Staying Overnight in a Swiss Mountain Hut

One of the highlights of every summer for me is an overnight or two in a Swiss Mountain Hut (SAC Hütte). SAC stands for Swiss Alpine Club, and there are 152 mountain huts in Switzerland. When my children were young, we enjoyed annual camping trips to lovely places in Switzerland, Germany, France and Italy. We had a large tent that fit us all. Oddly enough, as babies they seemed to sleep better in the tent with Mom and Dad than they did in their own cribs. Perhaps it was the closeness of the sleeping arrangements (practically on top of each other) or the almost ever-present raindrops on the tent at night that lulled the little ones to sleep. When they woke up, they had a playground all around and couldn’t have been happier. I don’t know why we never tried hiking up to a SAC mountain hut and spending the night when our children were small. Looking back, I think I was afraid that I didn’t have the stamina to walk over a mountain pass, but in retrospect, we did plenty of day hikes back then that were more laborious, so I am positive that the kids could have made it.

I myself had always wondered about what it would be like to combine a day hike with an overnight in a Berghütte, so I finally gathered up my planning skills, hiking boots and energy to go on one. Looking on the Internet, I learned that it’s best to reserve ahead, and choose what services you would like. You can book just a night in a shared sleeping room with breakfast or you can get dinner as well. Newer options for Berghütten include private rooms and family rooms. I enjoyed my first SAC experience with my sister. We decided to check out the Greina area of Switzerland, which connects Val Lumnezia to parts of Tessin and Italy. The hike up was challenging, but if you are in average shape, it should be no problem. We learned the importance of checking the public transportation options very carefully, because in remote areas there are often not many options.

The Greina hiking trail is steep but not dangerous. On the way up I took lots of breaks and photos, as the landscape is truly one of a kind. There were three mountain huts in this area from which to choose, depending on your final destination. We chose the Terrihütte at 2170 meters above sea level (which now boasts 110 beds: open middle of June to October). When we finally arrived, we took some time out to bask in the summer sun on the terrace of this lovely old stone building. There were a variety of hikers that night; it was fully booked, and it was really very international. As we had chosen an overnight with dinner, we had a little wait before the main meal was served, which we spent chatting with other guests and watching the kids play outside. The dinner was served family style, and you can’t help but meet your neighbors at the table. It was a lovely meal and included salad, soup and dessert. After dinner we played a few games of cards, but I was a bit shocked when the lights went out automatically at 10 P.M.

Crawling into bed was a tad difficult because I practically rolled onto another guest (who had the outer bed in the bunk style set-up) when I tried to get into bed. In I flopped and ended up hearing a grunt from the once sleeping man. I apologized profusely, but my sister almost died laughing, suppressed laughter that always seems to make things even funnier. I am sure that my face turned a dozen shades of red before I got comfortable in my lower bunk. Luckily, my sleeping mate on the right couldn’t see me because it was dark. I guess he heard me, though, because my sister said I snored loudly. I don’t believe this because I was really awake most of the night, listening to the creaks from the upper bunks, wasn’t I? In the morning, my sleeping mate was gone (thank God!) and we got an early start on the hike down to Tessin.

Despite the less than perfect sleep, I felt refreshed in the morning light. The high moor landscape was totally captivating, but we had a few too many breaks to take photos, snack and chat. From high up above the next leg of the journey, I could see the Wanderbus that we were to take back to Olivone. Would we make it on time? Hurrying did not help, and no, we did not make the bus. That meant even more hiking. By this time our feet were getting tired and the hour late, but after a long haul we made it back to the bus stop and our train. Eventually arriving home, we had a lot to talk about and we felt great. We had made it!

If you are travelling with small children, you may find the hike to the Länta Hütte (shown above) near Vals, GR, a better alternative. The hike is amazing, but the ascent is not as steep as Greina. Leaving from Zervreila, near Vals, you walk along the stunning Lake Zervreila, which was formed when the dam was built. There is a Sennendorf (seasonal farm settlement) on the way, which has a small playground and snack opportunities. The donkeys that make the trek to and from the Hütte are fun to watch and pet. A half an hour from this destination is the Länta Glacier. The Reinwaldhorn in the distance is an awesome sight. You can walk further into Tessin the next day, hike back the way you came or take a minor detour. This SAC Hütte is open from the end of June until the middle of October. It’s also an option for ski tours. There are 33 beds in three sleeping rooms. My husband and I had a whole room to ourselves.

I have stayed in a few other mountain huts, and I always come away with the feeling that I have accomplished a wonderful thing for my body and soul. The views on the way are amazing, the food tasty and fellow hikers friendly and open. I would recommend these hikes for both couples and families. It is possible to book groups as well. A similar type of accommodation, the Naturfreundehäuser (guest houses run by Naturfreunde Schweiz), also caters to singles, families and groups.

Tips for families for staying in a SAC Hütte

• Reserve online or call before you go.
• Plan your transportation carefully. Some Wander buses operate on an on call basis.
• Bring a silk sleeping bag insert if you are squeamish about using SAC bedding (although it is very clean and ample).
• Pack in bottled water, etc. as some huts charge high prices for supplies.
• Telephone reception may be poor or unavailable.
• Bring a flashlight to use in a shared sleeping room.
• Check payment options: credit cards are not always accepted.

The SAC group has been working hard over the last 10 years to make the mountain huts (aka Berghütte) more attractive for families, singles and couples, and the choice of rooms has certainly improved since I started staying in them. The group is celebrating its 150^th birthday, and there are many festivities underway, including special lighting shows by lighting artist Gerry Hofstetter. There are also other options for staying overnight in the mountains, such as smaller hotels, guesthouses and Naturfreundehäuser.

For further information and to reserve:

• Swiss Alpine Club (site available in English)
• Naturfreunde Schweiz (site in German or French)

Text and photos by Mary Bider

Mary is a native of the United States and mother of three grown children. Although she has adjusted to European living, she still misses the wide-open spaces of her homeland.