Garneratal near Gaschurn in the Montafon, intended to create a connection between the Silvretta and the Rätikon and to ease the crossing between them. The hut, built for 19,000 Kronen, was inaugurated on 19 August 1908 and offered accommodation for 50 people. In 1910 and 1928 the hut was heavily damaged by dust avalanches. As a result it was stabilised with avalanche anchors and an avalanche protection wall was erected to reduce future damage. During both World Wars the hut was closed to hikers and climbers because it was used as a base for military border guards and customs authorities. With its reopening, the Tübinger Hütte was managed by the Austrian Alpine Club until 1954. Through the so-called "Hüttenbestandsvertrag" (hut holdings treaty) with Austria, the hut returned to the Tübingen section in 1956 as unrestricted property. Since then it has been regarded as "a piece of Neckar-Alb in the Montafon." For the hut's 50th anniversary, extensive renovation work was carried out. There followed the construction of a new turbine water intake, the renewal of the material cableway and the complete renewal of the power supply. In 1978 the first sod was turned for the hut extension that had been planned since the mid-1960s. After completion in 1979, this new part was inaugurated in 1981: the number of beds was doubled, the guest room enlarged, and a new kitchen and various ancillary rooms (drying room, self-catering and winter room, laundry and staff accommodation) were installed. From 2017 a comprehensive renovation of the hut began. Among other things, a new heating system was installed, fire protection renewed, the sanitary facilities renovated and the kitchen modernised; the staff rooms were also fundamentally refurbished. In 2020 a new sewage treatment plant was built, and in 2022 the winter room was finally renewed. During the conversion work, importance was placed on preserving the character of the hut. In 2019 about 2,700 overnight stays were counted at the hut. The normal approach from Gaschurn leads through the Garneratal, at the head of which the Tübinger Hütte stands. From the car park after the valley station of the Versettla cable car, on the bypass road south of Gaschurn to a group of houses and on through the Garneraschlucht (Fenggatobel) or the small road to the Maiensäß Ganeu (1,400 m, 75 min.). Then along the alp path into the Garneratal, past the debris of a landslide to the Garneraalp, Innerer Stafel (1,807 m). Along the stream to the Hohler Stein (1,890 m). From here either on the eastern side of the valley (summer path) more steeply up to the hut, or more comfortably following the valley floor, soon crossing the Garnerabach to the western valley slope as far as the valley station of the material cableway. Climbing more steeply and following the valley head in a wide arc to the left on a marked path to the hut (4–5 hours from Gaschurn). The Tübinger Hütte is also a fixed component of the alpine training of the Tübingen section of the DAV. Here there is, for example, a practice via ferrata and the opportunity to train crevasse rescue. In recent years work also began on creating a climbing garden and developing bouldering on the blocks around the hut. A round tour — Kessispitze–Hühnersee–Innersäß–Garnerjoch–Tübinger Hütte, 7:00 h — is recommended only for the experienced.

• 2022

  Winter room renewed, concluding the renovation works.

• 2020

  New sewage treatment plant built.

• 2019

  About 2,700 overnight stays recorded at the hut.

• 2017

  Comprehensive renovation begins (heating, fire protection, sanitary facilities, kitchen, staff rooms).

• 1981

  New extension inaugurated: beds doubled, guest room enlarged, new kitchen and ancillary rooms added.

• 1979

  Extension completed.

• 1978

  First sod turned for the long-planned hut extension.

• 1958

  Extensive renovation for the hut's 50th anniversary; new turbine water intake, renewed material cableway and power supply follow.

• 1956

  Under the Hüttenbestandsvertrag, the hut returns to the unrestricted ownership of the Tübingen section.

• 1954

  Austrian Alpine Club ends its management of the hut.

• 1928

  Hut again heavily damaged by a dust avalanche; subsequently stabilised with avalanche anchors and an avalanche wall.

• 1910

  Hut heavily damaged by a dust avalanche.

• 1908

  Hut inaugurated on 19 August, built for 19,000 Kronen, accommodating 50 people.

• 1906

  Working committee for hut construction formed under Bohnenberger; building of the hut decided at year's end.

• 1891

  Tübingen section of the Deutsch-Österreichischer Alpenverein founded on 4 March.

A Category I alpine shelter of the German Alpine Club, serving hikers, climbers and the Tübingen section's training programmes in the Silvretta.

• Category I mountain hut accommodation

• Practice via ferrata

• Crevasse rescue training

• Climbing garden and bouldering

• Winter room

1. 1Tübinger Hütte – Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Tübinger Hütte – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Deutscher Alpenverein Sektion Tübingen e. V.dav-tuebingen.de