Vermigelhütte

The Vermigelhütte is a mountain hut owned and operated by the Zofingen Section of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC). It sits at 2,042 metres above sea level on Sunnsbiel, at the very back of the Unteralptal valley in the Swiss canton of Uri, high above Andermatt. The hut is a base for hiking, snowshoeing, and ski touring, and is also accessible by mountain bike. It offers 36 sleeping places and is staffed during the summer season from early July to the end of September, and in winter on weekends from January to Easter. The hut is run by volunteers, mostly SAC members together with family and friends, who each take turns managing the hut for a week at a time. The origin of the Vermigelhütte goes back to a military shelter that was no longer needed after the Second World War. In 1946, the building in the Vermigel area of the Unteralptal was handed over to the Zofingen Section of the SAC for use and maintenance. The section equipped it with woollen blankets, dishes, and firewood, creating a base for 20 people. This first hut was built against a rock face, received little sunlight, and lay completely under snow in winter; a shovel was attached to the flagpole each autumn so the entrance could be dug free. The stay there was damp and slightly musty, and soon the wish arose for a hut in a sunnier location. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the then hut chief, Robert Wülser, this dream was realised in the 1970s. Water supply was established in 1971, and from 1972 to 1974 the new hut was built through voluntary labour and many donations. In autumn 1974, the new Vermigelhütte, which kept its name, was inaugurated on Sunnsbiel. A milestone in its history was electrification in 2016, with electricity coming from the Ritom power plant in Ticino. The hut is a stage point on routes 20/21 of the Alpenkranzroute around the canton of Uri, a network of 40 connecting routes. It is also a starting point for summit climbs such as Piz Ravetsch (3,007 m) and Pizzo Centrale (2,999 m). Access routes include from Andermatt via the Unteralptal in about 2.5 hours, from the Oberalp Pass via the Maighels Pass in about 4 hours, from the Gotthard Pass via the Sella Pass in about 5.5 hours, and from Gemsstock (2,961 m) in about 2.5–3 hours on an alpine route (T4, white-blue-white marked). Neighbouring huts include the Maighelshütte (2,310 m, SAC Piz Terri), the Badushütte (2,503 m, SAC Manegg), and the Wildenmattenhütte (2,286 m, not staffed, only with advance reservation). As a brand, the Vermigelhütte represents a traditional SAC mountain hut experience: simple accommodation, self-catering or half-board, and a base for alpine activities. It is not a commercial hotel chain but a club-owned facility operated for the benefit of mountaineers and hikers. The hut's website provides current information, access details, reservation information, a gallery, and its history. In summer 2026, the hut is open until 9 October, and guests are welcomed by the volunteer hut team. Current notices include a power supplier disruption affecting internet and electronic payments, military shooting exercises around the Sellasee that may cause temporary trail closures, and a rockfall between the Oberalp Pass and Tomasee that lengthens the approach by about 30 minutes.

The origin of the Vermigelhütte goes back to a military shelter that was no longer needed after the Second World War. One of these buildings lay in the Vermigel area in the Unteralptal, south-east of Andermatt, and in 1946 it was handed over to the Zofingen Section of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) for use and maintenance. The section equipped the hut with woollen blankets, dishes, and firewood, and thus gained a base for 20 people. This accommodation was named Vermigelhütte. The hut was built against a rock face, received little sunlight, and lay completely under a snow cover in winter. As a precaution, a shovel was attached to the flagpole each autumn so that the entrance could be shovelled free. This hut is now in private ownership. Staying in this hut at the time was a damp and slightly musty affair. Therefore, the wish for a hut in a sunnier location soon arose. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the then hut chief, Robert Wülser, this dream came true in the 1970s. In 1971, the water supply was established first. From 1972 to 1974, the new hut was built through voluntary labour and thanks to many donations. In autumn 1974, the new Vermigelhütte, which kept its name, was inaugurated on Sunnsbiel. A milestone in the history of the Vermigelhütte was the electrification in 2016. The electricity comes from the Ritom power plant in Ticino. The hut is located in the Swiss canton of Uri, on Sunnsbiel at the very back of the valley floor of the Unteralptal at 2,042 m above sea level. It offers 36 sleeping places and is staffed in the summer season from the beginning of July to the end of September, and in the winter season from January to Easter on weekends. The hut is run by volunteers, mostly SAC members together with family, friends, and acquaintances. A team manages the hut for one week at a time (in winter, one week each). The Vermigelhütte is a stage point on routes 20/21 of the Alpenkranzroute around the canton of Uri, which comprises 40 connecting routes. Summit climbs from the hut include Piz Ravetsch (3,007 m above sea level) and Pizzo Centrale (2,999 m above sea level). Access routes are: from Andermatt via the Unteralptal in about 2.5 hours; from the Oberalp Pass via the Maighels Pass in about 4 hours; from the Gotthard Pass via the Sella Pass in about 5.5 hours; from Gemsstock (2,961 m above sea level) (cable car to the mountain station) in about 2.5–3 hours (alpine route, T4, white-blue-white marked). Neighbouring huts include the Maighelshütte at 2,310 m above sea level (SAC Piz Terri), the Badushütte at 2,503 m above sea level (SAC Manegg), and the Wildenmattenhütte at 2,286 m above sea level, which is not staffed and only available with advance reservation. Transitions exist over the Lolenpass (Pass Tagliola) at 2,399 m above sea level or the Maighelspass at 2,421 m above sea level into the Val Maighels, over the Sellapass at 2,700 m above sea level to the Gotthard Pass at 2,106 m above sea level, and over the Unteralppass (Passo Scengion) at 2,573 m above sea level into the Val Canaria in the canton of Ticino. The Unteralppass is little frequented and partly only has trail traces. Literature: Sheet 1232 Oberalppass, national map 1:25,000 (valley location Andermatt); Sheet 256 Disentis, national map 1:50,000.

• 2016

  Electrification of the hut; electricity from the Ritom power plant in Ticino.

• 1974

  New Vermigelhütte inaugurated on Sunnsbiel in autumn.

• 1972

  Construction of the new hut begins through voluntary labour and donations.

• 1971

  Water supply established for the new hut.

• 1946

  Military shelter in the Vermigel area handed over to SAC Section Zofingen for use and maintenance; named Vermigelhütte.

Traditional, volunteer-run SAC mountain hut offering simple, affordable alpine accommodation in a remote high-mountain setting.

• Mountain hut accommodation

  36 sleeping places, staffed in summer (early July to end of September) and winter (January to Easter on weekends).

• Half-board and self-catering

  Food and drinks available; hut team provides meals.

1. 1Aktuell - Vermigelhüttevermigelhuette.ch
2. 2Galerie+Geschichte - Vermigelhüttevermigelhuette.ch
3. 3Vermigelhütte - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Vermigelhütte - Wikidatawikidata.org