Wormser Hütte

The Wormser Hütte is a mountain hut owned and operated by the Worms Section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, DAV). It sits at 2,307 metres above sea level high above the town of Schruns in the Montafon valley, in the Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg. The hut lies within the Verwall group of the Alps and is classified as Category I, meaning it is a simple mountain refuge with basic facilities, typically staffed during opening periods. It is one of the few huts in the alpine area owned by a Rhenish-Palatinate section of the DAV, and the Worms Section takes particular pride in this distinction. The hut was built in 1906–1907 and officially inaugurated with a religious consecration from 27 to 29 July 1907. It was designed by the experienced hut builder Walser, and its construction was supported by a subsidy of 4,000 Reichsmarks from the central committee of the German-Austrian Alpine Club, against a total cost of about 13,000 Reichsmarks. Over the decades the hut has been expanded several times, most recently in 2019. Today it offers 22 beds in rooms and 42 beds in four dormitories, making a total of 64 overnight places. It is open from mid-June to mid-October and from Christmas to one week after Easter. The Wormser Hütte is a popular destination for both summer and winter visitors. In summer it serves hikers and mountaineers, with easy access from the top station of the Sennigrat chairlift (20 minutes on foot) and longer ascents from Schruns (5–6 hours) or St. Gallenkirch (6 hours). In winter it is a base for skiers and ski tourers, thanks to its proximity to the Sennigrat cable car. The hut is also an important stop on long-distance trails: it marks the end of the Wormser Weg, a 20 km route through the Verwall mountains to the Heilbronner Hütte (8–10 hours), and it lies on the Zentralalpenweg 02. The surrounding peaks include the Kapelljoch (20 minutes), Kreuzjoch (45 minutes), Zamangspitze (1¼ hours), and Hochjoch (2½ hours). The hut has been run by a series of guardians (Hüttenwirte) since its opening. Notable long-serving guardians include Anton Vonier (1908–1924), Konrad Künzle (1924–1949), Werner Fleisch (1977–2005), and Manfred Zwischenbrugger (2005–2024). Since 2025 the guardian is Hendrik Eberhardt. The hut is known for its extensive food offerings and its well-managed operation, which has earned it a good reputation among mountain enthusiasts. In recent years, major investments have included connection to the local sewage system of the municipality of Schruns and extensive renovation and expansion work to make the hut suitable for both summer and winter operation. The Wormser Hütte is not a standalone commercial brand but a facility brand of the DAV Worms Section. It is marketed through its own website (www.wormser-huette.at) and through the section's website, and it offers online booking for reservations. Its operations are closely tied to the German Alpine Club's network of huts and the broader alpine tourism infrastructure of the Montafon region.

The idea of building a mountain hut for the Worms Section of the German Alpine Club first emerged in 1902. After members inspected a potential construction site, the sections of Tübingen and Reutlingen also expressed interest in the location, prompting the rapid development of a first building plan. The plan envisaged a two-storey structure with a footprint of 8 × 9 metres. The ground floor was to contain a common room, a guardian's room, a kitchen, and a sleeping area; the upper floor would have five sleeping cabins, each with two beds, and a dormitory with five mattresses. Once construction was decided, the central committee of the German-Austrian Alpine Club promised a subsidy of 4,000 Reichsmarks towards the total cost of about 13,000 Reichsmarks. The hut was built in 1906–1907 by Walser, an experienced hut builder. After nearly two years of work, it was inaugurated with great ceremony, including a religious consecration, from 27 to 29 July 1907. From then on, hundreds of people visited it. For a long time, provisions were transported by a mule named "Fritz", but the animal slipped and died in a fall. Over the years, the hut was enlarged several times, most recently in 2019. It now has 22 beds in rooms and 42 beds in four dormitories. The hut has been managed by a series of guardians: Aurel Steu (1907–1908), Anton Vonier (1908–1924), Konrad Künzle (1924–1949), Herbert Wachter (1954–1959), Wendelin Tschugmell (1962–1966), Johann Aßmann (1966–1976), Werner Fleisch (1977–2005), Manfred Zwischenbrugger (2005–2024), and Hendrik Eberhardt (since 2025). In recent years, extensive renovation and expansion work has made the hut suitable for both summer and winter operation. A major project was the connection of the hut to the local sewage system of the municipality of Schruns. The hut is owned by the Worms Section of the German Alpine Club, which is one of the few Rhenish-Palatinate sections to possess its own hut in the alpine area.

• 2025

  Hendrik Eberhardt becomes hut guardian.

• 2019

  Most recent expansion of the hut.

• 1907

  Hut inaugurated with religious consecration from 27 to 29 July.

• 1906

  Construction of the Wormser Hütte begins.

• 1902

  First considerations for building a hut by the Worms Section.

A traditional Category I mountain hut of the German Alpine Club, offering simple, friendly accommodation and food to hikers, mountaineers, and skiers in the Verwall group above Schruns.

• Overnight accommodation

  22 beds in rooms and 42 beds in four dormitories, total 64 places.

• Food and beverage service

  Extensive food offerings, well-regarded by visitors.

• Online booking

  Reservation system available via the hut's website.

1. 1Die Wormser Hütte – DAV - Sektion Worms e.V.dav-worms.de
2. 2Wormser Hütte - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Wormser Hütte - Wikipedia (French)fr.wikipedia.org