‘Voilà!’ he said. ‘It’s all yours. Three men, two mattresses. You will be good friends, I think.’
Advance booking should make overcrowding a rare occurrence – in theory, at least. But practice is sometimes different from theory. When an Austrian hut is completely full, the warden (Hüttenwirt) may allocate emergency sleeping places (Notlager) if, say, there’s no time for a new arrival to reach alternative shelter. In such cases, a dormitory floor, a passageway or even the space beneath a table in the dining room (Gaststube) may be used as a bed. If such a prospect appals you, and it’s privacy you’re after, you’d better turn tail and head for a valley hotel, or grab a bivvy bag and find an overhanging rock to sleep under.
House rules
Having selected a hut for the night, made your booking and arrived in good time, the first thing to do before you enter the main building is remove your outdoor boots and place them along with your trekking poles on one of the racks you’ll find in the boot room or entrance porch. There will often be a supply of ‘hut shoes’ to change into. They could be plastic Croc-style shoes, floppy old mules or even old-fashioned clogs, all of which will be available in various sizes. If you don’t fancy these, pack your own lightweight slippers to wear inside the building. But don’t risk upsetting the warden by clomping through the hut in your walking boots, and if outer clothing is wet, hang waterproofs from racks in the boot room or, if there’s a drying room, leave them there.
Auberge de Bionnassay on the Tour of Mont Blanc is a typical gîte d’étape with facilities similar to those found in mountain huts
No room at the inn
In the 1960s I worked for a while in the Engadine Valley, with the Bernina and Bregaglia Alps as near neighbours: snow and ice mountains in one direction, soaring rock peaks in another. Two years after I’d finished working there, I returned to introduce my 3½-month-old daughter to the Alps. Years later she remembers nothing of that visit…
Leaving my wife and daughter with friends down in the valley, I set off alone for Piz Languard, that modest 3200m walkers’ mountain that rises above Pontresina with its classic view of the Bernina range, where I hoped to capture the magic of sunset and sunrise from the top.
Perched some 80m below the summit, the Georgy Hut was buzzing with voices when I arrived that September evening to be greeted by the guardian with a less-than-enthusiastic welcome. ‘There is no room,’ he growled. ‘We are full; no beds. You should have made a reservation.’
‘I don’t need a bed,’ I told him; ‘just a drink. That’s all.’
‘It will be dark before you are halfway down to Pontresina.’ His attitude was disdainful, and the look on his face spoke more than words. Taking the hint, I stooped to pick up my rucksack and slung it on my shoulder.
‘I’m not going down tonight,’ I said. ‘Forget the drink. I’m going up.’
He followed me to the door. ‘Where are you going?’ he demanded.
‘As I said, I’m going up. To the summit. That’s where I’ll spend the night.’
‘Zum Gipfel? There is no shelter on the summit!’ Then his voice softened. ‘Look, come back. I will find a space for you somewhere.’
But I was on my way then, and called over my shoulder: ‘I told you – I don’t need a bed. I have all I want on my back.’
All I heard then was an ill-tempered huff, the slamming of a door and the tapping of my own boots on rock.
It wasn’t long before I’d pitched my tent on the very summit and sat in its entrance to capture the sun sliding into a far horizon, relishing the moment as the snowy symmetrical perfection of Piz Palü blushed and outshone her more illustrious neighbours. It was one of the best of all sunsets.
What’s more, I had it all to myself.
Locate the warden/hut keeper, who will probably be found in the kitchen. Check in, and show your Alpine club membership or reciprocal rights card, if you have one, to claim a discount on your overnight fee. This is valid only in huts with reciprocal arrangements. (For more information on Alpine clubs, see Chapter 5). You don’t speak the language? Don’t worry; before you arrange your holiday, learn a few very basic phrases and you’ll be OK. Many wardens speak some English, but if they don’t, you’ll get by anyway. (The glossary in Appendix C lists a few key words.)
Now’s the time to order any meals required, including packed lunches for the following day, and make a note of when they’ll be served. The warden will probably outline any house rules, and may ask you to sign a visitors’ book (the Hut Book), which keeps a log of where you came from and where you’re going next day. You will be shown to your room and allocated bed space, the location of which – in climbers’ huts – may depend on the time you plan to leave in the morning. In huts where rucksacks are not allowed in the dormitories, you may be given a basket in which to keep overnight essentials. As the hut’s generator will be turned off after lights-out, don’t forget to keep a head torch handy in case you need to get up in the night or make an early departure. To avoid disturbing others, you should pack or unpack your rucksack outside the dorm.
It’s a good idea to keep a tally of food and drinks bought during your stay. In most huts, you will be asked to settle your bill the night before you leave, and as credit and debit cards are not accepted in all huts, you’d be advised to take plenty of ready cash with you.
At the majority of huts, a supply of ‘hut shoes’ will be found in the boot room or porch
A summary of hut conventions
Treat huts, hut keepers and fellow hut users with respect.
Wherever possible, reserve your accommodation in advance. Once booked, if your plans change for any reason, it is essential to phone the hut to cancel.
On arrival, leave boots, trekking poles and wet outer clothing in the boot room or porch. Select a pair of ‘hut shoes’ to wear indoors.
Locate the hut keeper to announce your arrival. Show your Alpine Club membership card or reciprocal rights card, if you have one, to claim a discount on overnight fees, and book meals and any packed lunches required for the next day. If you have dietary requirements, make these known as early as possible.
Once your room and bed space have been allocated, make your bed using a sheet sleeping bag. Keep a head torch handy, as the hut’s generator will usually be turned off after lights-out. Be considerate of others and avoid unnecessary noise in the dormitories.
While snacks and drinks are usually available during the day, meals are served at set times, and places at table are sometimes allocated by the hut keeper.
It is customary to pay for all services the night before leaving.
Before departure, leave your room tidy by folding blankets or duvets, and take all litter away with you.
Sleeping and eating
At most manned huts, something resembling a restaurant-style service will be available during the day, although a set menu is the norm for breakfast and the evening meal. The majority of hut users choose half-board (bed, breakfast and evening meal), which virtually guarantees a substantial three- or four-course dinner when you really need it. Mealtimes vary from hut to hut, but dinner is usually served between 6pm and 7.30pm. And what sort of meals might you expect? Well, perhaps not haute cuisine, except in its most literal sense, for the last thing you need after a long day in the hills is a large plate with minuscule portions of decorated artwork masquerading as a culinary treat. Mountain activities